ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ

1. Alder or Glossy Buckthorn

Rhamnus frangula

Considered invasive in many parts of Canada due to high seed production and tolerance to a range of conditions. This small deciduous tree was brought to North America in the 1800s. It produces many berry-like fruits that are poisonous to most animals.

2. Eastern Juniper

Juniperus virginiana

This tree-like juniper is native to eastern N America, including Ontario and Quebec. It is widely planted as an ornamental. This species is drought tolerant and the wood is sometimes used in pencils. Its aromatic smell has been used to line chests to deter moths. Its leaves are scale-like and the genetic type used in Edmonton horticulture usually has a bluish tinge.

3. Siberian larch

Larix sibirica

This larch is widespread in Asia. It has thick bark and soft foliage that is mostly held on short shoots. Most short shoots have 20+ needles that turn yellow and drop off in October. The cones drop their seed in fall. The wood is rot resistant, hard and strong and used for exterior siding. It could be grown in ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ’s forests.

4. Mugo Pine

Pinus mugo

Mugo pine gets its common and species name from the Italian word, "mugho" for "dwarf”. True to its name, this is a low-growing, shrubby pine that is often planted in rock gardens and other settings for its pleasing, rounded shape — however, some cultivars can grow up to 20 ft (six m) tall! Its various subspecies are widely planted as ornamentals, and its tough, cylindrical needles and low stature help to retain water and are protective from snow in the cold, desiccating winds of its northern, native habitats in the mountains of central Europe.

5. Eastern White Pine

Pinus strobus

This long-lived pine was the preferred tree for lumber and ship masts in the 1700 to 1800s. The needles are soft and the twigs thin and flexible. Needles of this white pine are in bundles of five. The wood is light, strong and highly desirable but extensive forests are now rare because white pine blister rust has slowed its recovery in logged areas. Its irregular crown has been the subject of wilderness paintings, notably by the Group of Seven artist, Tom Thomson.

6. Amur Cork Tree

Phellodendron amurense

This small tree is native to eastern Asia. It has corky bark and pinnately compound leaves (shiny dark green) with 5 - 13 leaflets on a central stalk. The leaves are aromatic and used in traditional Chinese medicine for a variety of ailments. In some areas it has been overharvested for this purpose.

7. Ohio Buckeye

Aesculus glabra

The Ohio buckeye is native to a small part of Eastern N. America which extends into Ontario. It is becoming extensively planted in the Edmonton region. It has palmately compound leaves and its shiny nuts are encased in a spiny, yet soft capsule. Its high levels of tannic acid make this nut unsuitable as food — the tannin, however, was used to make leather by Indigenous Peoples.

8. White Fir

Abies concolor

This tree species is from the western United States and grows up to 60 m tall. It has 5 - 7 cm long silvery green flat needles which make it a popular ornamental and Christmas tree. It burns easily, but it is valued for its wood quality. The white firs on campus have suffered from the droughts of the last decade.

9. Mountain Ash

Sorbus sp.

Mountain ash is a popular ornamental tree in most western cities. It is easily recognized by its smooth reddish bark and bright coral-red fruit clusters. These fruits are a favourite food source of many overwintering birds, particularly the Bohemian waxwings. Native species of mountain ash found in ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ include western mountain ash ( Sorbus scopulina) and Sitka mountain ash (Sorbus sitchensis). Species commonly used in landscaping include American mountain ash (Sorbus americana marsh), European mountain-ash ( Sorbus aucuparia) and Eastern or showy mountain ash ( Sorbus decora).

10. Colorado Blue Spruce 

Picea pungens

Blue spruce is a native of the central Rocky Mountains in the United States. Individual trees vary from blue-green to pure green and needles are hard and pointed. Its cones are ~10 cm long and have soft wavy scales. It has been widely planted in the prairie provinces and there are a variety of cultivars.

11. White Spruce

Picea glauca

White spruce is long-lived and is common in the boreal forest across Canada, Alaska and the lake states. Periodically it produces large crops of cones that drop their seed in early fall (a theory is that squirrels will not be able to collect all of the cones with such large crops). It burns easily but re-establishes successfully in the shade. It is ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ’s most important conifer species, used for lumber. Its wood is light and strong, and its fine roots were used to sew birch bark onto canoes.

12. Eastern White Cedar

Thuja occidentalis

This slow growing and long-lived species is found throughout Eastern Canada. It has scale-like leaves, small cones and is most abundant in wet areas. On cliffs, some individuals reach 1,000 years old. It has been named Arborvitae. It is an important species for Indigenous Peoples, who used it as medicine and its flexible and rot resistant wood has been used in crafts and canoe building. Widely used as an ornamental in Edmonton, our dry conditions make it difficult to establish and maintain.

13. Silver Maple

Acer saccharinum

Silver maple is native to eastern deciduous forests, on wetter sites. Its leaves are deeply lobed with pointed tips and the underside is silver-toned that flashes in the wind. It has soft wood and its sap has a lower sugar content making it less likely to be used for syrup. It is becoming a favourite for landscaping in Edmonton.

