What will you see on The Jean Melrose Bevan Memorial Heritage Tree Walk?
Trees have different shapes, leaves, flowers, buds, bark and it is this diversity that makes these gigantic plants interesting. Those differences also provide clues to their identities.
You will see deciduous, coniferous and fossil trees, many not found in other parts of Canada. The climate in Niagara-on-the-Lake supports tree species that are found only in the southern states in the United States. Some of these species are known as Carolinean, referring to North and South Carolina.
The trees on The Jean Melrose Bevan Memorial Heritage Tree Walk are young and most will take time to show their final shape. It can be more challenging to identify a young tree but there clues, some listed below, that will help. A tree identification book will give you more information and you can find a list of recommended books under Links and Resources
You will see deciduous, coniferous and fossil trees, many not found in other parts of Canada. The climate in Niagara-on-the-Lake supports tree species that are found only in the southern states in the United States. Some of these species are known as Carolinean, referring to North and South Carolina.
The trees on The Jean Melrose Bevan Memorial Heritage Tree Walk are young and most will take time to show their final shape. It can be more challenging to identify a young tree but there clues, some listed below, that will help. A tree identification book will give you more information and you can find a list of recommended books under Links and Resources
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Ask yourself:
Is it a deciduous tree?
Deciduous trees (from the Latin “falling off”) are also called broadleaf trees. They protect themselves against cold weather damage by losing their leaves for part of the year. An example of a deciduous tree is the Maple. Is it a coniferous tree? These trees are often called evergreens and have cones that contain seeds and smooth needles. Most of these types of trees do not lose their needles all at once. Instead, they fall out much like the hair on a human’s head. An example of a coniferous tree is a Pine. What is a fossil tree? Trees that have no known relatives are sometimes called living fossils. The Jean Melrose Bevan Memorial Heritage Tree Walk includes one, the Gingko, with its unique, fan-shaped, leaves. Native, non-native and invasive trees – what are the differences? Some people would consider native only those trees, and other plants, that existed before the arrival of European settlers, who brought new species for medicinal and sometime sentimental reasons. The trend to plant non-native trees has continued, both at the individual and local government level. Over time most non-native have naturalized and become part of the landscape. The concern is when a non-native species becomes invasive, meaning that they reproduce quickly and dominate where they grow. The Norway Maple and Norway Spruce, found along alongside the trees on The Jean Melrose Bevan Memorial Heritage Tree Walk, are two examples of trees that have been identified as invasive. The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has committed to replacing the Norway Maples in 2011. |
White Fir (Pyramidal Form)
Artwork by Julian Mulock 
Ash (compound leaf)
Link to Florida Forest Service 
Paperbark Maple
Link to About.com 
Eastern Redbud
Link to Discover Life |
Take a good look at the tree, and pay attention to...
Shape and size Look at how the branches grow – do they grow upright or are they spreading? Are they opposite to each other like the ash? Is the tree oval, round, like the Swamp Oak, columnar, or pyramidal, like the White Fir, in shape? Leaves Leaves on deciduous trees are often the first clue to the tree’s identity. Leaves attach to branches by twigs. How leaves attach to the twig of the leaf and their shapes are key to identifying the tree. Are the leaves “simple”? A simple leaf has only one part that attaches to the twig, like the Red Oak leaf. The deep indentations on this leaf are referred to as lobes. Are they “compound”? A compound leaf has several parts, or leaflets, that attach to the same twig. Are the leaves opposite to each other on the twig including the Black Locust, which is also a fine example of a pinnate or feather-like leaf? What do the edges, or margins, of the leaf look like? Is the edge smooth (toothless) saw-toothed or indented,? If not opposite, are the leaves alternate to each other, meaning they are staggered and not located directly across from each other like the Black Gum Tree, whose leaves are simple and toothless? The leaves of the Black Gum Tree are also glossy, a feature found in trees that need to retain moisture due to hot or cold conditions. Looking at the underside of some leaves will also give information. For example, the underside of the Swamp Oak is greyish-white. http://www.extension.iastate.edu And then, there are leaves that are unlike any others, such as the fan-like leaves of the fossil tree, Gingko also known as the Maidenhead Tree. If you have a leaf in hand, you can go to this site www.mtzion.k12.il.us/tree/tree%20key%20dich.html to identify some of the trees found on The Jean Melrose Bevan Memorial Heritage Tree Walk or consult the excellent book, Trees of Ontario, found in Links and Resources. Needles Like deciduous trees, conifers can be identified by their equivalent of leaves, which are needles. On pine trees, the needles are arranged in clusters, with 2, 3 or 5 needles per cluster. Spruce and fir have needles that attach individually and encircle the branches. Spruce needles are square and sharp. Fir needles are flat, grow in rows and are softer than spruce or pine needles. Other trees, like the mature Eastern Red Cedar, have soft, scaly, fragrant needles that grow opposite to each other. |
Bark
Looking at the leaf is the easiest way to identify most trees, but for deciduous trees, that is an option for only part of the year. What else can you use? For some, like Birches and Beeches, the bark gives the best information.
The bark protects the tree. Trees have highways that run up and down the tree and carry the nutrients. If the bark is damaged all the way around, the nutrient highways will be damaged and the tree will die. Trees grow outward from the inside of the bark and, in northern climates, create growth rings in each growing season.
Some bark is very smooth. The American Beech, for example is smooth and grey and looks like an elephant.
The bark of the River Birch is pinkish-brown, scaly and comes off the tree in curls. The bark of the Paperbark Maple is cinnamon-coloured and peels from the tree.
Many trees are smooth-barked when young but develop deep rough textures as they get older.
Fruits, Flowers and Seeds
There are trees on The Jean Melrose Bevan Memorial Heritage Tree Walk with spectacular flowers and seeds. They include the Eastern Redbud, whose pink flowers are a colour unlike any other, and the Northern Catalpa, with white trumpet-like flowers, and long, pea-like seed pods. These clues are not always available but when they are, they are a huge help. Easy seeds to identify include the seeds of the Maple’s keys and the Oak’s acorns.
Looking at the leaf is the easiest way to identify most trees, but for deciduous trees, that is an option for only part of the year. What else can you use? For some, like Birches and Beeches, the bark gives the best information.
The bark protects the tree. Trees have highways that run up and down the tree and carry the nutrients. If the bark is damaged all the way around, the nutrient highways will be damaged and the tree will die. Trees grow outward from the inside of the bark and, in northern climates, create growth rings in each growing season.
Some bark is very smooth. The American Beech, for example is smooth and grey and looks like an elephant.
The bark of the River Birch is pinkish-brown, scaly and comes off the tree in curls. The bark of the Paperbark Maple is cinnamon-coloured and peels from the tree.
Many trees are smooth-barked when young but develop deep rough textures as they get older.
Fruits, Flowers and Seeds
There are trees on The Jean Melrose Bevan Memorial Heritage Tree Walk with spectacular flowers and seeds. They include the Eastern Redbud, whose pink flowers are a colour unlike any other, and the Northern Catalpa, with white trumpet-like flowers, and long, pea-like seed pods. These clues are not always available but when they are, they are a huge help. Easy seeds to identify include the seeds of the Maple’s keys and the Oak’s acorns.