Tree and Shrub Guide
Please select a tree from the drop down menu above.
Buffaloberry
Common name: BUFFALOBERRY
Species very drought hardy and salt tolerant; commonly used in wildlife plantings and for shelterbelts.
Latin name: Shepherdia argentia Nutt
Type of tree: broadleaf (native shrub)
- Bark (color and texture): lateral branches have sharp spines at tip and are almost perpendicular to the main branch
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): silvery, 2 to 5 centimetres in length
- Form: bushy shrub with an irregular growth habit
Height: 4 to 5 metres
Growth rate: medium
Fruit and flowers: small yellow flowers appear in late June or early July; male and female flowers are borne on separate plants; female plants bear orange-red berry-like fruit
Soil: performs best in moist well-drained sites; good alkali tolerance
Limitations: suckers freely and forms dense irregular hedge that may be considered undesirable
Bur Oak
Common name: BUR OAK
Drought tolerant; moderately shade tolerant.
Latin name: Quercus macrocarpa Michx
Type of tree: broadleaf (native)
- Bark (color and texture): gray and flaky, becoming deeply furrowed as tree matures
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): dark shiny green upper surface, paler and hairy beneath; deeply cut with 7-9 rounded lobes
- Form: small tree with rounded crown supported by crooked and gnarled branches
Height: 15 to 20 metres
Growth rate: medium (but slow to establish)
Fruit and flowers: acorns, 2 to 2.5 centimetres long with hairy fringed cap.
Soil: grows best in deep, rich bottom lands, but is adapted to wide range of soils
Limitations: on dry sites it may be reduced to a small scrubby tree
Choke Cherry
Common name: CHOKECHERRY
Moderately drought hardy; provides food source for birds and deer; suitable for shelterbelts.
Latin name: Prunus virginiana L. var. melanocarpa (Sarg.)
Type of tree: broadleaf (native shrub)
- Bark (color and texture): smooth and dark grayish-brown
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): dark green, 6 to 12 centimetres long, oval, tapered to sharp tip; finely toothed margins; leaf arrangement is alternate
- Form: spreading shrub or small tree
Height: 7 metres
Growth rate: fast
Fruit and flowers: white flowers form dense cluster, maturing into a crimson to black berry-like fruit in late summer; fruit makes excellent jelly and wine
Soil: grown best on moist well-drained soils; fair alkali tolerance
Limitations: performs poorly in arid southwestern region of province; shade intolerant; cultivation is required to control suckering
Colorado Blue Spruce
Common name: COLORADO BLUE SPRUCE
Drought tolerant, winter hardy and resistant to winter browning; provides nesting and roosting cover for small birds; commonly used on inside row of shelterbelt plantings.
Latin name: Picea pungens Engelm
Type of tree: coniferous (introduced)
- Bark (color and texture): wrinkled, light ash-brown
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): needle shaped; 2 to 3 centimetres in length; color from green to blue; stiff, very sharp and borne singly on s
- Form: pyramidal
Height: 25 to 30 metres
Growth rate: slow to medium
Fruit and flowers: winged seeds produced in straw-colored cones, from 7 to 10 centimetres in length; mature in August
Soil: clay or clay-loam soils preferred, but sandy soils are tolerated; poor alkali tolerance
Limitations: does not perform well on unprotected sites; will not tolerate flooding; some protection should be provided during establishment
Eastern Red Cedar
Common name: EASTERN RED CEDAR
This species is unproven in the province but has had good success in North Dakota and the Plains states; branchlets turn coppery or reddish-brown in winter; commonly used as an ornamental.
Latin name: Juniperus virginiana L
Type of tree: coniferous (introduced)
- Bark (color and texture): thin; fibrous; reddish-brown; separating into long, narrow shreddy strips
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): scale-like; dark bluish-green; overlapping and covering twigs in four rows forming four-sided mini-branches
- Form: pyramidal, with dense crown of short, slender, ascending branches
Height: 5 to 10 metres (in native range)
Growth rate: slow
Fruit and flowers: berry-like cones, 2 to 7 millimetres in diameter; ripen in early fall and contain one or two wingless seeds
Soil: adapted to variety of sites, but grows best on sandy loam soils
Limitations: generally unproven in Saskatchewan
Green Ash
Common name: GREEN ASH
Very drought tolerant and winter hardy; excellent field shelterbelt tree; seeds and twigs provide a good food source for birds and animals.
