WHITE PINE

Pinus strobus

35 metres

(115 feet)

100+ years

Ontario’s tallest tree and provincial tree

Appearance: Clusters of 5 soft, long, bluish-green needles.

Smooth, young bark; dark, ridged mature bark.

Site and soils: Best on well drained to moist, sand and loams. Tolerates shade when young.

Rural plantings: Reforestation, timber plantations. Plant at 6ft. spacing. Grows 2-3 feet/year

once established. Plant under canopy of taller trees to help avoid white pine

weevil problems. Grows well with red pine, maple, ash and beech.

Urban settings; Prune for landscaping purposes; sensitive to salt and air pollutants.

Native to: Southern and central Ontario

WHITE

SPRUCE

Picea glauca

25 metres

(80 feet)

100+ years

Appearance: Short, whitish or bluish-green needles; wide form.

Site and soils: Best on well-drained, moist silty soils. Tolerates poorly drained and heavy soils.

Avoid dry sites. Tolerates shading. Slow initial growth, then 1-2 feet/year on

good sites once established.

Rural plantings: Reforestation, timber plantations, Christmas trees. Plant at 8 feet by 8 feet, but

thin periodically to maintain health and growth. Grows well with many species.

Urban settings: Windbreaks, landscaping.

Native to: Central and northern Ontario

WHITE

CEDAR

Thuja occidentalis

15 metres

(50 feet)

80+ years

Appearance: Yellow to green scale-like leaves, turning bronzy green in winter

Broad, dense, columnar form; thin red-brown young bark; gray-brown mature

bark in strips.

Site and soils: Does well on many sites; dry, wet or shallow soils. Tolerant of shade.

Rural plantings: Reforestation, site restoration, wildlife plantings for browse and cover. Slow

growing. Grows well with white pine, balsam fir, yellow birch, sugar maple.

Urban settings: Common as hedges, windbreaks. Easily pruned.

Native to: Ontario

NORWAY

SPRUCE

Picea abies

30 metres

(100 feet)

100+ years

Appearance: Short, dark green needles. Thin, reddish-brown young bark; dark

purplish-brown, scaly, mature bark.

Site and soils: Best on well-drained to moist, sand and loams (similar to white pine).

Avoid wet or dry sites. Tolerates some shade.

Rural plantings: Timber plantations. Plant at 8 feet by 8 feet. Grows 2-3 feet/year on good sites.

Urban settings: Windbreak species, distinctive drooping branches, drought susceptible.

Native to: Europe and Asia; adapted to southern and central Ontario

SCOTS  

PINE

Pinus sylvestris

25 metres

(80 feet)

80 years

Can be invasive and displace native species in natural areas

Appearance: Clusters of 2 short, bluish- to grayish-green needles. Thin, orange, papery

young bark; gray-brown, scaly plates on mature bark.

Site and soils: Sandy, gravelly sites; other poor quality sites. Needs full sunlight.

Rural plantings: Common Christmas tree, otherwise not recommended. Fast growth.

Subject to insect and disease damage, especially in a pure stand.

Urban settings: Common; distinctive orange, papery inner mature bark.

Native to: Europe and Asia

SUGAR  

MAPLE

Acer saccharum

30 metres

(100 feet)

100+ years

Canada’s National tree

Appearance: Deep yellow-green lobed leaves, broad-spreading open grown form.

Smooth, young bark; dark, irregularly-ridged mature bark.

Site and soils: Best on deep, fertile, well-drained to moist loams. Tolerates shade when

young. Responds well to thinning.

Rural plantings: Reforestation, maple sugar orchards. Grows well with white pine, hemlock

and other broadleaf trees.

Urban settings: Sensitive to salt and air pollutants; hot, dry conditions and compacted soils.

Brilliant autumn colour.

Native to: Central and southern Ontario

RED

MAPLE

Acer rubrum

25 metres

(80 feet)

80 years

Appearance: Light green (lighter below), lobed, toothed leaves; wide open grown form.

Smooth, young bark; gray-brown, scaly, ridged, mature bark.

Site and soils: Adapted to a variety of soils - wet and dry. Best on moist sites. Tolerates some

shade when young.

Rural plantings: Reforestation, plantations for pulp and timber.

