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Remember Please keep in mind, when you study in any natural area, that you should always treat the site with care and respect for all the living things - both plants and animals - that inhabit it :) Student Field Guide BLOOMS HEIGHT WILDLIFE VALUE Welcome! Welcome to the Student Field Guide for Windsor & Essex County! This guide is an introduction to some of the more common plants (and animals!) found in our region. Tips & tricks throughout this guide will help you figure out what’s in your schoolyard. There is so much to explore and discover! Put on your boots and take this guide out to your schoolyard and begin to see all the cool things in nature, all around you. Draw what you see. Ask questions like, “How big around is that tree?” or “When did those leaves start to change colour?” or “What is that bird eating?”. The answers will uncover more and more discoveries! ID TIPS NAME Scientific Name OTHER INFO This Journal Belongs to: NAME Scientific Name 7 cm 9 cm OTHER INFO 10 cm 11 cm 12 cm 13 cm 14 cm BLOOMS 15 cm HEIGHT 16 cm ID TIPS Explorer’s Name 5 cm 6 cm HEIGHT WILDLIFE VALUE ______________________ 4 cm 8 cm ID TIPS Scientific Name 3 cm BLOOMS WILDLIFE VALUE NAME 1 cm 2 cm 17 cm 18 cm 19 cm OTHER INFO 20 cm Notes locust 6 Sycamore Trees 4 Honey Pin oak Tulip tree 3 Basswood Red oak White oak Burr oak 5 Red maple Hackberry Notes Silver maple Sugar maple Shrubs 9 Elderberry 10 Silky dogwood Highbush cranberry Nannyberry Red osier dogwood 17 18 Wild Flowers Blackeyed susan Blue flag iris Boneset Butterly weed Golden Alexander 19 20 Ironweed 27 Spicebush Staghorn sumac Witch hazel Lanceleaf coreopsis New England aster Obedient plant Ohio spiderwart Purple conflower Joe-Pye weed Grasses 13 Elderberry Highbush Cranberry 14 Nannyberry Red osier dogwood 21 22 Swamp milkweed Tall coreopsis Virginia mint Wild bergamot Wild columbine Wild geranium Invasives 24 Norway maple Russian olive 25 Garlic mustard Purple loosestrife 26 Manitoba maple Phragmites Trees Why Do We Love Trees? What’s not to love about trees? First, they give us oxygen to breathe. Plus, trees clean the air by taking in carbon dioxide. They give us shade, and food like apples, peaches, and oranges. Ok, so you might not get peaches and oranges from the trees in your schoolyard, but do you know what other food they give us? Maple syrup! Trees are beautiful, and they provide homes for wildlife – also known as habitat. Squirrels, birds, raccoons, insects – they all love trees too. Growing Up—and Out! Trees are made up of tiny and invisible cells. Think of 1 these cells as tiny wooden blocks: every season, more wooden blocks are added to make the trees taller and wider. In the wet and cool springtime, cells grow large, meaning that trees grow quickly. In the summertime, though, they are stressed by heat or a lack of water, making for smaller cells and less tree growth. The difference is shown in the tree’s rings: larger cells form rings that are light in colour, while smaller ones form darker rings. Invasive Species Trees Garlic Mustard Alliaria petiolata Garlic mustard is now one of Ontario’s most aggressive forest invaders. It does not provide a valuable food source for native wildlife and once established it can push out native wildflowers like trilliums and trout lily. It threatens several of Ontario’s species at risk, including American ginseng, drooping trillium, false rue-anemone, hoary mountain mint, white wood aster, wild hyacinth and wood poppy. Garlic mustard has a strong, distinctive smell similar to garlic. Phragmites Phragmites australis Phragmites is quickly becoming Canada’s worst invasive plant. It crowds out native vegetation, decreasing plant biodiversity; generally provides poor habitat and food supplies for wildlife; grows very quickly; increases fire hazards as stands are composed of dead stalks; and can affect agriculture, cause road safety hazards and impact recreational activities such as swimming, boating and angling. Janice Gilbert 26 Invasive Species Tree rings are also called ‘annual rings’ with one new ring forming each year. By looking at a cross section of the tree’s trunk we can count the rings find out the tree’s age! The Manitoba maple is locally native to southwestern Ontario in flood plains, and has spread east and north. The wood is weak and will break up in ice and wind. It is a weedy species, however, taking over any disturbed habitat well beyond its range, and it should not be planted. Annual Rings Trees Manitoba Maple Acer negundo Manitoba maple Acer negundo Pith Good Growing Years Harsh Years Bark Purple Loosestrife Lythrum solicaria This aggressive invader spreads as an ornamental and in wildflower seed mixtures.It produces up to 2.7 million seeds per year, is able to live for several years under varying and extreme environmental conditions. 