2015 Fall Tree & Shrub Information

2015 SPRING TREE & SHRUB INFORMATION

RED MAPLE (Soft Maple) – Acer rubrum The red maple is a medium-sized tree. The seeds of the red maple are contained in "keys" that float down from the tree's branches in early summer.    

Size: 25 m tall, trunk 60 cm in diameter Moisture: Grows best in moist soil, but can tolerate different moisture levels Shade: Tolerates some shade Soil: Grows in a variety of soils

The red maple is a tall, straight tree in the forest, but in the open it tends to divide its main stem several times, often making it susceptible to breaking later in life. This is a good, fast-growing shade tree, but pruning and maintenance may be needed to keep its form strong if it is shading your house. Its roots are shallow, but they can spread widely, so make sure you plant your red maple where it will have room to grow.

It's easy to recognize the red maple in the autumn when its leaves turn a beautiful bright red.

SILVER MAPLE – Acer saccharinum The silver maple is a large tree. The silver maple is very similar to the red maple — except that its leaves turn pale yellow or brown, not red, in the fall. Its seeds are found in "keys" that fall from the tree in late spring. Bark on the silver maple's trunk is smooth and gray when the tree is young, and then becomes dark reddish brown and breaks into strips that peel off at either end and make the trunk look "shaggy".

Sometimes, the trunks of silver maples are hollow, creating space for animals and birds to live in.    

Size: Up to 35 m tall, trunk 100 cm in diameter Moisture: Prefers moist soil Shade: Slightly shade tolerant but prefers full sun Soil: Prefers rich soil

The silver maple is a large tree, so make sure it will have plenty of room to grow. It isn't a good tree to plant next to city streets, because it has a lot of leaves that fall off in the autumn and it has a lot of roots that can clog sewer pipes.

The silver maple grows quickly — it's often planted to provide shade or to block unsightly views.

SUGAR MAPLE (Hard Maple) – Acer saccharum The sugar maple is a large tree that can live for more than 200 years. The shape of the leaf is well known — it's found on the Canadian flag and the sugar maple is the national tree of Canada. In the fall, the sugar maple's leaves turn yellow, brilliant orange or red. Its bark is smooth and gray, and becomes darker and splits into ridges that curl out as the tree gets older. Seeds from the sugar maple are contained in "keys" which are produced every year, with an abundant crop every 7 years.    

Size: 35 metres tall, 90 centimetres in diameter Moisture: Prefers moist soil Shade: Can tolerate shade but grows better when it gets full sun Soil: Prefers deep and rich soil

Sugar maples do best in deep, rich and well-drained soil. Its roots are deep and wide spreading, and it's a large and strong tree, ideal for use as a shade tree.

Sugar maple gets its name from the sweet sap it produces which is used to make maple syrup. Other maples can be used as well, but their sap is not nearly as sweet. It takes about 40 litres of sugar maple sap to make 1 litre of maple syrup.

2015 Fall Tree & Shrub Sale

AMERICAN ELM – Ulmus americana American elm is easily recognized by its vase-shaped habit, with one straight trunk splitting into many arching branches. The leaves are oval-shaped, dark green, rough to the touch and have a very asymmetrical base. Tiny flowers appear before the leaves small clusters of circular, winged seeds mature in spring.    

Size: 35 m tall Moisture: Prefers moist, but is adaptable Shade: Prefers full sun, tolerates part shade Soil: Prefers rich, well-drained soils

Dutch Elm Disease has reduced our classic urban shade tree relic survivors. Young and medium-aged trees can still be found in the wild. The American elm was one of our largest native trees before the disease, and most adaptable to rural and urban life. The long-term solution to destructive, widespread diseases is biodiversity in species, so you may plant disease-resistant elms. The University of Guelph Arboretum has been identifying large survivors and assembling a gene bank for breeding resistance.

There are isolated American elm trees that survived Dutch Elm Disease with trunks over 4.5 m in circumference!

RED OAK – Quercus rubra The red oak is a tall tree with a thick trunk sometimes more than 120 cm in diameter. Acorns from the red oak are round with a scaly cap that covers less than ¼ of the acorn.    

