Welcome to Manuels River!

Manuels River Natural Heritage Society

There are approximately 20 different species of trees in Newfoundland and Labrador, many of which can be found in and around the Manuels River. Here are a few of the tree species you may encounter on a hike through the linear park.

The balsam fir is the most common species of tree in Newfoundland, and ranges in height from 15 to 21 meters and 30 to 50 centimeters in diameter. This tree is an evergreen, and keeps its dark green needle-like leaves year round.

The balsam fir is harvested extensively for pulp and lumber, but most people will recognize it for its more traditional role as a Christmas tree.

There are two types of birch trees found in Newfoundland, White Birch and Yellow Birch. Yellow birch is quite rare on the Avalon Peninsula and is not found in the Manuels River valley.

White birch can grow to a height of 21 meters and 50 centimeters in diameter. It has creamy white to pinkish-white bark which peels easily, and has dark green heart-shaped leaves above with paler leaves below.

Mountain white birch is commonly harvested for manufacturing of plywood and flooring, and for use as firewood.

There are two types of cherry trees found in the Manuels River valley, the Choke Cherry and the Pin Cherry.

The choke cherry is usually found as a small tree or shrub, and ranges from 3 to 7.5 meters in height. It is a grey to reddish brown tree with inverted oval shaped leaves that are dark green above and pale green below. The dark red fruit ripens in late August and has juicy edible sour flesh.

The pin cherry also ranges from 3 to 7.5 meters in height, and is dark reddish-brown tree with bright green lance shaped leaves. It has bright red, berry-like fruit that ripens in late August or early September, which has sour but edible flesh.

Both varieties of cherry tree have no commercial value because of their small size; however the pin cherry is useful in preventing erosion in burned or clear forest land.

The dog berry tree ranges from 3 to 9 meters in height, and has reddish-brown to grey bark with bright and pale green lance shaped leaves. This tree grows clusters of flowers that turn into an orange, bitter tasting berry in the fall.

The dog berry prefers rich open sites with lots of moisture, and is usually found in pure stands although it can grow singly or in small clumps.

Sometimes referred to as a bush, the alder commonly grows up to 3 meters in height. It is a grey to reddish-grey tree with green round or heat-shaped leaves.

The mountain alder grows throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, and can usually be found along roadsides, stream banks, pond fringes, in wet thickets and swamps, and on rocky slopes.

The mountain maple is the smallest of the eastern maples and rarely exceeds 7.5 meters. It is a reddish to greyish brown tree, with yellowish-green 3 lobed leaves that turn a brilliant red in the summer.

It grows on a variety of sites in Newfoundland, but is not found in Labrador.

There are two types of spruce trees found in the Manuels River valley, Black Spruce and White Spruce.

The black spruce ranges between 9 to 12 meters in height and have a 15 to 30 centimeter diameter. This tree is an evergreen, and keeps its dark bluish-green needle-like leaves year round.

This tree is the most important and valuable pulpwood species in Newfoundland. Heat from forest fires can open the cones of the black spruce releasing the seeds and naturally regenerating burns.

The white spruce often grows to over 30 meters in height and up to 1.5 meters in diameter. It's green to bluish-green needles produce a pungent odour when crushed, which is why it is often referred to as "cat spruce".

This tree is one of the mostly widely spread spruces in mainland Canada, but is only sparsely spread throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

The trembling aspen averages 12 meters in height and 25 centimeters in diameter. It ranges in colour from pale green to grey depending on its age, and has rounded leaves that are shiny dark green on top and pale green below.

This tree is one of the most widely distributed species in North America. It is called the trembling aspen because it trembles in even the slightest breeze.

The amazing diversity of shapes, sizes, textures, colours and forms among the wildflowers of the Manuels River provides many challenges in identifying them. To help in the identification of a flower, pay attention to the difference in the structure of the four main parts; the flower, the leaf, the stem, and the root.

Here is a list of some wildflowers, sorted by colour, found along the banks of Manuels River. Some are species native to the area, while others have been introduced.