Latin name: Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh
Type of tree: broadleaf (native)
- Bark (color and texture): brownish gray with shallow fissures
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): compound leaf, consisting of 7 oval shaped leaflets, 8 - 14 centimetres in length; leaf arrangement is opposite
- Form: narrow, oval crowned, upright tree
Height: 6.5 to 15 metres
Growth rate: Medium
Fruit and flowers: male and female flowers are inconspicuous and found on separate trees; female flowers develop into narrow winged seeds (samara) 2.5 to 5 centimetres in length
Soil: performs well on most sites, but does best on well-drained soils; fair to good alkali tolerance
Limitations: grows slowly under dry conditions;leaves appear late in spring, drop early in fall
Jack Pine
Common name: JACK PINE
Well adapted to surviving fires, which open the cone to release seeds.
Latin name: Pinus banksiana Lamb
Type of tree: coniferous (native)
- Bark (color and texture): brown to gray darkening with age; flaky surface becomes furrowed at maturity
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): needle shaped; 2 to 5 centimetres long; yellow-green color; twisted, stiff, sharp; borne in groups of two on the stem
- Form: branchy with irregular crown
Height: 15 to 20 metres
Growth rate: medium
Fruit and flowers: seeds borne in hard knobby persistent cones, 5 to 7 centimetres long; curved in toward supporting branch; mature after two years
Soil: common on variety of sites; best growth in sandy soils; tolerates acidic conditions
Limitations: susceptible to Dwarf Mistletoe disease, which attacks tree, producing thick, tufted growths of small branches (witches brooms)
Lodgepole Pine
Common name: LODGEPOLE PINE
Naturally confined to Cypress Hills in Saskatchewan, its most easterly location in Canada.
Latin name: Pinus contorta var. latifolia Engelm
Type of tree: coniferous (native)
- Bark (color and texture): brownish to gray or blackish on older trees; rough, scaly
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): needle shaped; 3 to 7 centimetres long; twisted, sharp; borne in groups of two on stem
- Form: tall, slender, narrow crowned tree
Height: 15 to 30 metres
Growth rate: slow to medium
Fruit and flowers: winged seeds produced in hard, straight 2.5 to 5 centimetres long cones; cone scales bear curved prickle; cones take up to two years to mature and persist on tree for many years
Soil: found in variety of soil types, but best growth occurs on well-drained loam sites
Limitations: species very intolerant of shade and competition; poor alkali tolerance
Manitoba Maple
Common name: MANITOBA MAPLE
Provides food and shelter for birds and wildlife throughout year; can be tapped for syrup production.
Latin name: Acer negundo L.
Type of tree: broadleaf (native)
- Bark (color and texture): brownish gray to black, becoming furrowed with age
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): light green; compound with 3 to 7 irregularly lobed leaflets; leaf arrangement is opposite
- Form: open spreading crown; main trunk tends to divide near ground giving appearance of multiple-stemmed tree
Height: 6.5 to 14 metres
Growth rate: fast
Fruit and flowers: male and female flowers, borne in clusters on separate trees, developg into straw-colored paired winged seeds
Soil: performs best in well drained, moist areas
Limitations: not drought tolerant; may die back under dry conditions; prolific seed production can result in weed problems
Pin Cherry
Common name: PIN CHERRY
The flesh of the cherry is the only edible part.
Latin name: Prunus pensylvanica L.f.
Type of tree: broadleaf (native)
- Bark (color and texture): smooth; shiny; dark reddish-brown with conspicuous large widely-spaced orange powdery horizontal markings (lenticels) on mature trees
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): lance-shaped; 3 - 10 centimetres long gradually tapering to slender sharp tip; shiny; yellowish-green; often turning purplish-red in autumn; margins have uneven teeth
- Form: small tree; shrub on unfavorable sites
Height: 1 to 5 metres
Growth rate:medium/fast
Fruit and flowers: tassel-like cluster of white flowers appearing when leaves are half grown; bright red berries, 6 - 8 millemetres across; sour edible flesh; ripening in late July to early September
Soil: grows best in well drained sites; usually found in areas recently cleared and along rivers in prairies
Limitations: intolerant of shade
Plains Cottonwood
Common name: PLAINS COTTONWOOD
One of the fastest growing native trees a parent of many poplar selections; often planted where fast growth is main requirement.