Size: 20 to 30 m tall, trunk between 30 and 90 cm in diameter Moisture: Can tolerate a variety of moisture levels Shade: Prefers full sun, but can tolerate some shade Soil: Grows in a variety of soils

The red oak needs room to grow — it can tolerate shade when it's younger, but needs full sun as it gets older. It doesn't grow very well if it's close to other trees.

Sometimes dead leaves stay on oak trees, even in the winter.

BUR OAK – Quercus macrocarpa Depending on where it grows, the bur oak can be different shapes. It’s usually tall with a straight trunk but if grown in shallow soil, it can be smaller with a twisted trunk and gnarled branches. The bur oak is a medium to large tree and is the most common oak in Ontario.    

Size: 15 to 30 m tall, trunk 60 to 120 cm in diameter Moisture: Tolerates a wide variety of moisture conditions Shade: Prefers full sun, but can tolerate moderate shade Soil: Can grow in a variety of soils

The bur oak’s roots grow deep into the soil, so plant it where there aren’t underground pipes. The bur oak can survive being transplanted and it grows well in cities.

The bur oak can survive forest fires because it has very thick bark. It can also tolerate drought because its roots grow deep into the ground.

2015 Fall Tree & Shrub Sale

MOUNTAIN ASH – Sorbus aucuparia The mountain ash is a small tree. In May and June, the tree is covered in clusters of white flowers. Later in the summer, bunches of bright orange-red berries appear.    

Size: 10 m tall Moisture: Prefers moist ground, but can survive in dry conditions Shade: Can tolerate some shade Soil: Grows in a variety of soils

Pretty flowers and leaves and bright colourful berries make the mountain-ash a popular choice for landscaping. The mountain-ash prefers moist ground but can also grow in rocky and dry soil, but it will be more stunted on rocky sites.

Birds eat the fruit from the mountain-ash and they spread seeds, helping new trees to grow.

HACKBERRY – Celtis occidentalis Northern hackberry is the largest native hackberry, with distinctive warty-ridged bark as it matures. Leaves turn yellow in fall. Single, reddish-purple fruits hang below the leaves and may persist into winter.    

Size: Up to 15 m tall Moisture: Wet to dry Shade: Full sun to partial shade Soil: Adaptable to all types and wide pH range

In a forest, northern hackberry will form a tall, high canopy, but when planted in the open, will grow as wide as tall, so give it ample space. It grows commonly in moist bottomlands near rivers and lakes but has proven to be a very adaptable species for dry, windy sites and urban areas.

Northern hackberry is a suitable replacement for American elm.

The sugar-rich fruit supports many species of birds, and the leaves are food for many kinds of caterpillars.

BASSWOOD (LINDEN) – Tilia Americana Basswoods are large trees with heart-shaped leaves with toothed edges and a short point. The twigs have a noticeable zigzag appearance. The fragrant yellow flowers and round grayish-brown fruit hang from the center of a leaf-like bract. When released, the bract acts like a helicopter wing and carries the seeds away in a breeze.

This tree can be found often growing in large-trunked, multi-stemmed trunks along fencerows, or as singlestemmed trees within the deciduous forest. It is valued for its light, easily worked wood.    

Size: Up to 35 m tall Moisture: Prefers moist soils Shade: Can grow in full shade or full sun Soil: Prefers rich, well-drained soils

It is common to rake up all the leaves in the yard in fall, but many species, including basswood have very nutrient-rich leaves. Mulching leaves with a lawnmower can help your lawn, your trees and save money on fertilizer.

Bees love basswood flowers because they bloom in midsummer, when few other trees are in bloom.

2015 Fall Tree & Shrub Sale

ALTERNATE-LEAF DOGWOOD – Cornus alternifolia This species is unique amongst the dogwoods for having an alternate leaf arrangement, though leaves are clustered on the ends of the branches. It is also called pagoda dogwood for its attractive horizontal tiers of branches on older trees. Large clusters of white flowers appear in spring, followed by dark blue berries on red stalks in midsummer.    