25 The values of wetlands are lost as this invader chokes out significant species, rare or otherwise, which may be food for animals using the wetland. Purple loosestrife has a major impact on populations of waterfowl, muskrats, frogs, turtles and toads. It has also caused agricultural problems by clogging irrigation systems and degrading wetland pastures and wild hay meadows. 2 Norway Maple Acer platanoides HEIGHT Up to 35 m tall. Norway maple trees are sometimes confused with the native Sugar maple tree, but Norway maples ooze a milky sap when they are cut or torn - Sugar maples have clear sap. They are harmful because they out compete native trees and shrubs for food, space and sunlight. Tress Tilia americana ID TIPS Large, heart-shaped leaves with toothed edges; twigs have a zigzag appearance; fragrant yellow flowers and round grayish-brown fruit hang from the centre of the leaf.The bark is gray-brown with long narrow ridges. Sugar maple leaf OTHER INFO Bees love basswood flowers because they bloom in midsummer, when few other trees are in bloom. Invasive Species Basswood Bur oak Quercus macrocarpa Norway maple leaf HEIGHT Up to 30 m tall. ID TIPS Large shiny leaves; acorns have a deep, bristly cup covering 2/3; most common oak in Ontario. OTHER INFO Can survive forest fires because of very thick bark, and can tolerate drought because roots grow deep. Hackberry 3 All tree illustrations by Robert O’Brien Celtis occidentalis HEIGHT Up to 15 m tall ID TIPS Largest native hackberry, with warty-ridged bark. Leaves are long, with an asymmetrical base and long pointed tip. Single, reddish fruits hang below the leaves and may grow into winter. OTHER INFO The sugar-rich fruit supports many species of birds, and the leaves are food for caterpillars. Russian Olive Elaeagnus angustifolia Russian olive trees were once popular for their silvery foliage and drought tolerance. Today however they are moving onto riparian land and wet meadows. Russian olive trees force out native trees such as cottonwood and willow, which numerous wildlife species depend on. Rus s ia n E lae ag n u Ol i ve s a ng us t if o li a 24 Invasive Species Not in Our Backyard! Gleditsia triacanthos HEIGHT 20 - 30 m tall ID TIPS The fruit is a flat legume (pod) that matures in early autumn. Trees Invasive Species Honey locust OTHER INFO Fast growing, but relatively short-lived; their life spans are typically about 120 to 150 years. Pin oak Quercus palustris Invasive species are harmful because they disturb the balance of natural areas. They spread fast, leaving our native species fighting for food, sun, and space. They’re everywhere, and they need to be stopped! This list is just some of the bad guys that might invade your outdoor classroom....can you spot them? Can you find others? Can you take action to protect native plants? Yeah, you can! HEIGHT 20 m tall ID TIPS Pin oak has the fewest number of lobes of our pointy-toothed oaks. The acorns are small, squat, with a tight cup. The bark is shiny and grayish-brown. OTHER INFO Pin oak gets its name from the small dead branches that often project from the tree’s winter silhouette like pins. Red oak Quercus rubra 23 Phragmites HEIGHT 20 - 30 m tall ID TIPS Leaves are dark green and have sharp, pointed lobes (usually 7 to 9). Acorns have a scaly cap that covers less than ¼ of acorn; bark is smooth and dark gray, but deep ridges develop as the tree gets older. OTHER INFO Dead leaves can stay attached in winter. 