Overview

☘ ☘ ☘

This unique park contains the largest urban forest on the Saanich Peninsula. Namely, it is home to a variety of plants. When you keep an eye out, you might find so many familiar plant species right beside your feet! Let us introduce you to some.

The Douglas Fir is the giant in the park (85m). So giant in number as well, that the park is named after it. This giant is definitely a friendly one, reaching for the sun.Its needles have pointed tips and they stand around the twig like the strings of a puffed up pom-pom.

One of the most endangered species in Canada, the Garry Oak has a widespread and majestic crown with scaly green-gray bark.The leaves appear glossy on the top, and the acorns are tiny. The Garry Oak ecosystems are unique, and highly threatened and often form parklands and fields full of shootingstars and camas. It hosts more plant species than any other coastal ecosystem in BC.

By the way, here's a link to directly download the "Tree Book" by the Ministry of Forests, Land and Natural Resources Operations of British Columbia. When you see any trees on the mountain, it's likely that you'll also find it in this book. It provides the physical descriptions, distribution maps and detailed pictures. It's a handy digital version to take when you go for a hike!

Garry Oak

These majestic trees are found everywhere in Victoria, but certainly not everywhere in the world.

Cones

The cones are between 5 and 11 centimetres, and the seeds are winged at the top.

Honeysuckle

This time of the year (late May), honeysuckles dot the trees! Honeysuckle grows on top of the trees like a crown of vines, and glow in its unique bright orange, standing out from its surroundings. Once you pull of the bottom green part that holds the flower together, you can lick the bottom for the sweet nectar. You can see honeysuckle everywhere in the forest, so watch out for these orange coloured petals that yield tasty treats!

Lichen

This lichen is known as the old man’s beard, or as the witch’s hair (officially usnea). The stringy greenish-gray moss attaches itself everywhere, and is found all over the world-- with the only exception of not growing in areas with air pollution, actually like a bio-monitor. That's why you won't usually find these pale green whiskers growing in relatively polluted areas. When you travel, and you see the old man's beard, you know that the air you're breathing is pretty fresh.

Download the Tree Book here Go Back to Top