Size: 10 m high Moisture: Prefers evenly moist soils Shade: Prefers partial shade, full sun with ample moisture Soil: Prefers well-drained, deep soils

To provide even moisture all year long, mulch well with 8 cm of bark mulch, or plant near the sloped edge of a water feature where the roots can access water in the heat of the summer.

Alternate-leaf dogwood berries are a favourite food of summer songbirds.

BLACK CHERRY – Prunus serotina The black cherry is a medium tree. Bunches of small white flowers grow on the black cherry tree in the spring after the first leaves have fully developed. The tree produces fruit in August or early September. The small, dark red cherries grow in clusters and are edible, but very bitter.    

Size: 22 m tall, trunk 60 cm in diameter Moisture: Tolerates different moisture levels Shade: Intolerant - needs full sun Soil: Grows in a variety of soils

Black cherry trees grow well in a variety of soils. Its blossoms will add colour to your garden, and the fruit may attract birds.

Black cherry is an important forest tree for wildlife because of its fruit. The black cherry tree’s fruit grows in bunches of 6 to 12 cherries. Every 3 or 4 years, the tree grows a larger-than-normal crop of fruit.

PIN CHERRY – Prunus pensylvanica The pin cherry is a small tree. The fruit of the pin cherry is bright red and ripens from late July to early September. They are edible but very sour. In the spring, the pin cherry tree is covered in white blossoms that grow in bunches. It needs bright sun to survive, so it usually grows in the open away from other trees that might create shade.    

Size: 12 metres high, trunk is 25 cm in diameter Moisture: Can tolerate different moisture levels Shade: Needs full sun Soil: Grows in a variety of soils

Plant your pin cherry tree in full sun. Be sure that there aren't other trees close by that will shade it. When the pin cherry tree grows in poor conditions, it doesn't get any bigger than a shrub.

In nature, the seeds of the pin cherry can lie dormant in the ground for many decades, sprouting in great numbers after some kind of disturbance like a wind storm or fire removes the forest cover.

2015 Fall Tree & Shrub Sale

DOWNY SERVICEBERRY – Amelanchier Canadensis Serviceberries can be purchased and pruned as single-stem specimen trees or naturalized and allowed to form multi-stemmed clumps or hedgerows. It can be hard to tell different serviceberry species apart, but they are often multi-trunked with smooth gray bark. Clusters of white flowers appear in spring and tasty berries ripen early to mid-summer.    

Size: Up to 12 m tall Moisture: Moist to dry sites Shade: Partial shade to full sun Soil: Adaptable to all but water-logged soils

Serviceberries transplant easily due to their fibrous root systems and are very adaptable. Serviceberries also attract wildlife and offer beautiful fall colours.

Serviceberry fruits were a staple food of the Cree tribes of the Prairies, who mixed the dried berries with buffalo meat to make pemmican.

WHITE SPRUCE – Picea glauca The white spruce is a medium-sized tree, but under ideal conditions can grow to more than 30 m tall. It usually lives between 250 and 350 years, but trees up to 1,000 years have been seen. Wood from the white spruce is used to make wood pulp and lumber. They are also grown as Christmas trees.    

Size: 24 m tall, trunk 60 cm in diameter Moisture: Tolerates a range of moisture levels Shade: Tolerates shade Soil: Can grow in almost any soil type

The white spruce is sensitive to frost damage when young and should be planted in a protected area. It can survive in a range of soil and moisture conditions.

Bark, branches, buds and seeds from the white spruce are food for deer, rabbits, porcupines, birds, and small rodents.

WHITE CEDAR – Thuja occidentalis The eastern white cedar is a small, hardy, slow-growing tree. It usually lives for about 200 years, but can occasionally live much longer. It grows throughout Ontario and is usually found in swampy areas.    

Size: 15 m tall, trunk 30 cm in diameter Moisture: Prefers moist soil Shade: Tolerates some shade Soil: Grows in a variety of soils, but does not tolerate road salt

Because of its small size, the eastern white cedar is a great tree for landscaping, especially as a hedge tree.