Latin name: Populus deltoides Bartr. Ex. Marsh
Type of tree: broadleaf (native)
- Bark (color and texture): smooth; yellowish gray; becoming dark gray and deeply furrowed with age
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): triangular; 5 - 10 centimetres long; 5 - 15 rounded teeth per side and rounded base; upper surface bright shiny green, slightly paler beneath; often pendulous
- Form: medium to large tree; can have large branches forming an angle of 45 degrees with trunk
Height: 30 metres
Growth rate: very fast
Fruit and flowers: long catkins; 15 - 25 centimetres long; seed capsules oval; 8 to 12 millemetres long split into 3 or 4 parts when mature
Soil: prefers rich moist soils; commonly found in prairies along water courses
Limitations: produces cottony bundles of wind-dispersed seeds
Red Elder
Common name: RED ELDER
Species is very fast growing and is an excellent wildlife species, providing food for songbirds, upland game birds and squirrels
Latin name: Sambucus racemosa L.
Type of tree: broadleaf (introduced shrub)
- Bark (color and texture): gray and smooth with a yellowish, brown pith (centre)
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): dark green, compound leaves having 3 to 7 leaflets
- Form: bushy shrub with arching branches
Height: 2 to 3 metres
Growth rate: very fast
Fruit and flowers: cream coloured flowers in clusters developing into clusters of red, showy berries
Soil: prefers moist, well-drained soils but will tolerate some saturation
Limitations: may experience winter dieback and require pruning to remove dead wood
Red-Osier Dogwood
Common name: RED-OSIER DOGWOOD
Shade tolerant; provides cover and food for wildlife and birds.
Latin name: Cornus stolonifera Michx
Type of tree: broadleaf (native shrub)
- Bark (color and texture): smooth bright reddish twigs and branchlets; very conspicuous in winter
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): light green; oval; smooth; veins strongly tend to follow margins toward leaf tip; leaf arrangement opposite
- Form: arching bushy shrub
Height: 1 to 3 metres
Growth rate: medium to fast
Fruit and flowers: white flowers appear in flat-topped cluster in early June, followed by dull white berries
Soil: adapted to both wet and dry sites and a variety of soil types
Limitations: does not do well on arid sites; poor alkali tolerance
Saskatoon
Common name: SASKATOON
Species is drought tolerant once established, and thrives on both sunny and partially shaded sites. This shrub provides both food and cover for a number of birds and wildlife.
Latin name: Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt
Type of tree: broadleaf (native shrub)
- Bark (color and texture): smooth, greyish-brown
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): broadly oval to almost circular; 2.5 to 7 centimetres in length; toothed margins
- Form: upright shrub
Height: 2 to 3 metres
Growth rate: medium
Fruit and flowers: white flowers in early spring; purple berry-like fruit ripens in July
Soil: grows well on wide variety of soils; moderately tolerant of salinity
Limitations: difficult to establish; susceptible to a number of insect and disease problems
Scots Pine
Common name: SCOTS PINE
Very winter hardy, but has tendency to winter brown, particularly on dry exposed sites; commonly used on inside row of farmstead shelterbelts.
Latin name: Pinus sylvestris L.
Type of tree: coniferous (introduced)
- Bark (color and texture): orange-red and flaky when mature
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): needle shaped; 3 to 7 centimetres in length; twisted; borne in groups of two per stem
- Form: erect; widely spaced branches
Height: 20 metres
Growth rate: fast
Fruit and flowers: winged seeds produced in hard, knobby light brown cones; 3 to 5 centimetres; cones open for seed dispersal then drop
Soil: well adapted to dry, sandy soils; fair alkali tolerance
Limitations: will not tolerate flooding; performs poorly in exposed locations; limited value for wildlife, but young trees may be browsed by deer
Sea-Buckthorn
Common name: SEA-BUCKTHORN
Berries start to ripen end August; commonly used to make juice and jellies.
Latin name: Hippophae rhamnoides L.
