Tree Species Edit page

DCLA Native Tree and Shrub Sale - 2025/2026
Plant Descriptions and Ideal environments

Hints for success: Plant shrubs and trees so the root collar rests just above the soil.  Fill the hole with topsoil, tamp as you proceed. Water after installation. Suppress weed growth by mulching within a yard of seedling. Water often throughout 1st year.

This year, 2025/2026, we have available:

Coniferous Trees

White Pine

Pine usually reach 20 to 40 metres tall with the trunk reaching 60 to 140 centimetres in diameter.  The needles are 6 to 12 centimetres long in groups of five.  The seeds are a food source for several songbird and small mammal species, including black-capped chickadees, pine warblers and  squirrels and provide valuable nesting habitat and shelter.

• Moisture: tolerates different moisture levels.
• Soil: grows best in sand or sandy loam but will grow in any soil type.
• Shade: grows best in full sun but young trees can tolerate some shade.
• Note: eastern white pine trees grow quickly and are ideal for blocking unsightly views or creating shade for your house.
• Caution: eastern white pine can become lopsided in areas with high wind exposure.

Deciduous Trees

White Birch

A medium to large tree with an upright, oval crown. Lush green leaves that turn attractive shades of yellow and gold in the fall. In maturity, it has distinctive white bark that characteristically peels and curls. The sapling bark is a cherry brown coloration and is speckled with lenticils. Please note, it can take years to transition from the youthful brown bark to the characteristic white bark. It prefers moist, cool areas but it can tolerate drier locations if properly mulched and cared for.
Height : 20 - 39 metres 
Light : Full sun to shade Water : Dry-medium to moist
Soil : Sand, loam Zone : 2-6
Growth Rate : Medium to fast
Larval Host Plant : Tiger swallowtail butterfly, morning cloak, commas and other butterfly species.

Red Maple

Red maples are easy to grow and are often planted as an ornamental tree due to their brilliant fall foliage. They 

grow to about 25 metres tall with light green leaves with 3 - 5 lobes separated by shallow notches (5 to 15 centimetres) that turn bright red in fall. The shoots and leaves are eaten by white-tailed deer and rabbits. It blooms in late winter to early spring before leaves appear and have winged keys that contain 2 seeds in swollen seedcase (wings 12 to 25 millimetres) which mature in early summer and are are a food source for squirrels and other rodents. Red maple trees live up to 100 years and the sap can be used to make maple syrup.

• Moisture: grows best in wet soils, but tolerates some drought.
• Soil: grows in acidic, loamy, sandy, silty and clay soils.
• Shade: grows best in full sun.
• Caution: red maples can be weak and are prone to cracking bark and overcrowding branches. Trees are susceptible to damage during storms. Light pruning can help protect the trees.

Weeping Willow

A weeping willow is a fast growing, hardy willow with gracefully long, pendulous branches with bright green summer foliage, turning yellow in the fall. Suitable for large, expansive areas and near water.

Zone: 4
Height: 20 m
Spread: 20 m
Shape: Wide, spreading
Sun or Shade: SUN
Foliage: Bright green
Fall Colour: Yellow
 

Shrubs

Buttonbush

Can handle excessive moisture. Seeds are eaten by ducks and numerous other water birds. Fragrant honey smelling flowers attract pollinators. Provides nesting habitat for songbirds and is deer resistant.
Height : 3-10 feet
Spread : 3-6 feet
Light : Full sun to part shade
Water : Medium to wet
Soil : Sand, loam, clay
Zone : 4-8
Leaves : Glossy bright to dark green foliage that turns golden yellow in the fall
Stem : Gray-brown, not showy
Flower : Very fragrant, tiny creamy/white flowers. Blooms in July-August
Fruit : Flower heads turn to brown seed clusters/nutlets in the fall that persist through the winter
Habit : Rounded multi-stemmed shrub

Highbush Cranberry

Recommended for shoreline planting. 6-12’ tall, pretty white blossoms in late spring, clusters of red berries in summer, and plenty of fall colour. Can be found in wet areas along shorelines, swamps and forest edges. In a garden setting, moist, well-drained soil is best. Prefers sun, to partial shade. For wildlife, this is an important survival food as winter progresses

Species from Previous Years:

White Oak

White Oaks are large tree that usually grow to 20 to 30 metres tall but can  be more than 35 metres tall with a trunk that reaches 50 to 120 centimetres in diameter.The leaves are bright green with paler green undersides that turn purple-red in the Fall and are 10 to 20 centimetres long with 7 to 9 lobes. They have long, slim, green-brown “catkins” and acorns which are a source of food. Trees provide perching and nesting sites for songbirds, many birds and mammals use the twigs and leaves for nesting material and large trees provide denning sites for mammals such as raccoons and squirrels

• Moisture: can tolerate a variety of moisture levels.
• Soil: can tolerate a variety of soils.
• Shade: prefers full sun.
• Cautions:
  • Planting: with its deep rooting system, white oak should not be planted close to septic systems or drainage tiles.
  • Disease: oak wilt is caused by an invasive fungus that has been found in Southern Ontario. To minimize the risk of oak wilt, save pruning for before April and after July, when beetles thought to transport the fungus are less active.

