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

speciesflowersdistancestatus
Gerardia tenuifoliaslender gerardiaSep0s
Rhamnus frangulaalder-leaved buckthornJun-Jul1cn
Prunella vulgarisheal-allJul-Sep11cn
Cornus alternifoliaalternate-leaved dogwoodJun14c
Quercus macrocarpabur oakMay16p
Pyrola ellipticashinleafJul21c
Amelanchier canadensisserviceberryMay52c
Rosa blandawild roseJun56c
Leonurus cardiacamotherwortJul57cn
Sonchus asperspiny sowthistleAug57c
Syringa vulgarislilacMay-Jun60cn
Oenothera biennisevening primroseJul-Sep60c
Cirsium vulgarebull thistleAug65cn
Solanum dulcamaraclimbing nightshadeJun-Aug72c
Parthenocissus vitaceaaVirginia creeper76c
Echinocystis lobatawild cucumberAug-Sep79c
Solidago altissimatall goldenrodAug-Sep80c
Mentha arvensismintJul-Aug81c
Cirsium arvenseCanada thistleJul-Sep82cn
Impatiens capensistouch-me-notJul-Sep86c
Stachys tenuifoliahedge nettleJul87c
Acer negundoManitoba maple88c
Lonicera tataricahoneysuckleMay-Jun91cn
Verbascum thapsusmulleinJul-Sep91c
Festuca pratensismeadow fescueMay91un
Rubus strigosusred raspberryJun92c
Galium triflorumsweet bedstrawJun-Jul93c
Bromus tectorumdowny bromeAug93s
Malus sylvestrisappleMay97c
Picea glaucawhite spruce100c
Prenanthes albawhite lettuceJul-Sep107u
Oxalis strictayellow woodsorrelMay-Aug107c
Urtica dioicanettleJun-Sep117c
Cornus rugosaroundleaved dogwoodJun122c
Erigeron annuusdaisy fleabaneAug-Sep124c
Potentilla norvegicarough cinqfoilJun128c
Circaea lutetianaenchanter's nightshadeJul-Aug128c
Potentilla argutatall cinqfoilJun-Jul133s
Viola pubescensdowny yellow violetMay136c
Diervilla lonicerabush honeysuckleJun136c
Actaea pachypodawhite baneberryMay-Jun137c
Rumex acetosellasheep sorrelMay-Jul141cn
Taraxacum officinaledandelionMay-Jun142cn
Hieracium pilosellamouse-ear hawkweedJun-Jul146s
Erysimum cheiranthoideswormseed mustardJun-Jul149cn
Tragopogon dubiusgoatsbeardJun-Jul154c
Potentilla rectasulphur cinqfoilJun-Jul156c
Rudbeckia hirtablack-eyed susanJun-Sep156c
Dianthus armeriapinkJul-Sep158cn
Potentilla argenteasilvery cinqfoilJun160cn
Oenothera parviflorasmall sundropJun-Jul161u
Hieracium florentinumsmooth hawkweedJun161c
Conyza canadensishorseweedAug164c
Stellaria graminealesser stitchwortMay-Jul166c
Chrysanthemum leucanthemumox-eye daisyJun-Aug169cn
Dactylis glomerataorchard grassJun169cn
Viola papilionaceacommon blue violetMay175u
Lycopodium complanumflat ground pine177s
Cerastium fontanummouse-ear chickweedJun180cn
Erigeron strigosusstrigose fleabaneAug180c
Silene vulgarisbladder campionJun-Sep188c
Rhus typhinastaghorn sumacJun-Sep190c
Rubus allegheniensiscane blackberryJun-Jul206c
Tiarella cordifoliafoamflowerMay-Jun210c
Aegopodium podagrariagoutweedJun-Jul213cn
Oenothera fruticosasundropJun-Jul213e
Oenothera missouriensissundropJun-Jul213e
Tragopogon pratensetwisted goatsbeardJun213c
Trifolium pratensered cloverJun-Aug213cn
Ajuga reptansbugleJun217e
Prenanthes altissimanodding lettuceAug-Sep217c
Carex crinitafringed sedgeJun-Jul217c
Sisyrinchium angustifoliumblue-eyed grassJun220c
Polygonum sagittatumarrow-leaved tearthumbSep221u
Equisetum arvensefield horsetailMay225c
Equisetum sylvaticumwood horsetailMay227c
Erythronium americanumdog-tooth violetMay227c
Gymnocarpium dryopteris3-branched fern235c
Betula alleghaniensisyellow birch240c
Convallaria majalislily-of-the-valleyMay-Jun240e
Thuja occidentaliswhite cedar241c
Epilobium glandulosumnorthern willowherbAug-Sep244c
Fagopyrum sagittatumbuckwheatJun-Jul245e
Carex intumescensbladder sedgeMay-Jul246c
Aster novae-angliaeNew England asterAug-Sep247c
Carex vulpinoideafox sedgeJun-Jul253u
Melilotus albawhite melilotAug253c
Lolium perennerye grassAug-Sep253un
Eupatorium maculatumspotted Joe-PyeJul-Sep257c
Fragaria virginianastrawberryMay-Jun260c
Solidago graminifolianarrow-leaved goldenrodJul-Sep261c
Gallium palustremarsh bedstrawJun262c
Asclepias syriacacommon milkweedJul-Aug267c
Agrostis gigantearedtopJul267c
Lotus corniculatusbirds-foot trefoilJun-Sep267cn
Scirpus atrocinctusblack-girdled rushJun267u
Bromus inermissmooth bromeJun-Jul267cn
Vitis ripariawild grapeJun267c
Medicago lupulinablack medicJun-Jul268cn
Aster tradescantiiTradescant's asterSep271u
Glyceria striatafowl meadowgrassJul-Sep273c
Lobelia inflataindian tobaccoJul274c
Quercus albawhite oakMay276p
Festuca rubrared fescueMay-Jul277un
Poa palustrismeadowgrassJun-Jul277c
Trifolium hybridumalsike cloverJun-Sep279cn
Salix petiolarisslender willow289c
Carya cordiformisbitternut hickory290p
Setaria viridisgreen foxtailJun-Aug290c
Linaria vulgarisbutter&eggsJul-Sep294cn
Hypericum perforatumSt.JohnswortJul-Aug296cn
Solidago rugosarough goldenrodAug-Sep296c
Aster umbellatusflat-topped white asterAug-Sep296u
Solidago canadensisCanada goldenrodAug-Sep296c
Solidago squarrosastout goldenrodAug296c
Solidago junceaearly goldenrodAug296c
Hieracium pratensefield hawkweedJun-Jul298s
Quercus bicolorswamp-white oak298p
Ranunculus acrisbuttercupMay-Aug299c
Convolvulus sepiumhedge bindweedJul-Aug300c
Spirea albaspireaJul-Sep300c
Barbarea vulgariswinter cressMay-Jun301cn
Alnus rugosaspeckled alderJun303c
Agropyron repensquack grassJul314cn
Parmelia appalachensisgrey lichen316
Phalaris arundinaceareed grassJune326c
Trifolium repenswhite cloverJun-Jul333cn
Lythrum salicariapurple loosestrifeJul-Aug334cn
Cornus stoloniferared dogwoodJun-Aug335c
Vicia craccacow vetchJun-Sep337cn
Sphagnum acutifoliamoss339
Sonchus arvensissowthistleJul-Sep339c
Achillea millefoliumyarrowJun-Sep345c

