.Glossary

.Native Woody Plants of Southern Alberta

[ A ]

Alnus crispa - Green Alder - Large bushy shrub to 3 m high, dark green shiny leaves. Smooth grey bark. Grows in either full sun or shade.
Alnus tenuifolia - River Alder - Small tree to 8 m high, dark green, dull leaves. Smooth grey bark. Prefers wet sites.
Amelanchier alnifolia - Saskatoon - Tall shrub to 6 m high. Sweet 1 cm purple fruit. Fall colours range from oranges to reds. Suckers freely. Performs best in full sun.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi - Kinnikinnick - Low mat forming evergreen groundcover. Dark green, leathery leaves, turn red in full sun. Small red berries. Full sun or shade.
Artemisia cana - Sagebrush - Low shrub .5 m to 1.5 m high. Older wood twisted and shredded. Silver leaves persist through winter. Prefers hot, dry, full sun sites.
Artemisia tridentata - Big Sage - Low shrub 5 m to 1m high. Older wood as A. cana. Leave broader, shorter and with green in color. Not as silvery as A. cana. Montana seed source.

[ B ]

Betula glandulosa - Dwarf Birch - Shrub to 2 m high. Dark red to brown winter branching. Small shiny dark green leaves. Fall colours orange to yellow. Full sun to partial shade. Can tolerate high moisture levels, but not a requirement.
Betula occidentalis - River Birch - Small tree to 10 m high, usually multiple trunked. Bark is a dark bronze red. Younger branches very fine textured. Fall colour yellow to orange. Full sun to partial shade.

[ C ]

Clematis lingusticifolia - Western White Clematis - Woody vine to 5 m high. Clusters of small white flowers. Clusters of hairy seeds in the fall. Full sun or partial shade.
Clematis occidentalis - Blue Clematis - Low vine to 2 m high. Single large blue flowers. Prefers partial shade.
Cornus sericea - Red Twig Dogwood - Wide spread shrub to 3 m high. Thick and branchy with dark green shiny leaves. Clusters of small fragrant white flowers. Dark red bark. Full sun or shade. Fall colour red.
Crataegus chrysocarpa - Round Leaf Hawthorne - Small round headed tree to 5 m high. Heavily branched with 5 cm thorns. Clusters of white to pink flowers. Clusters of red fruit in fall. Prefers hot dry locations.

[ E ]

Eleagnus commutata - Silverberry (Wolf Willow) - Tall shrub to 3 m high. Narrow silver leaves. Small yellow flowers, very fragrant. Tends to be rangy if not bordered. Full sun or partial shade.

[ J ]

Juniperus communis - Common Juniper - Evergreen shrub to 1 m high, wide spreading. Very dense branching and needles. Dark green needles with white stripe. Dark blue berry like cones. Very hardy, prefers hot, dry, well drained locations.
Juniperus horizontalis - Creeping Juniper - Evergreen groundcover, very low growing, 1 to 5 cm high. Spreads to 3 m wide. Variable colours in the summer and winter, from greens to blues, to purples. Dark blue berry like cone. Prefers hot, dry, well drained locations.

[ L ]

Ledum groenlandicum - Labrador Tea - Low shrub to .5 m high. Grows in dense patches, suckers freely. Small leaves are narrow and leathery, persisting through the winter. Clusters of white flowers at the ends of the branches. Prefers partial shade.
Lonicera dioica - Twining Honeysuckle - Twining vine. Showy flowers vary from yellow to orange, 2 cm across. Blooms early summer to mid-summer. Red berries at the ends of the branches, with complete leaf around base of fruit. Full sun or partial shade.
Lonicera involucrata - Bracted Honeysuckle - Low shrub 2 - 3 m high, forming a dense stand. Suckers. Paired flowers, usually yellow. Berries dark purple surrounded by scarlet bract. Full sun or partial shade.

[ M ]

Mahonia repens - Creeping Mahonia - Low trailing shrub to .25 m high. Large spiny, stiff, holly like leaves, persist through the winter. Leaves turn red in winter. Clusters of yellow flowers in the spring and clusters of blue fruit in the fall. Partial shade to full sun.

[ P ]

Picea glauca - White Spruce - Large tree to 30 m high. Narrow pyramidal to broadly pyramidal in shape. Dark green to blue needles. Bark is grey/brown, not deeply furrowed. Small cones 5 cm long, hang down.
Pinus contorta - Lodgepole Pine - Tall narrow tree to 30 m. Long needles 5 cm in bundles of two, green in summer, yellowish in winter. Small cones 3 - 5 cm long hang down, toward trunk.
Pinus flexilis - Limber Pine - Broad headed tree to 20 m high. Dark green needles 6 - 8 cm long in bundles of five. Large cones 10 - 15 cm long, covered in pitch. Young branches very flexible. Full sun.
Populus balsamifera - Balsam Poplar - Tall pyramidal tree to 20 m high. Dark green leaves, turning yellow in fall. Older bark deeply fissured, grey to brown. Full sun or partial shade.
Populus deltoides - Western Cottonwood - Tall broadly pyramidal tree to 25 m high. Large leaves dark green, larger than Balsam Poplar. Older bark deeply fissured. Full sun to shade.
Populus tremuloides - Aspen - Slender tree from 3 m to 30 m high. Leaves dark green to light green with long petiole, causing much movement in little wind. Bark smooth white to grey. Fall colour yellow. Suckers to form a grove - healthiest if left to grove. Full sun or shade.
Potentilla fruticosa - Potentilla - Small dense shrub .3 - 1 m high. Flowers heavily from early summer to late summer with small yellow flowers. Leaves hairy, giving silver cast to foliage. Full sun, well drained site.
Prunus pensylvanica - Pincherry - Small tree or large shrub to 8 m high. Bark is red brown to bronze. Shiny green leaves hang down giving a weeping effect. Early white flowers in the spring with clusters of red berries in fall. Suckers to form thickets. Full sun.
Prunus virginiana - Chokecherry - Tall shrub to 4 m high. Leaves large and dull green. Suckers freely to form large groves. Clusters of small white flowers hanging in racemes. Clusters of purple fruit in the fall. Prefers full sun, but does well in partial shade.
Pseudotsuga menziesii - Douglas Fir - Tall broadly pyramidal tree to 30 m high. Needles short and dark green. Cones 5 - 7 cm long, hanging down. Young branches smooth and grey, older bark deeply fissured.

