The Canadian Climate / Ecological Thread

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by lio45

Out of curiosity, anyone happens to know what this is?

Looks like Fringe Tree.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Its a relatively small area, the desert like Thomspson Valley area is about 100 or so KM long, and only about 10 KM wide, but a really fun drive in the summer if ever going through the BC interior.

And Lio45, that one has me.... stumped!

Seeing how these are just shoots off of a removed tree, I would suggest killing and removing it, or (if possible with this species if you want to keep it) try and transplant a clipping.

It's a very unique looking part of the country for sure! I always thought that Kamloops was in the Okanogan, but now I know it's in the Thompson Valley!

[Metro-One]

Yeah, the Okanagan is the most famous BC dry interior valley for sure, so I can see lots of people making that mistake.

For the dry interior of BC, there are four main valleys: The Thompson (arguably the most desert like, home to Kamloops), The Fraser Canyon north of Lillooet (by far the most remote of the dry warm valleys, maybe the second most desert like), the Nicola Valley, and then the Okanagan Valley (which is actually the most moist of the bunch, bordering on a humid continental for the northern half). Then there are a few other smaller valleys / pocket semi arid spots, such as around Princeton, the Boundary area, etc...

[niwell]

The Toronto Islands park will be closed to the general public until at least June 30th due to high water levels, and possibly longer. The levels are expected to rise throughout the first part of June regardless of how much rain we received. There's even an image of carp swimming in the flooded baseball diamond that has gone viral.


Toronto Star - https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/201...s-a-catch.html


https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/201...e-opening.html

Swaths of the island are waterlogged, as residents surround their homes with sandbags, and carp swim over flooded parkland due to high water levels. Environment Canada has predicted a 60 per cent chance of showers and thunderstorms Thursday.

Some of the island facilities and attractions forced to adjust to the flooding include:

Centreville Amusement Park, which will miss its season opening date for the first time in over 50 years. The popular children’s attraction was scheduled to open this weekend.

• Regular ferry service to the Toronto Islands was cancelled, as were all municipal permits for the area, through June 30 by the City of Toronto. Service to the Ward’s Island dock will continue on the spring schedule for residents and their guests, staff and emergencies.
• The Electric Island music festival, which was to kick off Monday at Hanlan’s Point, was moved to Woodbine Park.
• Organizers of the June 17-18 Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival on Centre Island planned to meet and “hopefully change to another venue in Toronto” said event spokesperson Bella Bough.
• The 29th annual HOPE charity volleyball tournament has been postponed until July or August.
• The Toronto Island Bicycle Rental will remain closed until regular ferry service is up and running again.
• Service at Billy Bishop Airport was proceeding as usual Tuesday.
• Island Public/Natural Science School, which has about 240 students from kindergarten to Grade 6 is staying open.
• The Royal Canadian Yacht Club plans to go ahead with its “sailpast” on Saturday, held to announce the official start of sailing season.

Hanlan’s Point, Gibraltar Point and Centre Island beaches remain under water.

Water levels on Lake Ontario are expected to keep rising for several weeks, whether or not more rainfall is expected, the city said.

[kwoldtimer]

I saw something in the news last week that suggested that Lake Ontario was something like 18 feet above its historic average.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

I saw something in the news last week that suggested that Lake Ontario was something like 18 feet above its historic average.

18 feet above historic average seems very high to me!

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by north 42

18 feet above historic average seems very high to me!

You are correct and I am wrong - according to G&M last week, it's more like 4 feet above average. Not sure where I got the idea of 18 feet.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle34981042/

[north 42]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

You are correct and I am wrong - according to G&M last week, it's more like 4 feet above average. Not sure where I got the idea of 18 feet.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle34981042/

Well that makes more sense

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Yeah, the Okanagan is the most famous BC dry interior valley for sure, so I can see lots of people making that mistake.

For the dry interior of BC, there are four main valleys: The Thompson (arguably the most desert like, home to Kamloops), The Fraser Canyon north of Lillooet (by far the most remote of the dry warm valleys, maybe the second most desert like), the Nicola Valley, and then the Okanagan Valley (which is actually the most moist of the bunch, bordering on a humid continental for the northern half). Then there are a few other smaller valleys / pocket semi arid spots, such as around Princeton, the Boundary area, etc...

I would add the Similkameen to that list.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by tkoe

I can't tell you what it is, other than to say it doesn't appear to be anything Canadian.

It's growing on a Québécois' land, if that counts for something.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by lio45

It's growing on a Québécois' land, if that counts for something.

Kind of looks like a Southern Live Oak.

[north 42]

.

[TownGuy]

Speaking of the high water levels on Lake Ontario here is Cobourg "beach".

I did a little measurement in Google Maps, the lifeguard stations are usually about 220 ft from the shore, the boardwalk about 400 ft!


At the marina

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Yeah, the Okanagan is the most famous BC dry interior valley for sure, so I can see lots of people making that mistake.

For the dry interior of BC, there are four main valleys: The Thompson (arguably the most desert like, home to Kamloops), The Fraser Canyon north of Lillooet (by far the most remote of the dry warm valleys, maybe the second most desert like), the Nicola Valley, and then the Okanagan Valley (which is actually the most moist of the bunch, bordering on a humid continental for the northern half). Then there are a few other smaller valleys / pocket semi arid spots, such as around Princeton, the Boundary area, etc...