West trail

speciesflowersdistancestatus
Quercus borealisred oakMay0p
Carex gracillimagraceful sedgeMay-Jul24c
Lycopus americanuswater horehoundJul33c
Eupatorium perfoliatumthroughwortJul-Aug33c
Erigeron philadelphicusearly fleabaneJun-Aug35c
Ranunculus abortivussmall-flowered crowfootMay-Jun37c
Populus tremuloidestrembling aspenMay39c
Verbena hastatablue vervainJul42c
Juncus effusussoft rushJun-Jul42c
Geum aleppicumyellow avensJun-Jul42c
Viburnum lentagonannyberryJun-Aug47c
Rubus hispidusdewberryJul58c
Pinus strobuswhite pine66c
Prunus serotinablack cherry66c
Trillium erectumred trilliumMay76c
Trillium grandiflorumwhite trilliumMay97c
Ulmus americanaAmerican elm99c
Maianthemum canadensemayflowerMay-Jun102c
Viola pallensnorthern white violetMay111c
Trillium undulatumpainted trilliumMay129c
Trientalis borealisstarflowerMay-Jun138c
Lycopodium clavatumcreeping clubmossJul-Sep161c
Rubus odoratusthimbleberryAug162c
Fragraria vescawood strawberryJul165u
Dryopteris intermediawood fernJul171c
Onoclea sensibilissensitive fernJul-Sep181c
Osmunda claytonianainterrupted fernMay-Jun186c
Osmunda regalisroyal fernJun-Jul186c
Osmunda cinnamomeacinnamon fernMay-Jun186c
Acer rubrumred maple223c
Pohlia nutansmoss227
Sphagnum compactummoss227
Aralia nudicauliswild sarsaparillaMay-Jun244c
Smilacina stellatastarry false Solomon's sealMay-Jun249c
Physica millegranagreen-when-wet lichen254
Candelaria concoloryellow lichen254
Lycopodium obscurumground pineMay-Sep280c
Viola septentrionalisnorthern blue violetMay316c
Arisaema triphyllumjack-in-the-pulpitMay-Jun332c
Betula pappyriferapaper birch343c
Betula populifoliagray birch343c
Plantago majorplantainAug365c
Bidens frondosabeggartickAug365c

Commmon breeding birds that can be heard along the trail include :
Agelaius phoeniceusred-winged blackbirdnorth meadow
Catharus fuscescensveerycentral woods
Colaptes auratusflicker
Contopus virenswood-peweewest woods
Corvus brachyrhynchosAmerican crow
Cyanocitta cristatablue jay
Dendroica pensylvanicachestnut-sided warblerridge bur oaks
Dendroica petechiayellow warblernorth meadow
Dumetella carolinensiscatbirdnorth meadow
Empidonax trailliiwillow flycatchernorth meadow
Geothlypis trichasyellowthroatnorth meadow
Melospiza georgianaswamp sparrownorth meadow
Myiarchus crinitusgreat crested flycatchercentral woods
Parus atricapillusblack-capped chickadee
Scolopax minorwoodcocknorth meadow
Seiurus aurocapillusovenbirdwest woods
Turdus migratoriusrobinhydro corridor
Vireo olivaceusred-eyed vireowest woods
Zenaida macrouramourning dovehydro corridor

Mammals along the trail include :
Canis latranscoyotetracks in winter, heard at dusk
Castor canadensisbeaverin the stream to the north of the trail
Glaucomys sabrinusnorthern flying squirrelat dusk
Lepus americanussnowshoe hare
Marmota monaxwoodchuck
Microtus pennsylvanicusmeadow voleabundant in the north meadow
Odocoileus virginianuswhite-tailed deer
Sciurus carolinensisgrey squirrel
Tamias striatuschipmunk
Tamiasciurus hudsonicusred squirrelmost 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