Black Cherry

A beautiful, tall tree with interest in every season for both humans and wildlife. Spring brings drooping cylinders of white flowers that develop into dark red berries. In late summer to early fall, berries turn black and are enjoyed by birds and other wildlife. The fruit is edible once cooked but the rest of the tree has Amygdalin that can be toxic if consumed. This species grows well with full sun in a variety of soil types with medium to wet moisture. Summer leaves are shiny and dark green, turning to yellow in fall. Mature bark looks like burnt potato chips. Tree can be pruned and kept as a shrub size by cutting to the ground every 2-3 years. 

Black Elderberry 

The Black Elderberry is a large, fast-growing, deciduous shrub or small tree, which typically grows to 4m. This species tolerates a variety of conditions and is commonly found in sunny locations with well-drained soils. Black Elderberry can be single or multi-stalked with numerous branches creating a full, round body. Leaves are compound, with 5-7 leaflets that grow opposite each other along the branch. During the fall, leaves tend to turn a pale yellow. During late May to early June, this species produces flowers that are ivory white and grow in flat topped clusters. By late August, flowers turn to glossy, deep purple fruit, which attract a variety of wildlife like songbirds and small mammals. Ripe fruit is edible for humans and is commonly made into jams and jellies. The root system of this species is shallow, and can form colonies through suckering.  They grow best in moist to normal conditions with full or partial sun exposure. It grows well in a range of soil types. It is tolerant of occasional drought and flooding. Elderberry is resistant to beaver damage since they tend not to prefer this shrub.

Shagbark Hickory

The shagbark hickory reaches about 20 to 30 metres tall with a trunk that is 30 to 80 centimetres in diameter. The leaves have 5 leaflets on a central stalk (15 to 25 centimetres long) with green on top and pale and hairy underneath.  The bark separates into long plates as the tree ages, which loosen from the trunk and make the tree look shaggy.  There are clusters of green catkins (10 to 15 centimetres long) (male) and tiny clusters of 2 to 4 spikes at the tip of the current year's new branchlets (female). They produce edible round nuts (3 to 4.5 centimetres long) that are a favourite food of squirrels, birds, chipmunks and black bears.   

• Moisture: grows best in moist soil.
• Shade: grows best in sun but can tolerate some shade.
• Soil: grows best in rich soil.
• Note: shagbark hickory grows well on hillsides and in valleys where soil is moist 

White Spruce

White Spruce is a medium-sized evergreen that usually grows to be 24 metres tall but can grow to more than 30 metres tall with a trunk that can reach 60 - 90 centimetres in diameter. The needles are about 2 centimetres long, are bluish green or green in colour, with a whitish powdery, waxy layer.  The light brown cones are usually 5 to 7 centimetres long.  It is beneficial to wildlife, the bark, branches, buds and seeds are food for deer, rabbits, porcupines and birds.

• Moisture: tolerates a range of moisture levels.
• Soil: can grow in almost any soil type.
• Shade: tolerates shade.
• Caution: white spruce are sensitive to frost damage when young and should be planted in a protected area.

Bitternut Hickory 
The bitternut hickory is a member of the group of trees called 'pecan hickories'.  It produces round and bitter inedicble nuts that are about 2 - 3.5 centimetres long.  It's dark green leaves are 15 - 25 centimetres long and are made up of 7 to 11 long, pointed leaflets on a central stalk.  It grows best on low, moist ground or in rich soil in higher ground.  It grows well even in shade, so is usually found in groups of other trees.
 

Buttonbush
Can handle excessive moisture. Seeds are eaten by ducks and numerous other water birds. Fragrant honey smelling flowers attract pollinators. Provides nesting habitat for songbirds and is deer resistant.
Height : 3-10 feet
Spread : 3-6 feet
Light : Full sun to part shade
Water : Medium to wet
Soil : Sand, loam, clay
Zone : 4-8
Leaves : Glossy bright to dark green foliage that turns golden yellow in the fall
Stem : Gray-brown, not showy
Flower : Very fragrant, tiny creamy/white flowers. Blooms in July-August
Fruit : Flower heads turn to brown seed clusters/nutlets in the fall that persist through the winter
Habit : Rounded multi-stemmed shrub

Tamarack

Black Cherry

A beautiful, tall tree with interest in every season for both humans and wildlife. Spring brings drooping cylinders of white flowers that develop into dark red berries. In late summer to early fall, berries turn black and are enjoyed by birds and other wildlife. The fruit is edible once cooked but the rest of the tree has Amygdalin that can be toxic if consumed. This species grows well with full sun in a variety of soil types with medium to wet moisture. Summer leaves are shiny and dark green, turning to yellow in fall. Mature bark looks like burnt potato chips. Tree can be pruned and kept as a shrub size by cutting to the ground every 2-3 years. 

Sandbar Willow
An excellent shoreline plant as it is commonly found growing in damp, sandy conditions. Narrow, long leaves. Will tolerate standing water. Great for erosion control and naturalization.
Height : 7-10 feet Spread : 5-8 feet
Light : Full sun Water : Medium to Wet
Soil : Sand, loam Zone : 2-8
Habit : Multi-stemmed shrub with an irregular, somewhat rounded form

High Bush Cranberry Viburnum trilobum 
Recommended for shoreline planting. 6-12’ tall, pretty white blossoms in late spring, clusters of red berries in summer, and plenty of fall colour. Can be found in wet areas along shorelines, swamps and forest edges. In a garden setting, moist, well-drained soil is best. Prefers sun, to partial shade. For wildlife, this is an important survival food as winter progresses.