4 BLOOMS July - August HEIGHT Up to 25 m tall WILDLIFE VALUE Attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Trees Acer rubrum ID TIPS Leaves have 5 lobes; bark is smooth, but gets darker, scaly and ridged as the tree gets older. OTHER INFO It's easy to recognize the red maple in the autumn when its leaves turn a beautiful bright red. Silver Maple HEIGHT 0.5-1 .5 m (2 - 4 ft) ID TIPS Strong minty smell; square, reddish stems; flowers vary from deep purple to pale lavender in colour, looks like a pom-pom or a firework. OTHER INFO Used to treat medical concerns including respiratory ailments, colic, fever, coughs and acne. Acer saccharinum OTHER INFO Silver maples are hardy trees and can grow almost anywhere. Sugar Maple Acer saccharum HEIGHT Up to 35 m tall ID TIPS Leaves have 5 lobes; bark is smooth, but gets darker and splits into ridges that curl out as the tree gets older. Can live up to 200 years. 5 OTHER INFO The sugar maple leaf is found on the Canadian flag and is the national tree of Canada. Sugar maple trees also make the sweetest maple syrup! Monarda fistulosa BLOOMS April - July HEIGHT Up to 35 m tall ID TIPS Leaves have 5 or 7 lobes; similar to the red maple but leaves turn yellow or brown, not red. Bark is smooth and gray, but becomes dark reddish brown and breaks into strips that peel off making trunk look “shaggy”. Wild bergamot Wild Flowers Red Maple HEIGHT 1 m (2-3 ft) WILDLIFE VALUE Attract hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and hawk moths; seeds are eaten by songbirds. Wild columbine ID TIPS Three lobed leaves; ornate, nodding flowers red on the outside, yellow within, pointed spurs point upwards. Aquilegia canadensis BLOOMS April - June HEIGHT Up to 0.5 m WILDLIFE VALUE Seeds attract birds. ID TIPS Distinctive leaves with five deep divisions; flowers are pink to purple with five petals and open flat. OTHER INFO Prefers shade, is a common, earlyblooming woodland wildflower. Wild geranium Geranium maculatum 22 Wild Flowers Platanus occidentalis WILDLIFE VALUE Larval host to monarch and queen butterflies; flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds. HEIGHT Up to 35 m tall ID TIPS The sycamore tree is distinctive in all seasons with its patchwork bark that flakes off to reveal white, green and cream-coloured inner bark. ID TIPS Long paired leaves; clusters of pink flowers; smooth seed pods point up. Swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata BLOOMS July – October OTHER INFO Ontario’s largest recorded sycamore tree, near Alvinston, was 263 cm (8 ft) at breast height. OTHER INFO Downy fuzz is so buoyant it was used for stuffing life jackets during WWII. Tulip Tree HEIGHT 1-2.5 m (3-8 ft) Liriodendron tulipifera WILDLIFE VALUE Attracts bees, birds and butterflies. HEIGHT 25 - 30 m tall ID TIPS Lance-shaped leaves; single stalks grow very tall with branched stems each bearing a single, yellow daisylike flower with a brown center. ID TIPS Large, fast-growing tree. Produces beautiful yellow-green flowers with 6 petals shaped like tulip flowers and bloom in the spring. The bark is smooth and dark green when the tree is young, then turns brown and ridged. OTHER INFO Wind resistant. Tall coreopsis Coreopsis tripteris BLOOMS July – September HEIGHT 1 m (2 - 3 ft) WILDLIFE VALUE Valuable to bumblebees, honey bees. ID TIPS Short and bushy due to the many small pointed leaves; stems branch at the tops into tiny white flowering clusters; leaves smell minty crushed. 21 Sycamore HEIGHT 1.5 m (4-5 ft) Virginia mountain mint Pycnanthemum virginianum Trees BLOOMS June - August OTHER INFO Attractive to the great black wasp, which help control grasshoppers. OTHER INFO Tulip trees take 10 -15 years to bloom! White oak Quercus alba HEIGHT 20 - 30 m tall ID TIPS This large tree can live for several hundred years. It takes one year for acorns to be fully grown. Its leaves have 7 to 9 lobes. They turn red-purple in the fall. The white oak’s bark is whitish to pale gray, usually with long scales. OTHER INFO Wood from the white oak is waterproof, so it’s used to make barrels for storing liquids. 6 Shrubs Shrubs, Berries, and Birds! Oh My! HEIGHT 1 m (2-3 ft) WILDLIFE VALUE Attracts a high number of native bees species. ID TIPS Long grassy leaves end in small, flowering clusters; purple-blue flowers with three petals. OTHER INFO Flowers open in the early morning and shrivel under intense midday heat. Ohio spiderwort Tradescantia ohiensis Most of our native shrubs provide something really important for our favourite backyard birds – berries! BLOOMS June - October European starlings and house sparrows were brought over from Europe many years ago, to remind settlers of home. With no natural enemies here in North America, they reproduced quickly. These two species of birds now live all over Canada, all the while displacing our native