Native trees and shrubs on the Ottawa region The following list was compiled by Iola Price for the Council of the Village of Rockcliffe Park. Several years ago, the council adopted a policy of planting only trees native to the Ottawa Valley on village lands. The idea was that native trees are better adapted to the climate and, because they have long "experience" with their pests or predators, they have evolved defense mechanisms to ensure better survival. Some residents expressed an interest in knowing what trees and shrubs are native to the area. This is only a partial list. For further information, consult books such as Trees in Canada by John Laird Farrar or Native Trees of Canada by R.C. Hosie, Flore Laurentienne by Frère Marie-Victorin and Shrubs of Ontario by J.H. Soper and M.L. Heimburger. Trees and shrubs do best when planted in suitable soil with the right moisture and sun/shade conditions. Before you buy, determine if the conditions will be right for the tree you want. And, if you do decide to buy a native tree, check the species (Latin) name — mislabelling in the nursery can occur. When in doubt — ask! LARGE TREES Eastern white pine Pinus strobus — dry sandy ridges to moist loam Red pine Pinus resinosa — sandy gravelly soils Tamarack Larix laricina — moist well drained light soils White spruce Picea glauca — well drained but moist silty soil Eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensis — moist cool locations Balsam fir Abies balsamea — wide variety of soils Trembling aspen Populus tremuloides — drained moist sandy or loamy gravel Balsam poplar Populus balsamifera — rich moist soils Largetooth aspen Populus grandidentata — dry to moist, poor to fertile soils Butternut Juglans cinerea — moist well drained soils, limestone Shagbark hickory Carya ovata — rich moist soils Bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis — rich upland soils and moist lowlands, moderately shade tolerant White birch Betula papyrifera — rich moist soils Yellow birch Betula alleghaniensis — rich moist soils Black willow Salix nigra — moist soils American beech Fagus grandifolia — moist well drained soils White oak Quercus alba — deep moist well drained soils Bur oak Quercus macrocarpa — deep bottom land to upland soils Red oak Quercus rubra — rocky or gravelly uplands White elm Ulmus americana — rich moist or gravelly soils (still susceptible to Dutch elm disease but resistant varieties are available) Rock elm Ulmus thomasii — limestone ridges Slippery elm Ulmus rubra — rich moist soils and rocky ridges Hackberry Celtis occidentalis — upland sites Black cherry Prunus serotina — rich alluvial soil Sugar maple Acer saccharum — deep fertile moist well drained soils, shade tolerant Silver maple Acer saccharinum — rich moist soils Red maple Acer rubrum — moist soils Basswood Tilia americana — deep fertile soils White ash Fraxinus americana — well drained moist soils Black ash Fraxinus nigra — rich wet soils SMALL TREES Jack pine Pinus banksiana — coarse sand, shallow soils, hardy Eastern white cedar Thuja occidentalis — wet to dry sites, limestone base Eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana — rocky ridges, dry sandy soils Ironwood/hop-hornbeam Ostrya virginiana — well drained slopes and ridges, shade tolerant Blue-beech Carpinus caroliniana — deep rich moist soils, shade tolerant Gray birch Betula populifolia — wet or dry sandy or gravelly soils Pin cherry Prunus pensylvanica — variety of soils Choke cherry Prunus virginiana — gravelly and sandy soils, berries provide food for birds Peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides — moist soils Bebb willow Salix bebbiana — moist soils Shining willow Salix lucida — moist soils American mountain-ash Sorbus americana — wet to moist soils Showy mountain-ash Sorbus decora — wet to dry soils Dotted hawthorn Crataegus punctatus — Quebec hawthorn Crataegus submollis — moist soils Cockspur hawthorn Crategus succulenta — dry gravelly soils Holmes hawthorn Crategus holssiana — Striped maple Acer pensylvanicum — well-drained cool soils, shade tolerant Red ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica — variety of soils, Winterberry Ilex verticillata — moist soils, berries remain in winter SHRUBS Canada yew Taxus canadensis — variety of soils Witch hazel Hamamelis virginiana — dry, well drained soil Chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa — dry sandy rocky ridges to peat bogs and wet swamps Elderberry Sambuccus canadensis — variety of soils Red-berried elder Sambuccus pubens — variety of soils Highbush cranberry Viburnum trilobum — variety of soils, nice red berries Nannyberry Viburnum lentago — variety of soils, moderately shade tolerant Downy arrow-wood Viburnum rafinesquianum — calcareous ledges Withe rod, wild raisin Viburnum cassinoides — moist, acid soils, damp shady banks Alternate-leaf dogwood Cornus alternifolia — well drained soils, shade tolerant Silky dogwood Cornus obliqua — low, damp ground Gray dogwood Cornus racemosa — moist soils, sandy slopes, limestone Round-leaved dogwood Cornus rugosa — sandy, gravelly rocky soil, limestone Downy serviceberry Amelanchier arborea — moderately shade tolerant, sweet berries Smooth serviceberry Amelanchier laevis — moist soils, sweet berries Mountain juneberry Amelanchier bartramiana — mostly acid soils, sandy areas Serviceberry, juneberry Amelanchier humilis — limestone flats, gravel Shadbush, serviceberry Amelanchier sanguinea — gravelly rocky soils Hawthorn Crataegus chrysocarpa — rocky, gravelly ground Narrow-leafed meadowsweet Spirea alba — moist soils Broad-leafed meadowsweet Spirea latifolia — sandy, rocky soils Steeple-bush Spirea tomentosa — sandy, marshy, rocky usually acid soil Soapberry, buffalo berry Sheperdia canadensis — sandy, rocky, gravelly soils, dry slopes Canada plum Prunus nigra — limestone soils Staghorn sumac Rhus typhina — sandy rocky soils Red-osier dogwood Cornus stolonifera — moist to sandy soils, limestone Beaked hazel Corylus cornuta — variety of soils American hazel Corylus americana — variety of soils Bristly sarsparilla Aralia hispida — sandy, gravelly, rocky soil Fly honeysuckle Lonicera canadensis — damp or shaded ground Glaucus honeysuckle Lonicera dioica — dry or moist soils; can be a climber Hairy honeysuckle Lonicera hirsuta — dry or moist soils; can be a climber Snowberry Symphoricarpus albus — sandy or rocky open ground or well drained ridges This page was created on 20 July 2002 Text: Iola Price © Fletcher Wildlife Garden Our e-mail address