14. Manitoba Maple

Acer negundo

This species is widespread in North America but is native to the river valleys and moist sites of the southern prairie provinces. It has compound leaves with 3-7 leaflets and like other maples, it produces winged seeds in pairs. When seeds separate, they spin down in the wind like mini helicopters, dispersing widely. This species is often considered weed-like as it reproduces easily and grows well in sun or shade. The old individual mapped, also has burl outgrowths on its trunk.

Tree photographed in July and has since been removed.

15. Little-leaf Linden

Tilia cordata

It is native to Europe. The heart-shaped leaves are 4-8 cm long (much smaller than the American basswood on campus). Its flowers (5-11) are attached to a leaf-like bract. Flowers are fragrant and sometimes dried for teas and its nut-like fruit is commonly planted for landscaping purposes. The wood is desired for carving.

16. Austrian Pine

Pinus nigra

This long-lived pine is native to southern Europe, and Turkey. Its two-needle pine has long straight, sharp and stiff foliage, and its bark is usually cracked and furrowed. Austrian pine is a common ornamental in European cities and along highways and is tolerant of salt spray and dry soil. See the Hugh Knowles courtyard near the chemistry building.

17. Hawthorn

Craetegus sp.

This ‘thornapple’ is a tall shrub that may or may not have long lateral thorns. Hawthorns were often cultivated into fences or livestock hedges. There are many species worldwide and the U of A campus has at least five species. The leaves are lobed and fruit is often red, usually with several relatively large stone-like seeds.

18. Ginko

Ginkgo biloba.

Native to China, this ‘living fossil’ may be more related to conifer trees than broad leaf species. Ginkgos have broad fan-shaped leaves with veins also arranged in a fan pattern. It is grown in cities in temperate regions. It has both male and female trees, and while females produce edible fruit, the males are usually preferred in landscaping. It has few pests and diseases and is tolerant of pollution.

19. Caragana sp.

Caragana, also known as Siberian Peashrub, is a popular shrub or small tree in ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, often used for shelterbelts and hedges due to its hardiness and drought tolerance. While not officially classified as invasive in ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, it's recommended to plant it with care and consideration for its potential to spread.

20. Norway Spruce

Picea abies

Norway spruce is the most important spruce of Western Europe and is widely planted in the Maritime Provinces of Canada. Smaller lateral branches tend to droop and the cones are large (up to 15 cm) and become quite hard when mature. Norway spruce is valuable for lumber but so far it has not been planted widely in ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ outside of cities.

21. Butternut

Juglans cinerea

It is found in eastern North America into New Brunswick. This tree of the walnut genus has a fruit with a sticky fleshy husk covering an edible nut, highly sought after by squirrels. The inside of the nut, however, is difficult to extract. Its compound leaf is often more than 60 cm long with many leaflets. Its wood is rot resistant and desired by furniture builders and carvers. Its branch tips die back from the cold of Edmonton’s winters.

22. Hedge Cotoneaster

Cotoneaster Iucida

Native to northern Asia, this hardy shrub has pink flowers and deep purple pulpy fruits about 7mm in diameter. It is widely planted in Edmonton as a hedge shrub and its fruits are eaten and dispersed by birds. It is spreading into the understory of the North Saskatchewan River valley.

23. High-bush Cranberry

Viburnum trilobum

This woody shrub is found in moist locations of the boreal forest, including ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ and the North Saskatchewan River valley. Its lobed leaves turn red in fall. It has white flowers and its edible fruit are in clusters. It has flattened seed and its fruit has both a tart and earthy flavour and can be used to make jelly.

24. American Linden (Basswood)

Tilia americana

Basswood, also known as American linden, is a large tree in its native habitat in the eastern deciduous forest. The wood is light yet strong and dimensionally stable. It is commonly used for wood carving and is prevalent in antique furniture. The fruit is quite distinctive, with several individual hard nuts attached to the middle of a large, leaf-like wing.

25. Scots Pine

Pinus sylvestris

Scots pine is native to northern Europe and Asia. It is a two-needle pine that has distinctive orange upper bark, with thick bark at the base. Given its wide east-west range, there are distinct differences in forms and varieties of Scots pine. Some are straight and valuable for timber, but the genetic types at the U of A have long branches and irregular stems that some find aesthetically pleasing. It is an important species for lumber in Europe but is not planted outside of cities in ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ.

26. Lodgepole Pine

Pinus contorta var. latifolia

This is ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ’s provincial tree. This two-needle pine has a distinct twist in the needle pair when pressed together. The cones are straight, armed with spines and usually remain closed on the tree, awaiting a fire to melt the resin holding the cone scales shut. The trees usually have a straight narrow stem, hence its use as tipi poles. Its wood is important for lumber, laminated veneer lumber and pulp. Many of the pines on the U of A campus are actually hybrids of lodgepole and jack pine.

27. Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana

The wild version of this cherry is widely dispersed in the prairies and southern boreal forests of ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. Its clusters of cherries are held in groups of 10 or more and are up to 10 mm in diameter. The fruit was an important food for First Nations but is an acquired taste as the fruit has an astringent quality. It has been used to make red wine. The cultivar in this mapped individual has leaves that are purple in colour.