birds. See if you can spot any of these other beautiful birds. Can you hear them singing? ID TIPS Rough, paired leaves; tall, smooth stems topped with single, pinkishpuple flowers with drooping petals; spiky, dark brown cone. Cardinal Blue Jay Wild Flowers Shrubs BLOOMS April - July HEIGHT 0.5 – 1.5 m (2 - 5 ft) WILDLIFE VALUE Attracts a high number of native bee species as well as butterflies. Purple coneflower Echinacea purpurea BLOOMS July - September OTHER INFO Natural mild, antibiotic. HEIGHT 1-1.5 m (4-5 ft) WILDLIFE VALUE Nectar source, highly attractive to butterflies and pollinators. ID TIPS Purple or purple spotted stems; long leaves in groups of 3 or more; fuzzy pink blooms. 7 OTHER INFO Named from a folklore tale of an native named Joe Pye who cured typhus using the plant. Spotted Joe-Pye weed Eupatorium maculatum 20 Wild Flowers HEIGHT <1 m (1-2 ft) Starling House Sparrow WILDLIFE VALUE Attracts a high number of native bee species as well as butterflies. ID TIPS Oval leaves paired on the stem; yellow flowers with yellow centers. Lanceleaf coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata BLOOMS August – October OTHER INFO Can grow into large colonies. Can be dead-headed to extend blooming through the summer months. Shrubs BLOOMS May - August Robin HEIGHT 1-2 m (3-6 ft) WILDLIFE VALUE Attracts native bees, and butterflies; larval host for the pearl crescent and checkerspot butterflies. ID TIPS Large clusters of purple flowers with thin petals and yellow centers. OTHER INFO Important late-season nectar source for monarch butterflies. Downy Woodpecker New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae BLOOMS June - September HEIGHT 1-1.5 m (3-4 ft) WILDLIFE VALUE Draws hummingbirds and butterflies. ID TIPS Square stems with waxy leaves; end in a spike that has tubular pale purple to white flowers on four sides. 19 Obedient plant Physostegia virginiana OTHER INFO If the flowers are bent, they stay in their new position, giving the plant its name. Deer resistant. Chickadee Morning Dove 8 Shrubs Sambucus Nigra canadensis HEIGHT 3 - 8m (10ft) ID TIPS Opposite compound serrated leaves, large clusters of small white flowers and clusters of small black/blue poisonous berries. Nannyberry Viburnum lentago HEIGHT <1 m (1 – 2.5ft) WILDLIFE VALUE Butterfly larval host; nectar source; pollen source for bees. ID TIPS Long pointed leaves; leathery tops, velvety bottoms; bright orange clusters of tiny flowers; seed pods are velvety, and upward pointing. OTHER INFO Medicinal uses among Native American tribes. Monarchs need it and love it! Asclepias tuberosa HEIGHT 2 m (6ft) BLOOMS April - June ID TIPS Whorled, toothed leaves; berries contain a single hard round flat seed and stay on the shrub into winter; 5 petal white flowers. WILDLIFE VALUE Small flowers are a nectar source for insects with short mouthparts. Larval host to black swallowtail butterflies. Highbush Cranberry Viburnum trilobum HEIGHT 2 - 4 m (6 - 13 ft) ID TIPS Leaves are similar to a maple leaf but with three distinct lobes, edges can be smooth or serrated. Small yellowish flowers in the centre and white flowers around the edge. Red osier dogwood Cornus stolonifera HEIGHT 2 m (6 ft) 9 Butterfly weed ID TIPS Low spreading shrub, easily identified by its red bark; small clusters of white flowers, white berries. Leaves are typical of dogwoods, with veins running towards the tip. Golden alexander Zizea aurea BLOOMS August - October Wild Flowers Elderberry BLOOMS June – September HEIGHT 1 m (1-3 ft) ID TIPS Toothed leaves divided into threes; flowering stalks are topped with a spreading umbrella of tiny yellow flowers. OTHER INFO Seeds and stems turn purple in fall. HEIGHT 1-2 m (4-6 ft) WILDLIFE VALUE Attracts a high number of native bees species. ID TIPS Serrated leaves 20 cm long; unbranched stalks; flowering head made up of tightly packed clusters of purple tubular flowers. OTHER INFO Named for its very strong stems that make the plant wind resistant. Ironweed Vernonia missurica 18 Wild Flowers HEIGHT <1m (2-3ft) WILDLIFE VALUE Nectar for bees, insects and butterflies; larval host to butterflies; provides winter seeds for birds. Blackeyed susan Rudbeckia hirta Cornus amomum HEIGHT 3 m (9 ft) ID TIPS Leaves and stems covered in short hairs giving it a rough texture; flower is yellow and daisy-like with dark brown center. ID TIPS Leaves are opposite and have