Outdoors 12 official trees of Canada’s provinces and territories By Jackie Davis Published: July 19, 2018 Updated: March 26, 2024 share Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest Copy Link Cancel View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Photo by Mark Herreid /Shutterstock Tamarack, N.W.T. Heavy and decay-resistant, tamarack wood is turned into everything from posts and poles to dogsled runners and boat ribs. Unlike most conifers, tamarack loses its needles in the fall. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Photo by Igor Kovalenko/Shutterstock Subalpine fir, Yukon It’s a hardy one, with short, stiff branches that stand up to snow loads. First Nations use its needles to make tea as a cold remedy and have treated lung problems with its sap. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Photo by Claude Huot/Shutterstock Black spruce, Newfoundland & Labrador Black spruce is the most common tree in the province, appears on the Labrador flag, and is a top tree in the pulp and paper industry. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Photo by Pawel Horazy/Shutterstock Red oak, P.E.I. The species was nearly milled out of existence on the island because the wood was so popular with furniture makers. Now, red oaks are found mostly in patches across the province. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Photo by pavels/Shutterstock Red spruce, Nova Scotia Red spruce was used in shipbuilding; pioneers steeped the twigs in water to cure scurvy. The tree represents “strength and versatility,” says the official proclamation. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Photo by simona flamigni/Shutterstock Yellow birch, Quebec Abundant in the southern region, it plays a key role in the furniture industry. Yellow birch can be tapped for syrup, and its wood is used for everything from doors to toothpicks. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Photo by Mindy Roseboom/Shutterstock Balsam fir, New Brunswick Short-lived, the species is vital to the pulp and paper industry, grows in a wide variety of conditions, and makes up 97 per cent of the province’s Christmas tree trade. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Photo by ClubhouseArts/Shutterstock White spruce, Manitoba The species can survive in almost any climatic and environmental area of the province. Roots were once used in canoe-making; now its wood is used commercially for paddles. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Photo by Brian Lasenby/Shutterstock White birch, Saskatchewan It grows across most of the province. Its bark— pliable, chalky white, and paper-like—was used in canoe-making, hence the alternative names “paper birch” and “canoe birch.” View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Photo by Brian Lasenby/Shutterstock Eastern white pine, Ontario Eastern white pine is the tallest tree in the province and, in colonial times, was used to make masts for the British Royal Navy ships. It was also good for coffins. (Morbid!) View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Photo by Sara Kendall/Shutterstock Lodgepole pine, Alberta The most abundant tree in the Rockies, it was used to make railway ties for tracks connecting the province to the rest of Canada. Aboriginal peoples use this pine for lodges. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Photo by fotocraft/Shutterstock Western red cedar, B.C. This tree grows all along the West Coast, is vital to Aboriginal life and culture, and is considered one of the most valuable species in B.C. “Tree of life”? Absolutely. View in Fullscreen Related galleries Meet 12 of the hardest working critters in cottage country 5 old-timey (and completely absurd) beliefs about wildlife 6 frog species getting busy in late spring 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 12 official trees of Canada’s provinces and territories These iconic species of trees in Canada have long held historic and cultural significance in their respective provinces and territories. Each has marked our unique landscape with their beauty, the diversity of our trees showcasing the biodiversity of this vast land. Nunavut is the only one left off the list since they don’t have an official tree. See if you can spot any next time you’re out in the wilderness. Related Story Wild Profile: Meet the downy woodpecker