The area between Grand Forks and Christina Lake can get pretty hot and dry as well, temp was in the 40s last time I drove through there, thank god for A/C seats!

[Metro-One]

Yeah, Cristina Lake is among the warmest lakes in Canada in the summer, nice spot!

Originally Posted by csbvan

I would add the Similkameen to that list.

Love the Similkameen Valley, one of the best drives in the country.

Also, could have sworn not too long ago all the stories were about how low many of the great lakes were.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by north 42

Kind of looks like a Southern Live Oak.

No, that's not what it is. I can say why you'd think it might vaguely look like one at first sight, but it's not one. I'm now really familiar with them (the few varieties that are common here at least), they're absolutely ubiquitous. In fact, they grow easily enough that my front lawn is actually made up of live oaks that are the height of blades of grass. They get mowed at a certain height, then re-sprout leaves. (couple pics below) I was amused when I realized my front lawn was actually a lawn of tiny oaks rather than of grass.

Re: the mystery tree, I haven't verified yet for myself if the person who brough it there then planted it is correct (I'd be very very surprised if she weren't) but if she is AND you guys had known, then I would have been extremely impressed with this forum's collective knowledge of flora.


Tree in yard and close up of the "grass" under it:
P1080109

P1080113

P1080112

[north 42]

Originally Posted by lio45

Out of curiosity, anyone happens to know what this is?

P1080024

P1080025

Hey, Lio, I think it may be a mango, check out the leaves.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edi...ango-trees.htm

[lio45]

It does indeed look a bit like a mango tree (speaking of which, I really need to plant one of these in my yard, I've wanted one for a while, and the earlier it gets planted the better) but it turned out to be a frangipani. I have noticed and spotted more mature ones now that I know what it is - they can get much bigger but they grow in a bushy way, not a treelike one. It looks good when it flowers, I will be letting that one grow.

Still no idea what my somewhat-fig-like other tree is, but I might cut the main tree and keep a smaller one that I've noticed growing nearby (which is marginally better located, at least).

[Doug]

Originally Posted by rousseau

A Doug sighting! A rare event. Don't you have to worry about snakes and crocodiles when sleeping outside in Australia?

I lived in Taiwan for six years and got used to never closing the balcony door in our fourth-floor apartment for ten months of the year. I remember thinking, hey, this is cool, but that was the extent of my ruminations on the vagaries of different climates. Probably because I was younger and people didn't complain about the weather on the internet so much back in the 1990s.

I only recall one fleeting climate-related pang of remorse while there, and it was in my first year. It was October, and it was still tropically hot. As I was sitting in a dumpling place (this one, as it happens) the coolness of the air conditioning mimicked so strongly the cool dampness of autumn in the Great Lakes that it triggered a powerful sensory memory in me, and for a moment I imagined it really was fall outside. But it was a trick, and I immediately felt disappointed.

Now I'm older, and I know I gripe way too much in this thread. I guess I resent the fact that this is such a good country in so many respects, yet we don't have a single solitary appealing climate anywhere. It's just a shit show from coast to coast, and that's a bit depressing, to be honest. Americans on the cycling forums I frequent talk about trips to California or Georgia for training in the winter, going down south for some warm cycling trips, etc.

And the Canadians? They say the same thing. We just don't have anywhere to run to in this country. We run to the same places the Americans do.

At least now we're in the good part of the year here, so the foliage is back. There's a palpable excitement in the garden centres as people mull around the various flowers and plants they want to put in their gardens. We've already planted two trees for the reconfiguration of our front garden. Spring brings renewal, and spirits are uplifted because of it. I think I would miss that if I went back to somewhere that isn't so changeable throughout the year.

No pain no gain.

Snakes and the really creepy spiders generally will not crawl onto decks. Salt water crocodiles, the dangerous ones, don't stray far from the mangroves, which only grow up north. The far less aggressive freshies also only live up north. I've encountered many spiders and the odd snake while gardening. Gardens that are frequently tended are generally safe because the presence of people will scare away the wildlife. Lizards and bats are everywhere. Our trees out front are full of bats and the bats will dive bomb the pool in the evening. They are harmless. My kids are completely oblivious to the local critters. My one son is an expert spider hunter whenever we find one in the house. I've also seen him kill snakes with a shovel. Apparently his friend showed him how. Jellyfish are by far the biggest hazard in Australia (obviously not a threat when sleeping on the deck). The really dangerous Irukandji and Box jellies (not true jellyfish despite the name) only live up north. Blue bottles (similar to the Portuguese man o' war sometimes seen in Florida) are common along the east coast (Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Sydney), and south-west stingers around Perth. The stings can be painful, but are rarely life threatening. I frequently get stung while surfing and don't get much reaction to it.

[TownGuy]

Originally Posted by lio45

It does indeed look a bit like a mango tree (speaking of which, I really need to plant one of these in my yard, I've wanted one for a while, and the earlier it gets planted the better) but it turned out to be a frangipani. I have noticed and spotted more mature ones now that I know what it is - they can get much bigger but they grow in a bushy way, not a treelike one. It looks good when it flowers, I will be letting that one grow.

Still no idea what my somewhat-fig-like other tree is, but I might cut the main tree and keep a smaller one that I've noticed growing nearby (which is marginally better located, at least).

Do these trees actually grow mangos here?