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Trees are single-stemmed, woody perennials that come in a wide variety of heights. Shrubs are also woody perennials, however they are multi-stemmed and smaller than trees. These definitions are somewhat arbitrary, since many species like willow, alder, cherry, and maple can grow as trees or shrubs, depending on the environment.

 

 

Deciduous Trees

Deciduous trees annually shed their petals after flowering in the spring, their fruit when it is ripe and their leaves in autumn. Some deciduous trees commonly found in Edmonton are maples, aspen, poplar, and mountain ash.

 

 

 

Coniferous Trees

Sometimes called evergreens, coniferous trees keep their foliage year-round. Instead of flowering and producing fruit, these trees create cones. Most conifers, such as fir, pine, spruce and larch, have needle-like leaves. Others, like cedar, cypress and juniper trees, have scale-like leaves.

A shrub is a small to medium-sized woody perennial. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 6 m (20 ft) tall. Cotoneaster, spirea, dogwood, hydrangea, juniper, and mugo pine are common shrubs grown in the Edmonton area.

 

Beloved for their scented showy flowers, roses are popular woody perennials. Depending on the variety, roses can form shrubs or climb up supports. There are over a hundred species and thousands of cultivars, each with flowers that vary in shape, size, colour and smell.

TREES

There are many apple trees hardy for the Edmonton region. These varieties can produce a range of fruit from small, tart baking apples to medium sized eating apples. The cherry trees that are hardy for Alberta produce tart fruit that is best in cherry pies. We also carry some hardy pears, apricots and plums.

SHRUBS

A wide variety of edible fruit bearing shrubs are adapted to Alberta’s climate. Cherries, blueberries, saskatoons, haskaps (also known as honeyberry), currants, and raspberries are among the hardy fruit bearing shrubs found locally.