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Trees & Flowers
Specimen Trees
Growing and maintaining specimen trees is our primary objective and it is the main purpose of an Arboretum. We also wish to help visitors to the Arboretum make knowledgeable decisions about trees they may choose to plant on their own property.
Currently, all commemorative trees (which are also specimen trees) are labelled. We are working on ways to permanently label all specimen trees. Visitors can look at the tree, identify it, and consider if such a tree would fit their plans for their own property.
You can also visit Connon Nurseries where we source some of our specimen trees. Their online data is usually extensive and may help in selecting an appropriate tree specimen for your property.
The Sesquicentennial Tree
Having a very old and very beautiful Bur Oak that has been growing here for almost 200 years is a great joy. It gave us the opportunity to participate in Aurora’s Sesquicentennial (150 years) celebrations in a way that is meaningful for the Arboretum.
On July 1, 2017, during Aurora’s traditional celebration of Canada’s birthday, a sign was unveiled declaring this Bur Oak as “Aurora’s Sesquicentennial Tree”. The participants were: Mayor Geoff Dawe, Arboretum Chair Irene Clement, and Bob Willson, representing the Willson family that included Lambert Willson, after whom Lambert Willson Park was named.
Wildflowers
Below is a list of wildflowers that have been catalogued in the Arboretum. Species that are native to Ontario are indicated with *.
Visit the Photo Gallery page to see photos of the wildflowers in the Arboretum.
Early Spring (May) Wildflowers
| Common Name | Botanic Name | Colour of Flower |
|---|---|---|
| Anemone, Wood * | Anemone quinquefolia | white |
| Blue-eyed Grass * | Sisyrinchium montanum | blue |
| Buttercup, Common | Ranunculus acris | yellow |
| Campion, Snowy * | Sikene nevea | white |
| Chamomile, Scentless | Matricaria maritina | white |
| Chickweed, Common | Stellaria media | white |
| Clover, Red | Trifolium pratense | pink/red |
| Clover, Least Hop | Trifolium dubium | yellow |
| Dame’s Rocket | Hesperis matronalis | white/pink/purple |
| Dandelion, Common | Taraxacum officinale | yellow |
| Dock, Curled | Rumex crispus | green to brown |
| Fleabane, Common* | Erigeron philadelphicus | pink |
| Marsh-Marigold * | Caltha posultris | yellow |
| Mustard, Garlic, INVASIVE | Alliara officinalis | white |
| Mustard, Tower * | Arabis glabra | yellow |
| Mustard, White | Brassica hirta | yellow |
| Shepherd's Purse | Capsella bursa-pastoris | white |
| Strawberry, Common * | Fragaria virginiana | white |
| Trefoil, Birdfoot | Lotus corniculatus | yellow |
| Vetch, Purple * | Vicia americana/ cracca | purple |
| True Forget-me-not | Myosotis scorpioides | violet/blue |
| Yarrow | Achillia millefolium | white |
Late Spring (June) Wildflowers
| Common Name | Botanic Name | Colour of Flower |
|---|---|---|
| Alfalfa, Lucerne | Meticago sativa | blue-violet/purple |
| Avens, Yellow * | Geum aleppicum var. strictum | yellow |
| Barley, foxtail, (grass) | Hordeum jubatum | green |
| Bedstraw, Smooth | Galium mollugo | white |
| Bindweed, Field | Convovulus arvensis | white |
| Blackberry * | Rubus sp. | white |
| Brome, Smooth (grass) | Bromus inermis | yellow/green |
| Common Chess (grass) | Bromus secalinus | green |
| Chicory | Cichorium intybus | blue |
| Cinquefoil, Common * | Potentilla simplex | yellow |
| Clover, Alsike | Trifolium hybridum | white |
| Clover, White | Trifolium repens | white |
| Clover, White Sweet, Melilot | Melilotus alba | white |
| Clover, Yellow Sweet | Melilotus officinalis | yellow |
| Coreopsis, Lance-Leaved * | Coreopsis lanceolata | yellow |
