CelebriTree
Tree Species
Fraser fir – Abies fraseri – This classic conifer with upturned branches is sometimes called ‘Southern Balsam’ since it closely resembles Balsam Fir and grows mainly in the Appalachian Mountains, where it is considered endangered. Fraser Fir is frequently found in damp and fragrant woods in southeastern U.S. along with red spruce and mosses and ferns. In Canada it is grown primarily as a Christmas tree and is greatly preferred for that use due to its long-lasting, fresh-smelling needles.
This tree can be found by following the Arboretum circle road around past the south parking lookout, then going into the circle about 15 metres to a small clearing where it is planted amongst other conifer trees. A mature Fraser fir can grow up to 20 metres in height, with a width of up to 10 metres.
Located at: Lat:45.390229, Long:-75.703928
Red oak– Quercus rubra – This beautiful and hardy native species is a popular shade tree. In the open, it has a more rounded form than most oak trees; in the forest, it grows tall and straight. Its leaves emerge with a bronze-red colour, and turn a deep scarlet in the fall. Red oak is an important lumber tree used for furniture and flooring among other applications, and many birds and mammals feed on the acorns. Red oak can grow to 20 metres in height and width.
This tree is planted right next to the path that runs southeast toward the canal, down in the lowland area just west of the Arboretum’s little island. Follow the path past the intersection with the other paths, a little further along from the bench up on the hill, and look for the tree on the left side of the path.
Located at: Lat:45.387694, Long:-75.702141
Rancho Cherry – Prunus sargentii ‘Rancho’ -This is an upright-to-rounded cherry tree with beautiful pink flowers that come out before the leaves in early spring. The Rancho variety is an American clone of a beautiful Japanese cherry tree. The bark takes on a glossy red colour, and the leaves turn a bronze colour in the fall. Rancho is more resistant than many other cherries to disease and weather conditions.
This tree is planted not too far off the north path that runs from Building 72 toward Preston Street. It is located down the hill on the right side as you go north, about 40 metres north of the Katsura tree next to the path. Rancho cherry will grow to about 8 metres tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 metres.
Located at: Lat:45.392826, Long:-75.707253
Colorado Spruce – Picea pungens -This popular western U.S. spruce is planted widely throughout North America for its colour and symmetrical layered form. The dense canopy is thick with stiff and prickly needles. The needle colour ranges from dark green to the silver blue that has identified the species as ‘Blue spruce’ (although some varieties are bluer than others). As the trees mature, the older foliage darkens while the tips of new growth are a contrasting glaucous blue.
This tree is located in the Arboretum circle, about 6 metres west of the Fraser Fir (see Fraser Fir location). It can grow as high as 50 metres in the US west but will likely stop at half that height in this site and climate. When grown in the open, Colorado spruce keeps its branches all the way down to the ground.
Located at: Lat:45.390456, Long:-75.704078
Apollo Sugar Maple – Acer saccharum ‘Barrett Cole’ – Sugar Maple is the iconic tree of eastern Canada, much loved for its syrup and fall colour. This is an attractive cultivar called Apollo with dense branching and beautiful colour. It stands out in the landscape due to its concise columnar shape, fitting nicely into the landscape. Its fall leaves are described as being ‘gold to burnt orange.’
This tree can be found in the maple area along Prince of Wales Drive, about 100 metres south of the roundabout, tucked in behind some tall honey locust trees. It grows to about 10 metres at maturity, with a width of about 4 metres.
Located at: Lat:45.389503, Long:-75.706409
Ruby Red Horse Chestnut – Aesculus x carnea ‘Briotii’ Ruby Red Horse chestnut is a hybrid between the North American red buckeye and the European horse chestnut. In the spring, it has beautiful large panicles of red flowers. Briotii is a cultivar with even larger, darker red flowers. The leaves, like those of other buckeyes and horse chestnuts, radiate in distinctive whorls of several leaflets.
This tree can be found by following the Arboretum circle road about 140 metres until you get to the gate on the right hand side; the tree is on the opposite side, across from the gate. Ruby Red Horse Chestnut grows to about 10 metres tall, with a dense, broadly round canopy.
Located at: Lat:45.389985, Long:-75.704827
Ohio Buckeye – Aesculus glabra – Buckeye is a North American tree that is closely related to European horse chestnut trees. The Aesculus genus is noted for the spike of showy flowers in the spring and large whorl of leaves in the summer. Ohio Buckeye leaves may turn pumpkin-orange in the fall, although the colour is variable. Although this tree isn’t commonly planted this far north, it has been shown to be hardy in Ottawa. When it matures, it’s a very pleasant shade tree with round canopy.
This tree is about 12 metres east of the Ruby Red Horse Chestnut (see location for that tree) where it is planted near some pines and junipers. Its mature height is approximately 10 metres, and its spread about the same.
Located at: Lat:45.390055, Long:-75.704661
Autumn Splendor Horse Chestnut – Aesculus x arnoldiana ‘Autumn Splendor’ – A nice hybrid cross between three related North American trees: Ohio, Yellow and Red Buckeyes. Autumn Splendor has short spikes of yellow-red flowers in spring, with maroon red foliage in fall—hence the name. The foliage has good resistance to leaf scorch, which is a common occurrence in Aesculus species.
