Flora of the Nut Tree Trail

Mer Bleue Conservation Area
Ottawa Canada

Distances are measured from the trail dedication sign, in meters.
regional status: common, uncommon, sparse, rare; escape from cultivation, naturalized non-native, planted
(reference: Checklist of Vascular Plants of the Ottawa-Hull Region, Canada; J.M.Gillett, D.J.White, 1978)
176 species

North trail

species		flowers	distance	status
Gerardia tenuifolia	slender gerardia	Sep	0	s
Rhamnus frangula	alder-leaved buckthorn	Jun-Jul	1	cn
Prunella vulgaris	heal-all	Jul-Sep	11	cn
Cornus alternifolia	alternate-leaved dogwood	Jun	14	c
Quercus macrocarpa	bur oak	May	16	p
Pyrola elliptica	shinleaf	Jul	21	c
Amelanchier canadensis	serviceberry	May	52	c
Rosa blanda	wild rose	Jun	56	c
Leonurus cardiaca	motherwort	Jul	57	cn
Sonchus asper	spiny sowthistle	Aug	57	c
Syringa vulgaris	lilac	May-Jun	60	cn
Oenothera biennis	evening primrose	Jul-Sep	60	c
Cirsium vulgare	bull thistle	Aug	65	cn
Solanum dulcamara	climbing nightshade	Jun-Aug	72	c
Parthenocissus vitaceaa	Virginia creeper		76	c
Echinocystis lobata	wild cucumber	Aug-Sep	79	c
Solidago altissima	tall goldenrod	Aug-Sep	80	c
Mentha arvensis	mint	Jul-Aug	81	c
Cirsium arvense	Canada thistle	Jul-Sep	82	cn
Impatiens capensis	touch-me-not	Jul-Sep	86	c
Stachys tenuifolia	hedge nettle	Jul	87	c
Acer negundo	Manitoba maple		88	c
Lonicera tatarica	honeysuckle	May-Jun	91	cn
Verbascum thapsus	mullein	Jul-Sep	91	c
Festuca pratensis	meadow fescue	May	91	un
Rubus strigosus	red raspberry	Jun	92	c
Galium triflorum	sweet bedstraw	Jun-Jul	93	c
Bromus tectorum	downy brome	Aug	93	s
Malus sylvestris	apple	May	97	c
Picea glauca	white spruce		100	c
Prenanthes alba	white lettuce	Jul-Sep	107	u
Oxalis stricta	yellow woodsorrel	May-Aug	107	c
Urtica dioica	nettle	Jun-Sep	117	c
Cornus rugosa	roundleaved dogwood	Jun	122	c
Erigeron annuus	daisy fleabane	Aug-Sep	124	c
Potentilla norvegica	rough cinqfoil	Jun	128	c
Circaea lutetiana	enchanter's nightshade	Jul-Aug	128	c
Potentilla arguta	tall cinqfoil	Jun-Jul	133	s
Viola pubescens	downy yellow violet	May	136	c
Diervilla lonicera	bush honeysuckle	Jun	136	c
Actaea pachypoda	white baneberry	May-Jun	137	c
Rumex acetosella	sheep sorrel	May-Jul	141	cn
Taraxacum officinale	dandelion	May-Jun	142	cn
Hieracium pilosella	mouse-ear hawkweed	Jun-Jul	146	s
Erysimum cheiranthoides	wormseed mustard	Jun-Jul	149	cn
Tragopogon dubius	goatsbeard	Jun-Jul	154	c
Potentilla recta	sulphur cinqfoil	Jun-Jul	156	c
Rudbeckia hirta	black-eyed susan	Jun-Sep	156	c
Dianthus armeria	pink	Jul-Sep	158	cn
Potentilla argentea	silvery cinqfoil	Jun	160	cn
Oenothera parviflora	small sundrop	Jun-Jul	161	u
Hieracium florentinum	smooth hawkweed	Jun	161	c
Conyza canadensis	horseweed	Aug	164	c
Stellaria graminea	lesser stitchwort	May-Jul	166	c
Chrysanthemum leucanthemum	ox-eye daisy	Jun-Aug	169	cn
Dactylis glomerata	orchard grass	Jun	169	cn
Viola papilionacea	common blue violet	May	175	u
Lycopodium complanum	flat ground pine		177	s
Cerastium fontanum	mouse-ear chickweed	Jun	180	cn
Erigeron strigosus	strigose fleabane	Aug	180	c
Silene vulgaris	bladder campion	Jun-Sep	188	c
Rhus typhina	staghorn sumac	Jun-Sep	190	c