| Creeping Charlie | Glechoma hederacea | violet |
| Daisy, Ox-eye | Chrysanthemum leucanthemum | white |
| Foxtail, Green (grass) | Setaria viridus | |
| Goat's-Beard, Yellow | Tragopogon pratensis | yellow |
| Grape, Wild | Vitus labrusca?/riparia? | green/yellow |
| Hawkweed, King Devil | Hieracium pratense | yellow |
| Heal-All, Selfheal | Prunella vulgaris | violet |
| Hound's Tongue | Cynoglossum officinale | maroon |
| Iris, Yellow | Iris pseudacorus | yellow |
| Joe-Pye Weed* | Eupatorium purpureum | pink/purple |
| Lobelia, Longleaf * | Lobelia elongata | blue |
| Milkweed, Common * | Asclepias syriaca | rose/lavender |
| Motherwort | Leonuris cardiaca | pink/lilac |
| Mullein, Common | Verbascum thapsus | yellow |
| Mustard, Wild | Sinapis arvensis | yellow |
| Nettle, Slender * | Urtica gracilis | green |
| Nightshade, Bittersweet | Solarum dulcamara | violet |
| Parsnip, Cow * | Heracleum maximum | white |
| Queen Anne's Lace | Daucus carota | white |
| Raspberry, Wild | Rubus idaeus | white |
| Rue, Tall Meadow * | Thalictrum polygamum | white |
| Soft Rush (grass) | Juncus effuses | yellow/green to brown |
| Spurge, Leafy | Euphorbia esula | yellow |
| Thistle, Canada | Cirsium arvense | lilac |
| Sow-Thistle, Field | Sonchus arvensis | yellow |
Early Summer (July) Wildflowers
| Common Name | Botanic Name | Colour of Flower |
|---|---|---|
| Agrimony | Agrimonia gryposepala | yellow |
| Angelica, Alexanders * | Angelica atropurpurea | white |
| Arrowhead, Broad-leaved, aquatic | Sagittaria latifolia | white |
| Bindweed, Hedge * | Conolvolas sepium | pink or white |
| Black-eyed Susan * | Rudbeckia hirta | yellow |
| Burdock, Common | Arctium minus | Lavender/purple |
| Butter-and-eggs | Linaria vulgaris | yellow |
| Catnip | Nepeta cataria | white |
| Cattail, common * | Typha latifolia | brown |
| Cinquefoil, Rough-fruited | Potentilla recta | yellow |
| Cucumber, Wild * | Echinocystis lobata | white |
| Dog-strangling Vine, INVASIVE | Cynanchum rossicum | red/brown or pinkish |
| Elecampane | Inula helenium | yellow |
| Fleabane, Daisy | Erigeron strigosus | white |
| Foxglove, Beardtongue * | Penstemon digitalis | white |
| Hemlock, Water * | Cicuta macolata | white |
| Joe-Pye Weed, Spotted * | Eupatorium maculatum | pink/red |
| Knapweed, Black | Centaurea nigra | rose/purple |
| Lettuce, Prickly | Lactuca scariola | yellow |
| Lily, Day | Hemerocallis fulva | orange |
| Loosestrife, Fringed * | Lysimachia ciliata | yellow |
| Loosestrife, Purple, INVASIVE | Lythrum salicaria | purple/magenta |
| Mallow, Musk | Malva moschata | pink/lavender |
| Parsnip, Wild | Pastinaca sativa | yellow |
| Evening-Primrose, Common * | Oenothera biennis | yellow |
| Sow-Thistle, Spiny-Leaved | Sonchus asper | yellow |
| St. Johnswort, Common | Hypericum perforatum | yellow |
| Tansy, Common | Tanacetum vulgare | yellow |
| Thistle, Bull | Cirsium vulgare | rose/purple |
| Vervain, Blue | Verbena hastata | violet/purple |
| Viper’s Bugloss | Echium vulgare | blue |
| Willowherb Hairy | Epilobium hirsutum | rose/purple |
Late Summer (August) Wildflowers
| Common Name | Botanic Name | Colour of Flower |
|---|---|---|
| Aster, Bushy * | Aster dumosus | blue/violet to white |
| Aster, Large-leafed * | Aster macrophyllus | violet or white |
| Bouncing Bet | Saponaria officinalis | pink or white |
| Goldenrod, Lance-leaved * | Solidago graminifolia | yellow |
| Goldenrod, Late * | Solidago gigantea | yellow |
| Invasive Phragmites, INVASIVE (Common Reed, European) | Phragmites australis subsp. australis | purple/brown plume |
| Knapweed, Brown | Centaurea jacea | rose/purple |
| Touch-me-not, Spotted * | Impatiens capensis | orange |
| Turtle Head * | Chelone glabra | white |
Anemone
Thistle
Goat’s Beard
Goldenrod