Type of tree: broadleaf (introduced shrub)
- Bark (color and texture): branches gray and spiny
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): lance-shaped; light green above; silvery-white underneath
- Form: shrub
Height: 2 to 5 metres
Growth rate: medium
Fruit and flowers: small, yellowish flowers appear in spring before leaves; both male and female shrubs are required to produce the yellow/orange berry fruit; fruit remains on the shrubs throughout the winter
Soil: adapted to wide range of soil types; performs well n sandy soil; very tolerant of weather extremes; has low nitrogen requirements
Limitations: suckers profusely; both male and female plants are needed for fruit production
Shrub Willow
Common name: SHRUB WILLOW
This could be one of several different species of willow collected from low-lying areas in southeast Saskatchewan. Suitable for slough or stream edges where brush cover is desired for wildlife habitat, erosion control or stream shading.
Latin name: Salix spp.
Type of tree: broadleaf (native shrub)
- Bark (color and texture): grey-brown mature stems with reddish-brown first year growth
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): basic green; typically longer than wide with a ratio of 4:1 or 6:1 and a width range of 1.5 to 2 cm; serrated edges
- Form: multi-stemmed bush
Height: 2 to 3m in both height and width
Growth rate: fast
Fruit and flowers: male and female flowers form catkins on separate male and female plants in early spring before leaf flush. Fruit pods split when mature, releasing seeds on tufts of silky hair
Soil: prefers well drained moist soils but will withstand periodic flooding
Limitations: performs poorly in dry locations
Siberian Crab
Common name: SIBERIAN CRAB
Well adapted to variety of climatic condition; provides high quality cover and nesting sites for birds; provides excellent browse for rabbits, whitetail and mule deer; fruit persists well into winter providing food for birds.
Latin name: Malus baccata (L.) Borkh.
Type of tree: broadleaf (introduced)
- Bark (color and texture): smooth, reddish-brown
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): oval; coarsely serrated edges
- Form: large spreading crown
Height: up to 9 metres in favorable conditions
Growth rate: medium-fast
Fruit and flowers: white showy flowers in early spring; small berry-like red to yellow fruit
Soil: well adapted to variety of soils; fair alkali tolerance
Limitations: susceptible to fire blight
Siberian Larch
Common name: SIBERIAN LARCH
Slowly being introduced in prairies for the ornamental and shelterbelt plantings; tends to be drought resistant.
Latin name: Larix sibirica Ledeb.
Type of tree: coniferous (introduced)
- Bark (color and texture): dark brown; scaly
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): needle-shaped; light green; soft, turning golden in fall and shed before winter; needles borne on dwarf twigs in clusters
- Form: tall; slender; straight tapering trunk; narrow open crown
Height: 20 metres
Growth rate: medium
Fruit and flowers: winged seeds borne in cones 2.5 to 5 centimetres long
Soil: generally does best on well-drained, light soils
Limitations: tends to leaf in early spring; looses needles in fall; appears dead during winter; poor alkali tolerance; protect during establishment
Trembling Aspen or White Poplar
Common name: TREMBLING ASPEN or WHITE POPLAR
Most common tree in Saskatchewan.
Latin name: Populus tremuloides Michx
Type of tree: broadleaf (native)
- Bark (color and texture): smooth; white to greenish; turns gray and black streaked with age; white powder rubs off when touched
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): circular to heart shaped; finely toothed margins; leaf stalk is flattened causing leaves to flutter in wind; upper surface is dull
- Form: slender; rounded crown
Height: 20 to 25 metres
Growth rate: fast
Fruit and flowers: catkins appear in early spring; fruit formed in pods that split to release wooly seeds in May and June; male and female flowers are borne on separate trees
Soil: grows on almost every type of soil; does best on moist, well-drained, sandy or gravelly loams
Limitations: shade intolerant
Villosa Lilac
Common name: VILLOSA LILAC
Shrub is non-suckering; deep-rooted; grows well in all regions except arid southwest.