Urban settings: Common ornamental, brilliant autumn colour - deep red.

Native to: Central and southern Ontario

BUR

OAK

Quercus macrocarpa

25 metres

(80 feet)

200+ years

Appearance: Shiny, green, round lobed leaves; corky twigs and branches. Rough, furrowed

young bark; deeply furrowed mature bark.

Site and soils: Adapted to a range of soils - dry to moist, sand or clay. Tolerates some shade.

Rural plantings: Reforestation, timber plantations, wildlife food source. Grows well with pines,

hemlock and other broadleaf trees.

Urban settings: Tolerant of urban conditions. Large, attractive ornamental.

Native to: Southern and eastern Ontario

BLACK

ASH

Fraxinus nigra

20 metres

(65 feet)

100 years

Appearance: Dark green compound leaves with 7-11 leaflets. Light gray, soft, corky young

bark; scaly mature bark.

Site and soils: Adapted to imperfectly drained soils. Can tolerate some flooding. Needs full

sunlight.

Rural plantings: Reforestation. Grows well with cedar, balsam fir, silver and red maple.

Urban settings: Common urban tree, columnar form.

Native to: Ontario

BLACK  

WALNUT

Juglans nigra

30 metres

(100 feet)

100+ years

Edible nuts

Appearance: Yellow-green compound leaves with 14-22 leaflets. Light brown, scaly young

bark; dark, broad ridges on mature bark.

Site and soils: Best on deep, well-drained, fertile sites. Avoid dry sites. Needs full sunlight.

Rural plantings: Reforestation, timber plantations, wildlife food source. Grows fast on good

sites. Grows well with other broadleaf trees. Produces juglone, which can be

toxic to some tree species (pines).

Urban settings: Large, attractive ornamental; for larger green spaces.

Native to: Southwestern Ontario; becoming naturalized in eastern Ontario

WHITE

BIRCH

Betula papyrifera

25 metres

(80 feet)

80 years

Appearance: Simple, dull green, toothed leaves. Thin, smooth, dark red young bark; white,

papery mature bark.

Site and soils: Adapted to a wide range of sites. Needs full sunlight.

Rural plantings: Reforestation. Grows well with pines, spruce, poplar, balsam fir, yellow birch

and sugar maple.

Urban settings: Common urban tree.

Native to: Ontario

HONEY

LOCUST

Gleditsia triacanthos

20 metres

(65 feet)

90 years

Appearance: Bright green compound leaves with 14-30 leaflets; spiny twigs.

Smooth, brown, spiny young bark; Scaly-ridged mature bark.

Site and soils: Adapted to moist, rich, bottomland soils. Needs full sunlight.

Rural plantings: Not recommended.

Urban settings: Common ornamental. Casts a light shade. Tolerant of urban conditions.

Native to: Extreme southwestern end of Ontario

HORSE

CHESTNUT

Aesculus hippocasta-num

25 metres

(80 feet)

100 years

Appearance: Yellow-green, palmately compound leaves with 5-9 leaflets; green, spiked

husk on nuts. Smooth, dark gray young bark; Fissured, scaly mature bark.

Site and soils: Best on well-drained deep soils.

Rural plantings: Not recommended. Can be invasive in forest conditions

Urban settings: Showy, white flowers. Tolerates urban conditions.

Native to: Southeastern Europe

HYBRID

POPLAR

Populus hybrids

25 metres

(80 feet)

40 years

Appearance: Simple, dark green leaves. Smooth, green young bark; light yellow-gray, rough,

mature bark.

Site and soils: Best on moist to well-drained loams.

Rural plantings: Plantations for pulp. Grows very fast, but is short-lived.

Urban settings: Windbreaks, screens.

Native to: Ontario and Europe (hybrids of poplars from both areas)

WILLOW

Salix species

Shrub and tree

forms

Ask for native species (many exotics are grown)

Appearance: Large shrub to large tree forms; simple green leaves. Smooth, gray young

bark; rough, furrowed mature bark.

Site and soils: Adapted to many sites. Tolerates flooded conditions. Needs full sunlight.

Rural plantings: Site restoration, wildlife cover.

Urban settings: Small shrubby or small tree form.

Native to: Ontario