This tree is about 10 metres northwest of the Ruby Red Horse Chestnut (see location for that tree), at the side of the circle road. The mature tree has a nice rounded form, about 10 metres tall and wide
Located at: Lat:45.390028, Long:-75.704949
White Oak (1)- Quercus alba – This is the most impressive of the native oaks, growing in the southern parts of Ontario and Quebec but rare to find as far north as Ottawa. In an open setting, the tree spreads its branches wide and its outline becomes more rounded with age. The dark green leaves turn russet colour in the fall, and the bark is light coloured and scaly. White Oak wood is valued highly and used for furniture, flooring, barrels and many other applications.
This tree is planted along the path at the bottom of the woodland area in the Arboretum. It is located across from a service building, about 60 metres south of the junction where four paths intersect, and 20 metres north of a big Bur Oak. White Oak can grow to about 15 to 20 metres in height.
Located at: Lat:45.391931, Long:-75.703442
Summer Cascade River Birch – Betula nigra ‘Summer Cascade’ – River Birch is a resilient tree that should be planted more often in cities due to its resistance to heat and disease. Native to the eastern US, it is hardy here in Ottawa. The bark on young stems and branches turns an attractive salmon colour and, like on other birches, peels away over time.
This tree is located on the little island in the Arboretum; go over the bridge onto the island and head left past a paper birch tree. Weeping River Birch grows to be a graceful relatively small tree, typically 10 metres high. The older bark changes to a darker colour and is transformed into irregular plates.
Located at: Lat:45.38848, Long:-75.702461
Red Fox Katsura – Cercidiphyllum japonicum ‘Rotfuchs’ – This is a purple-leaved cultivar of a very popular Japanese tree. The shape of the Red Fox cultivar is narrow and columnar. The leaf colour changes to bluish green in summer and then orange-red in fall. Katsura trees are also noted for their ‘cotton candy’ odor in the fall.
This tree is positioned on the right side of the north path leading from Building 72 toward Preston Street, about 40 metres from the path gate. The mature height of this tree is about 15 metres.
Located at: Lat:45.392553, Long:-75.707098
Tulip Tree – Liriodendron tulipifera — Tulip Trees are iconic tall trees in southwestern Ontario and in the northeastern US, but are rare to be seen in eastern Canada. They are named for their distinctive tulip-shaped leaves. They also have interesting tulip-shaped flowers of yellow, orange and green. The leaves turn an attractive yellow in the fall. They are sometimes called ‘Yellow Poplar.’
This tree is located in the northern part of the Arboretum, on a small rise just south of the magnolia area, about 40 metres east of the north path. Tulip Trees are capable of growing straight and tall(25 metres) in prime locations.
Located at: Lat:45.393368, Long:-75.707292
Merrill magnolia – Magnolia x loebneri ‘Merrill’ – ‘Merrill’ is a cross between two Japanese species: Magnolia stellata (star magnolia) and Magnolia kobus (Kobus Magnolia). It has fragrant white star-shaped flowers with yellow eyes, and the flowers are less susceptible than other magnolias to late frosts. The fruits are showy pink pods.
This tree is located between Buildings 72 and 74, about 10 metres from the small walkway between the two buildings. Merrill Magnolia has a low wide canopy and can grow about 10 metres tall with a spread of 10 metres.
Located at: Lat:45.391308, Long:-75.706477
Emerald Spire Crabapple – Malus x adstringens ‘Jefgreen’ – a variety of Rosybloom Crabapple. The Rosybloom series of crabapples were created by Isabella Preston at the Central Experimental Farm, when there was research being done there on ornamental plants. Emerald Spire has an unusual columnar form and fragrant pink flowers. The leaves turn gold-coloured in the fall. This cultivar was bred at the Agriculture Research Station in Summerland, BC.
This tree is planted in an area north of Building 72 amidst many other crabapple trees, about 40 metres west of the path and a little closer to Prince of Wales Drive. The mature height is 5 to10 metres, with a spread of a few metres.
Located at: Lat:45.392471, Long:-75.707817
Shingle Oak – Quercus imbricaria – At first glance, this tree doesn’t seem like an oak to many people because the whole, lustrous leaves aren’t cut into lobes like a typical oak leaf. However, the tree itself is very like an oak in size and presence, becoming more impressive and distinctive as it ages, with wide-spreading thick branches. Native to the Us Midwest, it is growing further north as the climate becomes warmer.
This tree is located about 20 metres southwest of the nearby White Oak (see location for White Oak(2)). Shingle Oak grows to be 15 to 20 metres high, 5 to 10 metres wide.
Located at: Lat:45.387782, Long:-75.705194
White Oak (2)- Quercus alba – This is the most impressive of the native oaks, growing in the southern parts of Ontario and Quebec but rare to find as far north as Ottawa. In an open setting, the tree spreads its branches wide and its outline becomes more rounded with age. The dark green leaves turn russet colour in the fall, and the bark is light coloured and scaly. White Oak wood is valued highly and used for furniture, flooring, barrels and many other applications.
This tree is planted next to the first branch of the south path, heading down toward Dow’s Lake. White Oak can grow to about 15 to 20 metres in height.
Located at: Lat:45.387925, Long:-75.70477
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