Latin name: Syringa villosa Vahl
Type of tree: broadleaf (introduced shrub)
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): dark green; 5 to 15 centimetres long; 3 to 7 centimetres wide; heavily textured; leaf arrangement opposite
- Form: wide, ball-shaped
Height: 3 to 4 metres
Growth rate: medium
Fruit and flowers: pink flowers borne in clusters at ends of branches; blooms from mid to late June
Soil: performs best in well drained clay or loam soils; good salt tolerance
Limitations: does not perform well in sandy soils; will not tolerate poorly drained sites
Western Sandcherry
Common name: WESTERN SANDCHERRY
Excellent for wildlife habitat, providing both food and cover; drought resistant.
Latin name: Prunus besseyi
Type of tree: broadleaf (introduced shrub)
- Bark (color and texture): reddish brown; develops silver hue with age
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): narrow; smooth; glossy; silvery upper surface
- Form: short shrub
Height: .5 to 2 metres
Growth rate: fast
Fruit and flowers: white clusters of flowers forming late May to early June; small purple to black cherry fruit follows flowers
Soil: adapted to broad range of soil types and moisture conditions; prefers well drained sites
Limitations: short lived; suckers form thickets; can experience winter die-back but will regrow
White Birch or Paper Birch
Common name: WHITE BIRCH or PAPER BIRCH
Saskatchewan's provincial tree; provides food and shelter for a number of birds, and browse for moose and deer.
Latin name: Betula papyrifera Marsh
Type of tree: broadleaf (native)
- Bark (color and texture): thin; smooth; reddish-brown on young trees, becoming chalky with age; peels easily into sheets
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): triangular or egg-shaped; 8 centimetres long; toothed margins except for about 1.5 centimetres on either side of leaf stem
- Form: narrow; oval; open crown with slender trunk
Height: 6 to 20 metres
Growth rate: fast
Fruit and flowers: 3 to 4 centimetres long winged seeds found in catkins hang from branches
Soil: does best on moist, well-drained sandy or silty loam soils
Limitations: shade intolerant; susceptible to bronze birch borer and birch die back
White Spruce
Common name: WHITE SPRUCE
Shade tolerant; well adapted to all areas of province except southwest; provides protection, food and shelter for birds and wildlife.
Latin name: Picea glauca (Moench) Voss
Type of tree: coniferous (native)
- Bark (color and texture): gray to brown; flaky with age; underbark pinkish when outer surface scraped away
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): needle shaped; 2 centimetres; sharp; stiff; borne singly on stem
- Form: pyramidal in shape
Height: 20 to 25 metres
Growth rate: slow to medium
Fruit and flowers: winged seeds produced in light brown cones that range between 3 to 5 centimetres; mature in Sept.
Soil: trees perform best in moist, well-drained sandy loam soils; fair to poor alkali tolerance
Limitations: does not grow well on dry sites; requires protection during establishment
Willow
Common name: WILLOW (Acute)
Valuable for wildlife habitat
Latin name: Salix acutifolia Willd
Type of tree: broadleaf (native)
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): shiny dark green leaves; 6 to 12 centimetres long; 1 to 2 centimetres wide; finely toothed margins
- Form: wide spreading crown; trunk tends to have multiple stems
Height: 5 to 14 metres
Growth rate: fast
Fruit and flowers: male and female flowers form catkins on separate trees during early spring; small fruit pods split when mature, releasing seeds on tufts of silky hair
Soil: tree performs well in most well-drained sites; but will withstand flooding for up to several weeks
Limitations: performs poorly in dry locations; spreading crown and roots may compete with crops when planted in shelterbelts; fair to good alkali tolerance
Wood's Rose
Common name: WOOD'S ROSE
Drought resistant; easy to establish; provides excellent cover for birds; rose hip is a favored food of sharp tailed grouse and pheasants; browsed by whitetail and mule deer.
Latin name: Rosa woodsii Lindl
Type of tree: broadleaf (native shrub)
- Bark (color and texture): stems armed with broad bristles flattened at base
- Leaves (shape, size, etc.): compound with 5 to 9 oval leaflets; 15 to 35 millemetres long
- Form: thicket-forming deciduous short shrub
Height: 1/2 to 2 metres
Growth rate: slow to moderate
Fruit and flowers: solitary flowers ranging from pink to rose; 2 to 5 centimetres across; bright red fruit, known as a hip, is almost circular; about 1 centimetres in diameter
Soil: adapted to wide range on soil types including well to imperfectly drained sites
Limitations: suckers to form thickets


