Please see the pages below for full description of each tree!

Transcription

1 Tree of the Boreal Forest of Saskatchewan Major Species white spruce black spruce jack pine balsam fir tamarack trembling aspen balsam poplar white birch Minor Species bur oak American elm Manitoba maple green ash Please see the pages below for full description of each tree!

2 White spruce (Picea glauca) is an evergreen coniferous tree of the pine family, Pinaceae. It grows on a wide variety of sites but does best on moist well-drained sites. It can be found in natural stands from south of Prince Albert and into the Northwest Territories. The white spruce can typically reach heights of 25 meters, with a diameter of 60 centimeters and an age of 200 years. The root system is a shallow horizontal structure with many tiny root hairs at its extremity. White spruce is commonly associated with trembling aspen in the mixed wood forest and is also found with black spruce, balsam fir and white birch. It is very seldom found in pure white spruce stands in Saskatchewan. It is an important commercial tree for the production of dimensional lumber (2X4), plywood and to a lesser degree, wood pulp.

3 Black spruce (Picea mariana) is an evergreen coniferous tree of the pine family, Pinaceae. It grows on a variety of sites but typically is found on moist organic sites (bogs). It can be found in natural stands from just north of Prince Albert into the Northwest Territories. Black spruce on organic sites is a small tree of 15 to 20 meters tall, with a diameter of 30 centimeters and an age of 200 years. On moist well-drained sites, next to bogs, it can be 30 meters tall with a diameter of 60 centimeters. The root system is shallow and horizontal and on marginally wetter sites it is prone to wind throw, where to tree falls with its major roots intact. The cones grow about 30 centimeters from the top of the tree and when the red squirrel takes the cones the tree is left with a club top. Black spruce is found in pure stand on moist organic soils. On wetter sites it is associated with tamarack and on upland sites near organic sites there are extensive stands of black spruce and jack pine. It is also found in mixed stands of white spruce, trembling aspen, white birch and occasionally balsam fir. Black spruce is an important commercial tree for dimensional lumber, rails and is highly sought after for softwood pulp. It holds its cones with viable seed for up to 20 years. Hence it reproduces well after fire which causes the cones to open and the seeds are released.

4 Jack pine (Pinus banksiana) is an evergreen coniferous tree of the pine family, Pinaceae. It is a two needle tree. It is found primarily in pure stands on coarse sand and gravel soils. On better sites it can reach heights of 20 meters with a diameter of 30 centimeters and an age of 150 years. Part of the reason it can survive on these sand sites is its moderately deep taproot system. Though primarily in pure stands, it is found associated with black spruce along the margins of wetter sites. As a commercial tree it is used for wood pulp, dimensional lumber, railway ties and posts. It holds its cones with viable seed for the life of the tree. Hence it reproduces to form very dense stands after fires, which causes the cone to open and release the seeds. A parasitic plant, dwarf mistletoe, is specific to jack pine and creates the witches broom effect on many trees.

5 Balsam fir (Abies balsamea) is an evergreen coniferous tree of the pine family, Pinaceae. It is found on a wide variety of soils and in many climatic conditions. Balsam fir is often found in pure stands or in association with white spruce, black spruce and trembling aspen. It can reach heights of 25 meters with a diameter of 70 centimeters and an age of 150 years. It is a commercial tree used for wood pulp and lumber. It is also a favourite for Christmas trees. Balsam fir is susceptible to many insects like the spruce budworm and root diseases.

6 Tamarack (Larix laricina) is a coniferous tree of the pine family, Pinaceae. It is coniferous because its seed are developed in a cone, but it is not evergreen since it drops it needle-like leaves every fall. This tree can reach heights of 25 meters with a diameter of 40 centimeters and an age of 150 years. Typically found growing in pure narrow stands on cold, wet sites in sphagnum bogs and fens. On marginal sites it can be associated with black spruce and to lesser amounts of white spruce, trembling aspen, balsam poplar and white birch. In Saskatchewan it has little commercial value but has been used for bridge construction and posts. In the past pure stand have been severely impacts by larch sawfly and today snowshoe hares are hard on the seedlings and porcupines on larger trees.

7 Trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides), also called white poplar, is a deciduous tree of the willow family, Salicaceae. This broad leafed tree is the most widely distributed tree in Canada, from Yukon to Labrador. It is a medium-sized tree that can reach heights of 25 meters with a diameter of 40 centimeters and an age of 80 years. Trembling aspen is found on a wide variety of soils between the extremes of dry sandy soils and wet organic soils. It reproduces to form dense stands by suckering from buried roots after fire and harvesting. The result is pure stands of young trembling aspen until later in life when slow growing confers matches then exceeds its height and out lives it. In mature stages, it can be associated with any or all of the other Saskatchewan trees. As a commercial tree, trembling aspen is used in the production of oriented strand board and other chip boards as well as for wood pulp.

8 Balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera), also called black poplar, is a deciduous tree of the willow family, Salicaceae. This tree can reach heights of 25 meters with a diameter of 50 centimeters and an age of 70 years. It typically grows on moist, low-lying sites and river valleys in pure stands or associated with most other boreal trees except jack pine. Balsam poplar is used in small quantities in industries associated with oriented strand board, other chip boards and wood pulp.

9 White birch (Betula papyrifera), also called paper birch, is a deciduous tree of the willow family, Salicaceae. This tree recognized for its papery bark, can reach heights of 25 meters with a diameter of 40 centimeters and an age of 120 years. It is found on a wide variety of sites, particularly on steep slopes. White birch grows in pure stands or in association with all of Saskatchewan s trees. It is early to reclaim a site after fire. Not a big player in the commercial forest industry, but is important for firewood, the craft industry and some furniture. In recent year the bronze birch borer has killed most of the urban birch trees. White birch is Saskatchewan s provincial tree.

10 Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) is a deciduous tree of the beech family, Fagaceae. This smallsized tree can reach heights of 15 meters with a diameter of 60 centimeters and an age of 200 years. It is found on deep rich sites in low area and particularly in limestone soils in the southeast part of Saskatchewan. It does well in many urban forests as far north as Buffalo Narrows, Saskatchewan.

11 American elm (Ulmus Americana), also called white elm, is a deciduous tree of the elm family, Ulmaceae. This can reach heights of 35 meters with a diameter of 175 centimeters and an age of 200 years. It is often found on moist sandy sites in the east and south-east parts of the province, particularly along river valleys. It is very tolerant to urban plantings and is found in most communities in Saskatchewan. Over the years, Dutch Elm Disease spread by the elm bark beetle has killed many of the native elms in a good number in the communities east and south of Manitoba. The beetles and diseased trees have been located in Saskatchewan.

12 Manitoba maple (Acer negundo) is a medium-sized deciduous tree of the maple family, Aceraceae. The tree can reach heights of 20 meters with a diameter of 75 centimeters and an age of 60 years. It is often found on the shores of lakes and streams and in areas that are inundated with water periodically. It has been planted in communities and farm yards for years. Aphids are often associated with maples and can be a nuisance and messy.

13 Green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), closely resembles red ash, is a deciduous tree of the olive family, Oleaceae. This small to medium-sized tree reaches heights of 25 meters with a diameter of 60 centimeters and an age of 100 years. It is typically associated with river valleys where it is very tolerant to long periods of flooding. It has been planted in communities and farm yard for years.