Rubus allegheniensis	cane blackberry	Jun-Jul	206	c
Tiarella cordifolia	foamflower	May-Jun	210	c
Aegopodium podagraria	goutweed	Jun-Jul	213	cn
Oenothera fruticosa	sundrop	Jun-Jul	213	e
Oenothera missouriensis	sundrop	Jun-Jul	213	e
Tragopogon pratense	twisted goatsbeard	Jun	213	c
Trifolium pratense	red clover	Jun-Aug	213	cn
Ajuga reptans	bugle	Jun	217	e
Prenanthes altissima	nodding lettuce	Aug-Sep	217	c
Carex crinita	fringed sedge	Jun-Jul	217	c
Sisyrinchium angustifolium	blue-eyed grass	Jun	220	c
Polygonum sagittatum	arrow-leaved tearthumb	Sep	221	u
Equisetum arvense	field horsetail	May	225	c
Equisetum sylvaticum	wood horsetail	May	227	c
Erythronium americanum	dog-tooth violet	May	227	c
Gymnocarpium dryopteris	3-branched fern		235	c
Betula alleghaniensis	yellow birch		240	c
Convallaria majalis	lily-of-the-valley	May-Jun	240	e
Thuja occidentalis	white cedar		241	c
Epilobium glandulosum	northern willowherb	Aug-Sep	244	c
Fagopyrum sagittatum	buckwheat	Jun-Jul	245	e
Carex intumescens	bladder sedge	May-Jul	246	c
Aster novae-angliae	New England aster	Aug-Sep	247	c
Carex vulpinoidea	fox sedge	Jun-Jul	253	u
Melilotus alba	white melilot	Aug	253	c
Lolium perenne	rye grass	Aug-Sep	253	un
Eupatorium maculatum	spotted Joe-Pye	Jul-Sep	257	c
Fragaria virginiana	strawberry	May-Jun	260	c
Solidago graminifolia	narrow-leaved goldenrod	Jul-Sep	261	c
Gallium palustre	marsh bedstraw	Jun	262	c
Asclepias syriaca	common milkweed	Jul-Aug	267	c
Agrostis gigantea	redtop	Jul	267	c
Lotus corniculatus	birds-foot trefoil	Jun-Sep	267	cn
Scirpus atrocinctus	black-girdled rush	Jun	267	u
Bromus inermis	smooth brome	Jun-Jul	267	cn
Vitis riparia	wild grape	Jun	267	c
Medicago lupulina	black medic	Jun-Jul	268	cn
Aster tradescantii	Tradescant's aster	Sep	271	u
Glyceria striata	fowl meadowgrass	Jul-Sep	273	c
Lobelia inflata	indian tobacco	Jul	274	c
Quercus alba	white oak	May	276	p
Festuca rubra	red fescue	May-Jul	277	un
Poa palustris	meadowgrass	Jun-Jul	277	c
Trifolium hybridum	alsike clover	Jun-Sep	279	cn
Salix petiolaris	slender willow		289	c
Carya cordiformis	bitternut hickory		290	p
Setaria viridis	green foxtail	Jun-Aug	290	c
Linaria vulgaris	butter&eggs	Jul-Sep	294	cn
Hypericum perforatum	St.Johnswort	Jul-Aug	296	cn
Solidago rugosa	rough goldenrod	Aug-Sep	296	c
Aster umbellatus	flat-topped white aster	Aug-Sep	296	u
Solidago canadensis	Canada goldenrod	Aug-Sep	296	c
Solidago squarrosa	stout goldenrod	Aug	296	c
Solidago juncea	early goldenrod	Aug	296	c
Hieracium pratense	field hawkweed	Jun-Jul	298	s
Quercus bicolor	swamp-white oak		298	p
Ranunculus acris	buttercup	May-Aug	299	c
Convolvulus sepium	hedge bindweed	Jul-Aug	300	c
Spirea alba	spirea	Jul-Sep	300	c
Barbarea vulgaris	winter cress	May-Jun	301	cn
Alnus rugosa	speckled alder	Jun	303	c
Agropyron repens	quack grass	Jul	314	cn
Parmelia appalachensis	grey lichen		316
Phalaris arundinacea	reed grass	June	326	c
Trifolium repens	white clover	Jun-Jul	333	cn
Lythrum salicaria	purple loosestrife	Jul-Aug	334	cn
Cornus stolonifera	red dogwood	Jun-Aug	335	c
Vicia cracca	cow vetch	Jun-Sep	337	cn
Sphagnum acutifolia	moss		339
Sonchus arvensis	sowthistle	Jul-Sep	339	c
Achillea millefolium	yarrow	Jun-Sep	345	c

