Virtual Tour of Prince Albert National Park Plant Life Jordan Reynaud – ETAD 803

Dwarfberry The Dwarfberry is eaten by a variety of mammals and birds such as: the black bear, grizzly bear, small rodents and game birds such as grouse.

Marsh Cinquefoil The marsh Cinquefoil is a common watershed shrub. Its branches spread into leaves with three to seven narrow leaflets.

Spruce The spruce is a common coniferous evergreen tree found in the northern temperate and boreal regions. Spruces are large trees with needles or leaves and are used by some larvae as food plants.

Labrador Tea Labrador tea are low, slow growing shrubs with evergreen leaves. The leaves are smooth on top with wrinkled edges and fuzzy white to red-brown underneath. Labrador Tea is a wetland plant and is used as a herbal tea among many northerners.

Fungi and Lichen Growing on the tamarack branches are lichen. Lichen are unique as they are two organisms living as one – the alga (the foodmaker) and a fungus (the supporter). Lichen does not harm the tree and only lives on its dead branches.

Marsh Marigold Marsh Marigold is said to be one of the most ancient native plants. The flowers are yellow and bloom in early spring to late summer. The flower is visited by a variety of insects for both pollen and nectar.

Pitcher Plant The leaves of the pitcher plant are deadly vessels designed to trap and consume insects. First, the plants red colour draws insects in. Then, the insect follows the nectar trail into the plant. Next, the insect is trapped within the plant by tiny stiff hairs and it digested by the plant.

Lily Pad Water Lilies are rooted in soil in bodies of water. Their leaves and flowers are seen floating on the surface. The leaves are round with a notch near the stem.

Moss, Peat and Sedges Peat is the build up remains of plants that have failed to decompose. Peat is a soil conditioner for gardens and lawns. The insulating quality of peat is the basis for the occurrence of permafrost.

Horsetail Horsetail plants are the only vascular plants that reproduce by spores rather than seeds. Many species of horsetail prefer wet sandy soils, although some are semi-aquatic while others adapt to wet clay soil.

Tamarack The tamaracks in the park live in a climate where nutrients are minimal. Under harsh conditions of bog life, many years can pass before a tamarack grows very large.

Thank you for taking the time to view some of the many unique plant life found at Prince Albert National Park!