Mount Wise is designated as a County Wildlife Site because of the presence of limestone grassland and records of six Devon Notable plant species:
- Round leaved crane's-bill
- Autumn ladies tresses
- Knotted hedge parsley
- Ivy broomrape
- Cowslip
- Hoary plantain
This is the best area to see limestone grassland in the city.
Limestone (or calcareous) grassland is present towards the south-east corner of the site.
Species present include:
- Quaking grass
- Great knapweed
- Ladies bedstraw
- Mouse-ear hawkweed
- Salad burnet
- Wild thyme
- Yellow oat-grass
The remainder of the site comprises predominantly unimproved grassland with species in this area including:
- Quaking grass
- Common knapweed
- Great knapweed
- Ladies bedstraw
- Ox-eye daisy
- Mouse-ear hawkweed
- Yellow rattle
- Cowslip
- Salad burnet
- Autumn ladies tresses
- Wild thyme
- Meadow vetchling
- Yellow oat-grass