According to Trees Ontario (www.treesontario.ca), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the renewal and stewardship of Ontario’s trees, the best time to plant deciduous trees is the spring, as soon as the front is out of the ground or in the fall from leaf-fall until it freezes. Evergreens can be planted in the early spring or in the fall, from about the first week of August to the end of October.
So, if you need to plant a tree in Toronto, the Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests (LEAF), a Toronto-based organization dedicated to healthy urban trees, suggests these 7 native tree species "to plant more of".
1. Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus)
This tree is classified as a threatened species in Ontario and is one of Toronto’s most unique trees. Because the Kentucky coffeetree has double-compound fan-like leaves that can be up to a metre long, it appears to drop small branches in the fall. It is also believed the seed pods produced by this tree were once a food source for mastadons!
2. White pine (Pinus strobus)
White pine is the official tree of Ontario and was a favoured lumber source for ship building. This evergreen tree is recognizable by its light green clusters of needles that come in bundles of five and can grow to be more than 50 feet tall.
3. Silver maple (Acer saccharinum)
In some parts of the city, you can find streets lined with majestic, towering silver maple trees. But a lot of these trees are getting older and starting to decline, and we’re long overdue on planting the next generation of these giants.
4. Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa)
Oak trees are one of the best species of trees you can plant in terms of wildlife value – they support many of our urban critters including mammals, birds and insects. Bur oak is one of the larger and hardier oak species native to our region.
5. Blue beech (Carpinus caroliniana)
Understory trees are an important part of our urban forest and the shade-loving blue beech makes a great addition to an already-treed backyard. Though not a true "beech" (fagus spp.) tree, the blue beech is known for its smooth grey bark with wave-like ridges and vibrant orange-yellow fall colour.
6. Tamarack (Larix laricina)
One of the few coniferous trees that loses its needles in the winter – the short, soft needles turn a stunning golden colour before they drop. The Tamarack also sports tiny pine cones and is frequented by birds, squirrels and chipmunks.
7. Paw paw (Asiminia triloba)
This tree has been getting attention from foodies over the last four years for the unique, tropical-like fruit it produces that has been described as a cross between a banana and a mango. These trees need to be planted in pairs to cross-pollinate and are pollinated by beetles and flies.
This list has been put together by Michelle Bourdeau, program manager, ISA Certified Arborist, at LEAF (www.yourleaf.org). She utilized a comprehensive tree study released by the City of Toronto in 2010 and updated in 2013 titled Every Tree Counts: A Portrait of Toronto’s Urban Forest. That report can be accessed from the city at http://goo.gl/jCYX1Y
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