28. Ivory Silk Lilac

Syringa reticulata

This Asian lilac is tree-like in size and has also been called Japanese tree lilac. It has reddish brown bark with horizontal stripes and large clusters of creamy white flowers.

29. Amur Maple

Acer ginnala

Native to eastern Asia, Korea and Japan this small tree has lobed leaves often with two deep lobes near to the base. Its double seeds include wings that reach 1.5 to 2 cm. The foliage turns yellow or red in fall. It is widely planted as an ornamental tree in Edmonton.

30. Sugar Maple

Acer saccharum

Native to eastern North America including the Maritime Provinces, this species is shade tolerant and a dominant tree in these forests. The leaves of the sugar maple turn deep yellow or red in autumn and it is Canada’s national tree — displayed on the Canadian flag. Sugar maples are tapped to make syrup and the wood is uniform and valuable. This hard maple is used in furniture and hardwood flooring.

31. Bur Oak

Quercus macrocarpa

This oak is native to the mid-west of North America but extends into Manitoba and Saskatchewan. It has smooth and round-lobed leaves and nearly round acorns. Its wood is hard and dense and is occasionally used for lumber. Bur oak has a deep taproot, is quite fire and drought tolerant. The fruit is the typical oak acorn, with the nut enclosed in a cap. It is frequently planted in Edmonton.

32. Paper Birch

Betula papyrifera

This species is native to ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ and the boreal forest and grows well in moist and open environments. It has single serrated leaves with seven or more lateral veins. It has smooth, white and peeling bark that was important to Indigenous Peoples for baskets and canoe building. Its sap can be collected for syrup production and its wood is used for firewood and flooring. Paper birch is vulnerable to top death during drought. It is quite similar to Alaska paper birch (also found at the U of A) but paper birch has more lateral veins on its leaves and its bark is more uniformly white.

33. Green Ash

Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Native to eastern North America and the southern areas of the prairie provinces, this species is found in moist parts of the landscape. It has pinnately compound leaves and its seeds have wings 2 - 4 cm long. It is a common boulevard tree in Edmonton. Its wood is valuable for furniture, tool handles and flooring.

34. Trembling Aspen

Populus tremuloides

This fast-growing tree is widely distributed in North America and ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ has some of the largest stands of aspen anywhere. Its roundish leaves have elongated and flattened stems that allow the leaf to tremble and quake in the wind. Its light green to whitish bark is photosynthetic. Many diseases attack this aspen, hence its short lifespan. Its light seed can be distributed for kilometres but primarily regenerates from root sprouts. It is used for oriented strand board, pulp and Indigenous People’s medicines.

35. American Elm

Ulmus Americana

Native to eastern North America and southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan — before the introduction of Dutch elm disease, this species used to dominate rich and moist sites of this region. It has single, serrated leaves, with prominent veins and uneven length at the leaf base. It has round-winged seed that is dispersed in spring. American elms are widely planted in the boulevards of Edmonton and many urban streets are domed over by their branches. Edmonton still has not been significantly affected by Dutch elm disease.

36. Red Elderberry

Sambucus racemose

It is native to Europe, northern temperate Asia and North America across Canada and the United States. It grows in riparian environments, woodlands and other habitats, generally in moist areas. The stems, roots and foliage are poisonous, and the berries can be toxic or cause nausea if eaten raw.

37. Russian Olive

Elaeagnus angustifolia

A small tree native to the Middle East and southern Russia, it is planted for its gray foliage and tolerance to salty soil. The leaves are narrowly oblong, dull green on the upper surface and the lower surface has silvery scales. It fixes its own nitrogen and is an invasive species in some western US states. Its colour adds landscaping interest.

38. Siberian Elm

Ulmus pumila L.

Native to central and eastern Asia, this Siberian elm is shorter and bushier than the American elm. The leaves are similar to the American elm but usually have less than half their dimensions. This drought tolerant tree has been used in shelterbelts but it can be quite weedy, spreading into back lanes and disturbed habitats of Edmonton. It is relatively tolerant of the Dutch elm disease.

39. Tartarian Maple

Acer tartaricum

This maple is native to central and south-eastern Europe but extends into temperate Asia. It has slightly lobed leaves that are generally thicker than Amur maple. Tartarian maple leaf edges are irregularly and coarsely toothed. Its paired winged seeds are larger than Amur maple and the Tartarian cultivars on campus often have bright red seeds, even when immature.

40. Dahurian Birch, Asian Black Birch

Betula davurica

Native to northern Korea, Japan and China, this birch grows well on gravelly soils. It is grown for its distinctive bark that rolls off in sheets. There are only two on campus. Introduced to North America in 1883, this rare tree has chunky blocks of bark resembling vermiculite and can reach 20m in height

41. Common Sea Buckthorn

Hippophae rhamnoides

Native to Europe and the Middle East, this tall shrub has narrow leaves up to 8 cm long. It is tolerant of dry and sandy sites. Its twigs are armed with fine 1 cm long thorns. The female plants have orange berries and it is often planted for its form and colour.