Tree Planting on Private Lands – Species Information

The following species of trees and wildlife shrubs may be available to landowners through the UTRCA’s Tree Seedling Program and Large Stock Tree Program for private lands.

Coniferous Trees

European Larch (Larix decidua)

  • tufts of many soft, bright green needles that turn brilliant yellow in autumn, and drop in the winter
  • fast growing (up to 1 metre per year)
  • native to Europe
  • grows to 25 m (80 ft)

Tamarack (Larix laricina)

  • tufts of many soft green needles that turn brilliant yellow in autumn, and drop in the winter
  • tolerates wet, poorly drained sites
  • grows to 22 m (70 ft)

Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

  • dark green needles and distinctive drooping branches
  • commonly used in windbreaks
  • relatively fast growing
  • native to Europe
  • grows to 30 m (100 ft)

White Spruce (Picea glauca)

  • short, bluish-green needles
  • keeps a nice shape with a compact form
  • slower growing than Norway Spruce
  • used in windbreaks
  • grows to 25 m (80 ft)

Colorado Spruce (Picea pungens)

  • compact, narrow pyramidal shape
  • green to light blue foliage
  • high salt tolerance
  • grows to 25 m (80 ft)

White Pine (Pinus strobus)

  • Ontario’s provincial tree
  • clusters of 5 soft, long, bluish green needles
  • excellent in block plantings but not recommended for windbreaks
  • sensitive to road salt and air pollution
  • grows to 35 m (115 ft)

White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis)

  • yellow to green flat, scale-like foliage turns bronze-green in winter
  • dense columnar form maintaining foliage to the ground
  • popular windbreak and hedge species that can easily be pruned
  • grows well on a variety of soil types and moisture
  • browsed by deer
  • grows to 15 m (50 ft)

Black Cedar (Thuja occidentalis ‘Nigra’)

  • cultivar of the white cedar, grown from cuttings so are all genetically identical
  • stays green throughout winter
  • browsed by deer
  • grows to 15 m (50 ft)

Red Maple (Acer rubrum)

  • leaves green in summer, brilliant deep red to yellow in autumn
  • root system may get into tile drains
  • toxic to horses
  • grows to 25 m (80 ft), medium growth rate, tolerates wet to dry sites

Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)

  • deeply lobed leaves turn pale yellow in fall
  • fast growing, tolerates wet conditions
  • brittle branches and aggressive root system
  • grows to 25 m (80 ft)

Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)

  • Canada’s national tree
  • excellent shade tree with strong branches and spectacular orange-red fall colour
  • sensitive to salt and air pollutants
  • grows to 30 m (100 ft)

Tree Form Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis)

  • small tree ideal for gardens and under utility lines
  • showy white flower in early spring, leaves turn apricot colour in autumn
  • produces an edible fruit
  • grows to 5-10 m (15-30 ft)

Bitternut Hickory (Carya cordiformis)

  • compound leaf (long main stem with many oval leaflets on either side, larger leaflet at end)
  • nuts used by wildlife
  • valuable timber tree that grows on moist lowlands
  • grows to 25 m (80 ft)

Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata)

  • compound leaf with 5-7 leaflets
  • as tree matures, bark separates into long plates which loosen from the trunk, giving tree a shaggy appearance
  • occurs on rich moist soils
  • medium sized tree, grows to 25 m (80 ft)

Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

  • interesting bark with irregular warty ridges
  • reddish-purple berries supply food to birds and small mammals
  • fairly fast growing and drought tolerant
  • grows to 18 m (60 ft)

Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)

  • compound leaf (long main stem with many oval leaflets on either side and leaflet at end) with a unique smell
  • excellent lumber tree, nuts used by wildlife
  • produces juglone compound, which can be toxic to some plants
  • grows to 30 m (100 ft), needs fertile, well drained site

Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)

  • uniquely shaped leaves turn yellow in autumn
  • large yellow and white flowers shaped like tulips
  • medium growth rate
  • very large tree, grows to 35 m (115 ft)

Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)

  • grows on rich bottomland and poorly drained soil
  • interesting bark with striking mottled effect
  • fruit solitary ball-like aggregate on long 8-16 cm stalk, also called buttonball-tree
  • fast growing tree, grows to 35 m (115 ft)

Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)

  • bright, shiny-green leaf with dark, scaly bark when mature
  • attractive white flowers in spring, and small fruit that provide food for birds
  • high timber value
  • grows to 22 m (70 ft)

White Oak (Quercus alba)

  • leaves with rounded lobes separated by deeply cut notches
  • grows well on a variety of soils
  • acorns are a valuable food source for many bird and mammal species
  • long lived species, grows to 30 m (100 ft)

Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor)

  • leaves with rounded lobes, widest towards the tip, tapering to a wedge-shaped base
  • acorns on stalks 2-10 cm long
  • occurs on moist bottomlands and swamp edges
  • medium sized tree, grows to 22 m (70 ft)

Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa)

  • shiny green leaves with rounded lobes
  • corky twigs and branches make a unique gnarly form in the winter landscape
  • adapted to a variety of growing conditions
  • grows to 25 m (80 ft)

Red Oak (Quercus rubra)

  • bristle tipped lobed leaves turn bright red in autumn
  • excellent timber tree that prefers light soil
  • nuts used by wildlife
  • grows to 28 m (90 ft)

Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus stolonifera)

  • low shrub with bluish-white autumn berries that are enjoyed by birds
  • attractive red stems are striking against the winter landscape
  • grows on damp sites and roots helps stabilize eroding soils
  • grows to 2-3 m (6-10 ft)

Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typina)

  • compound leaves turn bright red in autumn
  • cone-shaped clusters of bright red berries persist over winter
  • likes dry sites
  • care should be taken on placement because of its aggressive suckering habits
  • grows to 4 m (13 ft)

Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago)

  • large shrub or small tree
  • showy white flowers with blue-black autumn berries that are eaten by wildlife
  • grows along shores and edges of wooded thickets
  • grows to 5 m (15 ft)

American Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum trilobum)

  • large shrub with lobed, maple-like leaves that turn scarlet in autumn
  • attractive white flat-topped flowers become bright red berries that draw in many bird species
  • grows to 3 m (10 ft)

American Hazelnut (Corylus americana)

  • Low to medium size shrub
  • Produce nuts that are edible
  • Found in thickets, clearings, wood edges and old pastures
  • Grows to 2-3 m

Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)

  • Shiny dark-green leaves
  • White flower in May and June that attract pollinators
  • Purple to black berries from July to September
  • Wet woods to dry sandy ridges
  • Grows up to 2.5 m

Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)

  • Course shrub with compound leaves
  • Numerous white flowers in July
  • Juicy, purple-black edible fruit in Aug and September that are quickly eaten by birds
  • Found in low areas, swamps, thickets, fencerows and woodland edges
  • Grows to a height of 3 m

Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius)

  • Older stems have conspicuously peeling papery bark
  • Numerous white flowers maturing into showy reddish pods
  • Mature brown capsules remain on bush over winter
  • Found along banks of rivers or edges of thickets
  • Grows 2-3 m high