West trail

species		flowers	distance	status
Quercus borealis	red oak	May	0	p
Carex gracillima	graceful sedge	May-Jul	24	c
Lycopus americanus	water horehound	Jul	33	c
Eupatorium perfoliatum	throughwort	Jul-Aug	33	c
Erigeron philadelphicus	early fleabane	Jun-Aug	35	c
Ranunculus abortivus	small-flowered crowfoot	May-Jun	37	c
Populus tremuloides	trembling aspen	May	39	c
Verbena hastata	blue vervain	Jul	42	c
Juncus effusus	soft rush	Jun-Jul	42	c
Geum aleppicum	yellow avens	Jun-Jul	42	c
Viburnum lentago	nannyberry	Jun-Aug	47	c
Rubus hispidus	dewberry	Jul	58	c
Pinus strobus	white pine		66	c
Prunus serotina	black cherry		66	c
Trillium erectum	red trillium	May	76	c
Trillium grandiflorum	white trillium	May	97	c
Ulmus americana	American elm		99	c
Maianthemum canadense	mayflower	May-Jun	102	c
Viola pallens	northern white violet	May	111	c
Trillium undulatum	painted trillium	May	129	c
Trientalis borealis	starflower	May-Jun	138	c
Lycopodium clavatum	creeping clubmoss	Jul-Sep	161	c
Rubus odoratus	thimbleberry	Aug	162	c
Fragraria vesca	wood strawberry	Jul	165	u
Dryopteris intermedia	wood fern	Jul	171	c
Onoclea sensibilis	sensitive fern	Jul-Sep	181	c
Osmunda claytoniana	interrupted fern	May-Jun	186	c
Osmunda regalis	royal fern	Jun-Jul	186	c
Osmunda cinnamomea	cinnamon fern	May-Jun	186	c
Acer rubrum	red maple		223	c
Pohlia nutans	moss		227
Sphagnum compactum	moss		227
Aralia nudicaulis	wild sarsaparilla	May-Jun	244	c
Smilacina stellata	starry false Solomon's seal	May-Jun	249	c
Physica millegrana	green-when-wet lichen		254
Candelaria concolor	yellow lichen		254
Lycopodium obscurum	ground pine	May-Sep	280	c
Viola septentrionalis	northern blue violet	May	316	c
Arisaema triphyllum	jack-in-the-pulpit	May-Jun	332	c
Betula pappyrifera	paper birch		343	c
Betula populifolia	gray birch		343	c
Plantago major	plantain	Aug	365	c
Bidens frondosa	beggartick	Aug	365	c

Commmon breeding birds that can be heard along the trail include :

Agelaius phoeniceus red-winged blackbird north meadow
Catharus fuscescens veery central woods
Colaptes auratus flicker
Contopus virens wood-pewee west woods
Corvus brachyrhynchos American crow
Cyanocitta cristata blue jay
Dendroica pensylvanica chestnut-sided warbler ridge bur oaks
Dendroica petechia yellow warbler north meadow
Dumetella carolinensis catbird north meadow
Empidonax traillii willow flycatcher north meadow
Geothlypis trichas yellowthroat north meadow
Melospiza georgiana swamp sparrow north meadow
Myiarchus crinitus great crested flycatcher central woods
Parus atricapillus black-capped chickadee
Scolopax minor woodcock north meadow
Seiurus aurocapillus ovenbird west woods
Turdus migratorius robin hydro corridor
Vireo olivaceus red-eyed vireo west woods
Zenaida macroura mourning dove hydro corridor

Mammals along the trail include :

Canis latrans coyote tracks in winter, heard at dusk
Castor canadensis beaver in the stream to the north of the trail
Glaucomys sabrinus northern flying squirrel at dusk
Lepus americanus snowshoe hare
Marmota monax woodchuck
Microtus pennsylvanicus meadow vole abundant in the north meadow
Odocoileus virginianus white-tailed deer
Sciurus carolinensis grey squirrel
Tamias striatus chipmunk
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus red squirrel most easily seen and heard

Two of our large dragonflies, Libellula lydia and and L. pulchella, are common in the north meadow spring and summer. Sympetrum obtrusum is often seen in late summer.

John Sankey

Agelaius phoeniceus	red-winged blackbird	north meadow
Catharus fuscescens	veery	central woods
Colaptes auratus	flicker
Contopus virens	wood-pewee	west woods
Corvus brachyrhynchos	American crow
Cyanocitta cristata	blue jay
Dendroica pensylvanica	chestnut-sided warbler	ridge bur oaks
Dendroica petechia	yellow warbler	north meadow
Dumetella carolinensis	catbird	north meadow
Empidonax traillii	willow flycatcher	north meadow
Geothlypis trichas	yellowthroat	north meadow
Melospiza georgiana	swamp sparrow	north meadow
Myiarchus crinitus	great crested flycatcher	central woods
Parus atricapillus	black-capped chickadee
Scolopax minor	woodcock	north meadow
Seiurus aurocapillus	ovenbird	west woods
Turdus migratorius	robin	hydro corridor
Vireo olivaceus	red-eyed vireo	west woods
Zenaida macroura	mourning dove	hydro corridor

Canis latrans	coyote	tracks in winter, heard at dusk
Castor canadensis	beaver	in the stream to the north of the trail
Glaucomys sabrinus	northern flying squirrel	at dusk
Lepus americanus	snowshoe hare
Marmota monax	woodchuck
Microtus pennsylvanicus	meadow vole	abundant in the north meadow
Odocoileus virginianus	white-tailed deer
Sciurus carolinensis	grey squirrel
Tamias striatus	chipmunk
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus	red squirrel	most easily seen and heard