[ R ]

Rhus trilobata - Three Lobed Sumac - Rounded shrub to 2 m high. Dark green leaves with three distinct lobes, distinctive aroma when bruised. Clusters of yellow flowers in the spring, round red fruits in the fall. Prefers full sun and well drained sites.
Ribes aureum - Gold Currant - Wide branchy shrub to 2 m high. Open habit. Yellow flowers in the spring are attractive and fragrant. Fruit hanging in clusters vary in colour from red to black to yellow. Prefers hot dry locations with good drainage.
Ribes oxyacanthoides - Gooseberry - Small shrub to 1 m high. Very thorny and densely branched. Very early small white flowers before leafing in the spring. Large purple fruit in the fall. Fall colour is orange. Hot dry full sun to cooler shaded locations.
Rosa acicularis - Prickly Rose - Bushy shrub 1 - 1.5 m high. Red branches with thorns on the nodes, new growth usually smooth. Large pink flowers from early summer to late summer. Suckers to form low thin stands. Large showy hips in the fall persist through the winter. Full sun or partial to full shade.
Rosa arkansana - Prairie Rose Short, usually single stem in natural habitat, 25 to 40 cm high. Large round hips at tip of branch, usually in clusters. Pink flower fades to white quickly. Full sun, hot and dry.
Rosa woodsii - Common Wild Rose - Bushy shrub .5 - 1.5 m high. Red branches thorny between the nodes and on new growth. Large showy pink flowers from late June to late summer. Suckers to form low thin stands. Large showy hips in the fall persist through the winter. Full sun or partial to full shade.
Rubus ideaus (strigosus) - Wild Red Raspberry - Multiple canes to 2 m high, fine thorns cover branches. Large dark green leaves turn orange to red in fall. Small white flowers in June and July. Red fruit in the late summer and fall, very tasty. Suckers to form thin stands. Full sun to partial or full shade.
Rubus parviflorus - Thimble berry - Smooth short canes with large leaves, 10 - 20 cm across. Showy white flowers in the spring, red fruit in the late summer and fall. Partial to full shade.

[ S ]

Salix commutata - Villose Willow - Varies from .5m to 1.5m high and equally broad. Leaves long and narrow with fine hairs, giving a woolly greyish appearance. Partial shade to full sun on well drained soils. Winter colors wooly grey on older wood, reddish brown on tips.
Salix bebbiana - Bebb's Willow - Large much branched shrub to 5 m high. Long narrow leaves dark green, sometimes shiny. Bark usually dull grey. Male flowers (pussy willows) in early spring. Fast growing shrub, much more drought tolerant than the species. Full sun to partial shade.
Salix exigua interior - Sandbar Willow - Tall thicket forming shrub to 3 m high. Suckers freely to form large open stands. Leaves long and narrow, usually light green, sometimes silvery. Branches pale pink in winter. Very fine textured and graceful plant.
Salix lutae - Yellow Twig Willow - Large shrub 2 - 3 m high. Very thick branching from base of plant. Branches yellow to yellow brown, buds bright yellow. Thin long dark green shiny leaves. Full sun to partial shade.
Sambucus racemosa - Elderberry - Tall lanky open shrub to 2 m high. Large dark green leaves and long pithy branches. Large clusters of off-white flowers at the ends of the branches in early summer. Large clusters of small red berries in the fall. Very fast growing shrub. Full sun to partial shade.
Shepherdia argentea - Thorny Buffaloberry - Tall shrub to 4 m high with narrow silver leaves. Densely branched with thorns. Small clusters of yellow flowers in early summer, tight to the branches. Clusters of red berries in the fall. Suckers freely to form a dense thicket. Full sun.
Shepherdia canadensis - Russet Buffaloberry - Spreading to erect shrub to 2 m high. Leathery dark green leaves, with silvery undersides. Small yellow flowers along two year and older wood. Clusters of red berries in late June. Full sun and well drained soil for best form.
Symphoricarpos albus - Snowberry - Small suckery shrub to .5 m high. Forms thin thickets. Small white flowers in clusters at top of branches. Small white fruit on ends of branches persists through the winter. Full sun to full shade.
Symphoricarpos occidentalis - Buckbrush - Low shrub to 1 m high, suckers to form a dense low thicket. Leaves vary from green to blue green. Clusters of white to pink flowers at the tops of branches. Clusters of white fruit in the fall, turning to black after several frosts. Full sun to partial shade.

[ V ]

Vaccinium vitis-idaea - Bog Cranberry - Low mat forming groundcover to 10 cm high. Small evergreen leaves are dark shiny green and leathery. Small white or pink cup shaped flowers. Bright red berries in the fall. Partial to full shade.
Viburnum edule - Low Bush Cranberry - Low shrub to 1 m high. Branches red with large red buds, dark green leaves turn red in fall. Flowers small rounded clusters in mid-summer. Red fruit in the fall. Partial shade to full sun.

[ Y ]

Yucca glauca - Yucca - Low shrub 45 - 60 cm with thin, sharp pointed rigid leaves. Leaves persist through several seasons, being replaced from the centre. Hot dry locations. Montana seed source.