The Assiniboine Forest is a large wilderness area within the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba. It represents 287 hectares of forest, prairie, pond and marsh. The forest is located 13 km from down town, south of Corydon, north of Wilkes, between Chalfont and Shaftesbury. The forest was established in 1974, and officially opened September 25, 1980. The Eve Weier Memorial Pond was dug during the winter of 1977 with support from the province, city of Winnipeg and Ducks Unlimited. Some of the marsh plants (provided by the MNS) were put in during the summer of 1977. Prairie restoration projects were started in 1991. The mandate of the forest: 'The preservation within the urban environment of natural communities and conditions general to the vegetative region for the educational, recreational and moral benefits to be derived by people.'
Over 200 species of plants are found in the forest. This list represents only those species noted over a short distance and period of time (<2 km in 2 hours) it was developed just prior to a botanical walk done for the Manitoba Naturalist Society on July 25, 2001. The list should not be considered complete or representative. Many species are known to be missing because they are outside of the route of the walk or were not in flower/fruit so an accurate identification could not be made. The missing species include a number of Sedges (6+), several Asters and other composites, several grasses, a few tree species, many other small species such as those in the Arenaria and Stellaria genera. No attempt was made at to identify the mosses, lichens or fungi in the forest. The plant names follow Budd's Flora of the Canadian Prairie Provinces (1979). More information about the forest along with a more complete plant and animal list can be obtained from the City Naturalists office 2000 Portage Avenue or the Interpretive Center at the Living Prairie Museum, 2795 Ness Ave. The city has also posted a list of some of the species as well.
Trees
Populus balsamifera Balsam Poplar
Populus tremuloides Aspen Poplar
Quercus macrocarpa Bur Oak
Salix sp. Willow
Shrubs
Amelanchier alnifolia Saskatoon
Corylus americana American Hazelnut
Crataegus rotundifolia hawthorn
Prunus virginiana Choke Cherry
Rosa acicularis Prickly Rose
Rosa blanda Smooth Rose
Salix bebbiana Beaked Willow
Salix discolor Pussy Willow
Salix interior Sandbar Willow
Salix sp. Willow
Spiraea alba Meadowsweet
Symphorocarpus occidentalis Western Snowberry
Viburnum rafinesquianum Downy Arrowwood
other
Achillea millefolium Yarrow
Agropyron dasystachym Northern Wheatgrass
Agropyron repens Quack Grass
Agropyron subsecundum Awned Wheatgrass
Agroseris glauca False Dandelion
Alisma plantago-aquatica Common Water-Plantain
Andropogon gerardi Big Bluestem
Anemone canadensis Canada Anemone
Anemone cylandrica Long-fruited Anemone
Apocynum androsaemifolium Spreading Dogbane
Aralia nudicaulis Wild Sarsaparilla
Artemisia frigida Pasture sage
Artemisia ludoviciana Prairie Sage
Asclepias ovalifoliaDwarf Milkweed
Beckmannia syzigachne Slough Grass
Bidens frondosa Common Beggarticks
Bromus inermis Smooth Brome
Bromus ciliatus Fringed Brome
Calamogrostis canadensis Marsh Reed Grass
Campanula rotundifolia Harebell
Carex sp.Sedge
Carex stepata Awl-Fruited Sedge
Cicuta maculata Water-hemlock
Cirsium arvense Canada Thistle
Cirsium flodmanii Flodman's Thistle
Comandra umbellata Bastard toadflax
Cornus stolonifera Red-Osier Dogwood
Echinochloa crusgalli Barnyard Grass
Elymus canadensis Canada Wild Rye
Equisetum arvense Horsetail
Erigeron glabellus Smooth Fleabane
Euphorbia serpyllifolia Thyme-leaved spurge
Fragaria virginiana Wild Strawberry
Galium boreale Bedstraw
Galium triflorum Sweet-scented bedstraw
Geum triflorum Three-flowered avens
Glyceria striata Manna Grass
Glycyrrhiza lepidota Wild licorice
Helianthus laetiflorus var subrhomboideus Beautiful sunflower
Heliopsis helianthoidesFalse Sunflower
Hordeum jubatum Wild Barley
Lactuca floridana Blue Lettuce
Lathyrus sp. Pea Vine
Lemna minor Duckweed
Lemna trisulca Ivy-leaved Duckweed
Liatris ligulistylis Blazingstar
Lysimachia ciliata Fringed Loosestrife
Lythrum salicaria Purple Loosestrife
Maianthemum canadense Wild lily-of-the-valley
Matricaria matricarioides Pineappleweed
Medicago lupulina Black Medick
Melilotus alba White Sweet-clover
Melilotus officinalis Yellow Sweet-clover
Menta arvensis Mint
Monarda fistulosa Wild Bergamot
Parthenocissus inserta Virginia Creeper
Petasites sagittatus Arrow-leaved Colt's-foot
Phalaris arundinacea Reed Canary Grass
Phleum pratense Timonthy
Plantago major Common Plantain
Poa pratensis Kentucky Blue Grass
Polygonatum canaliculatum Solomon's-seal
Polygonum amphibiumSwamp Persicaria
Polygonum aviculareDoorweed, Knotweed
Polygonum lapathifoliumPale Persicaria
Potentilla anserina Silverweed
Ranunculus spp Buttercup
Ratibida columnifera Coneflower
Rhus radicans Poison-ivy
Ribes spp
Rubus idaeus XSRaspberry
Rubus pubescens Dewberry
Rudbeckia hirta Black-eyed Susan
Rumex sp. Dock
Sagittaria cuneata Arum-leaved Arrowhead
Sanicula marilandica Snakeroot
Sisyrinchium montanum Blue Eyed Grass
Smilacina stellata False Solomon's-seal
Smilax herbacea Carrionflower
Solidago canadensis Graceful Goldenrod
Solidago rigida Stiff Goldenrod
Solidago sp. Goldenrod
Sonchus sp. Sow Thistle
Spartina pectinata Prairie Cord Grass
Spirodela polyrhiza Larger Duckweed
Stachys palustris Marsh Hedge-Nettle
Taraxacum officinale Dandelion
Thalictrum dasycarpum Tall Meadow-rue
Thalictrum venulosum Veiny Meadow-rue
Trifolium hybridum Alsike Clover
Trifolium pratense Red Clover
Trifolium repens White Clover
Typha angustifolia Narrow-leaved Cattail
Typha latifolia Common Cattail
Utricularia sp. Bladderwort
Vicia americana American Vetch
Viola spp. Violet
Zizia aperta Heart-Leaved Alexanders
Zizia aurea Golden Alexanders
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