Nationally-Rare Trees in Niagara-on-the-Lake

Nationally-Rare Trees in Niagara-on-the-Lake. . On display in front of you is a collection of trees that can grow wild here in Niagara-on-the-Lake, but almost nowhere else in Canada. These representatives of the Carolinian Forest zone can survive in the extreme south of Ontario thanks to our short winters and longer, warmer growing seasons. , The tulip tree - the tallest deciduous tree east of the Rocky Mountains - reaches heights of nearly 40 meters (131 feet) tall. It is part of the magnolia tree family, and produces stunning, tulip-like flowers once it is over 20 years of age. , Pin oak grows in patches on the Niagara Peninsula and along Lake Erie's shoreline. Known for its droopy branches as they become old, it is a hardy tree with an affinity for swampland, but can survive almost anywhere in Niagara-on-the-Lake. , Did you know: Trees cool down our community, act as erosion control with their roots, wind shields for farmland, maintain soil nutrients, and sequester carbon dioxide to combat the impacts of climate change. Niagara-on-the-Lake's trees also provide recreational opportunities for people and habitat for native wildlife. , The cucumber tree is a smaller tree species that grows up to 20 meters (60 feet). It has particularly broad leaves and small flowers due to being part of the magnolia family. It does not produce a true cucumber, but its unripe fruit looks peculiarly similar. This may be one of Canada's rarest trees, growing only in Niagara and Norfolk Regions. , Sassafras trees grow naturally along the trail. Look for trees with a notably twisted crown and leaves that may be either triple, double, or single-lobed. Not many trees in the world have differentiation among their own leaves like the Sassafras does, and its roots were historically used to make root beer!