strong veins that run parallel to the smooth, non-wavy leaf margins. Flowers are flattopped, and white. The blue-black fruits are enjoyed by birds and squirrels. OTHER INFO May bloom twice a season. Spicebush Lindera benzoin BLOOMS May - July HEIGHT <1m (2-2.5 ft) HEIGHT 1 - 2 m (3 - 6 ft) WILDLIFE VALUE Attracts hummingbirds. ID TIPS The leaves give off a unique spicy odour when rubbed or crushed. The twigs have this smell as well. ID TIPS Sword-like leaves; large flowers, violet to deep purple in colour with curved petals; seeds develop in three-celled green capsules 3-5 cm. OTHER INFO Very moisture tolerant; grows easily in most gardens. Staghorn sumac Rhus typhina Blue flag iris Iris versicolor BLOOMS July – October HEIGHT 1-2m (4-6ft) WILDLIFE VALUE Attracts a large number of native bee species. ID TIPS Very veiny leaves in pairs that join around the stem; white, flat topped, hairy flower clusters. 17 Silky Dogwood Shrubs BLOOMS June – October Boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum OTHER INFO Boneset prefers moist soils and full to partial sunlight. HEIGHT 1 - 2 m (3 - 6 ft) ID TIPS Compound leaves (each leaf is composed of several leaflets). The thick branches are hairy and resemble the velvety antlers of a male deer (stag), hence the common name of “staghorn.” Witch hazel Hamamelis viginiana HEIGHT 1 - 2 m (3 - 6 ft) ID TIPS Blooms in winter! Small flowers look like mini-firecrackers or tiny party streamers. 10 Grasses Homes For Wildlife There are so many different species of butterflies - some appear in the first few warm days of spring, while some like Monarchs are travelling south in the fall. You just have to keep your eyes open! Here are just a few, what others can you see? Wild Flowers Grasses What’s more beautiful than butterflies flitting through the air on a hot summer day? Not much... Mammals – those furry little guys scurrying around your schoolyard – find homes in lots of different places: trees, underground, meadows, even under snow! They also like native grasses because these plants tend to grow in clumps and this provides mammals with shelter as well as food. 11 Monarch Tiger swallowtail Red admiral Mourning cloak Painted Lady Northern Spring Azure 16 Wild Flowers itte rs ! Red Tail Fox Raccoon Pollinator Power! What is the first thing that you think of when you think of a bee? Black and yellow stripes? Big stingers? What you may not know is that the honey bee is imported from Europe. Bees native to Canada do not produce honey like honey bees. But native bees, which live in both rural areas and big cities, provide something that is invaluable--the service of pollination. The majority of native bees come in a variety of colours, live in the ground, are solitary, and don’t sting! Wasps, on the other hand, do sting and they don’t even pollinate! Grasses Wild Flowers C o lo u r t h e C r Eastern Grey Squriel Striped Skunk White-tail Deer Chipmunk 15 Honey Bee Bumble Bee Wasp Green Sweat Bee 12 Grasses Grasses Li tt le b e ste m Bi g bl u rardii An drop o g o n ge I n dia n S o rgh a s BLOOMS July – October HEIGHT 1.5-3m (6 - 10 ft) WILDLIFE VALUE Seeds and shelter for songbirds, larval host to butterflies. ID TIPS Old stems turn purplish-blue at base, seed heads made up of three or more spikelets and look like a turkey’s foot. 13 OTHER INFO Drought resistant. s ch iz ac l u e ste m h y r ium s c o p a r iu g ras s Sw i tcmhv irg at um Pa n ic u g ras s t r um nu m t ans BLOOMS August - September HEIGHT 1-2 m (4-7 ft) WILDLIFE VALUE Larval host to the salt and pepper skipper butterfly; nesting material, seed source for birds . ID TIPS Leaves travel straight up the stem at its attachment point before growing outwards; single, large, fluffy seed head is golden brown. BLOOMS August - November HEIGHT 1-3m (3-8 ft) WILDLIFE VALUE Provides nesting materials/structure for native bees. ID TIPS Grows in tall, dense stands that shade out other plant species. The stands grow until something interrupts their spread. It is shade intolerant, but typically regrows after wildfire. The stem base turns blue or purple as it matures. HEIGHT BLOOMS August - October 1-2 m (3-6 ft) WILDLIFE VALUE Larval host for skipper and satyr butterflies. Nesting material and cover for songbirds, pheasant and quail. Seed source for birds. ID TIPS Clumped grass with round, reddish stems. Large, open seed head, with purplish tint. 14