Eastern white cedar trees more than 700 years old have been found in Ontario’s Niagara Escarpment!

WHITE PINE – Pinus strobus The white pine is a medium to large sized tree. It has skinny needles that make it easy to recognize, as they grow in bunches of five. Pine cones are long and hang down from the branches. Good seed crops aren’t produced until trees are 20 or 30 years old, and then only every 3 to 5 years.    

Size: 20 to 35 m tall, trunk 60 to 140 cm in diameter Moisture: Tolerates different moisture levels Shade: Tolerates partial shade when younger Soil: Grows in any soil type; prefers sand or sandy loam

2015 Fall Tree & Shrub Sale

Planted in direct sun, it will grow quickly and is ideal for blocking an unsightly view or for creating shade for your house. If it grows somewhere that it’s exposed to a lot of wind, the eastern white pine can become a bit lopsided, with small, short branches on the side that faces the wind.

The eastern white pine is the provincial tree of Ontario. In colonial times, these tall trees were used to make masts for the British Royal Navy ships.

WHITE CEDAR – Thuja occidentalis The eastern white cedar is a small, hardy, slow-growing tree. It usually lives for about 200 years, but can occasionally live much longer. It grows throughout Ontario and is usually found in swampy areas.    

Size: 15 m tall, trunk 30 cm in diameter Moisture: Prefers moist soil Shade: Tolerates some shade Soil: Grows in a variety of soils, but does not tolerate road salt

Because of its small size, the eastern white cedar is a great tree for landscaping, especially as a hedge tree.

Eastern white cedar trees more than 700 years old have been found in Ontario’s Niagara Escarpment!

HIGHBUSH CRANBERRY – Viburnum trilobum The leaves are maple leaf shaped; the flowers are white flat topped clusters. The red-orange berries are persistent throughout the winter.

This shrub is flood, disease and insect tolerant.    

Size: 2 - 4m Moisture: Normal, Moist Shade: Sun, part shade Soil: sand, loam

The berries make an excellent winter survival food because they remain above the snow and are sweeter after freezing. However, eating fruit in large amounts can cause stomach upset.

BUSH HONEYSUCKLE – Diervilla lonicera Diervilla is not a true honeysuckle like members of the Lonicera genus, but they are similar in appearance;.

The plant grows all season long, producing blooms for a long time. The small yellow flowers are attractive to bumblebees and hummingbirds.    

Size: 30 - 100 cm Moisture: Dry Shade: Sun, part shade Soil: sand

A low maintenance alternative for difficult situations, it can be used to stabilize a slope or for mass plantings.

AMERICAN ELDER – Sambucus canadensis A familiar native shrub commonly seen along stream banks, roadsides and in moist woodlands and thickets.

It has pinnate leaves with toothed leaflets and small white flowers borne in large flattened clusters in summer. Purple-black, round fruit comes next, attracting wildlife to the garden. Elderberries typically grow to about 12 feet high, but they tolerate pruning to a smaller size. Fruit is edible when cooked.    

Size: up to 4 m Moisture: Normal, Moist, Wet Shade: Sun, part shade Soil: clay, sand, loam

2015 Fall Tree & Shrub Sale

The elder blooms later than most flowering shrubs and is very decorative when in bloom.

Elders attract butterflies, songbirds, upland game birds and small mammals. Elderberries are also very attractive to makers of pie, jellies and wine.

RED OSIER DOGWOOD – Cornus sericea It has dark red very flexible erect twigs, and is also called red twig dogwood for this reason. These showy twigs are one of the most popular cut boughs for winter pots sold at nurseries.    

Size: 1.6 - 4m Moisture: Normal, moist, wet Shade: Sun, part shade Soil: clay, sand, loam

In nature, this shrub is a vital environmental species. Large mammals including moose and deer browse on its twigs, fruit and foliage. Small mammals including squirrels, mice and game birds rely on it for food and protection. Birds eat its berries and seek shelter in it.

Sources: Ontario Tree Atlas, Evergreen Native Plant Database

2015 Fall Tree & Shrub Sale