What are the best trees to plant in Victoria’s climate? You’ve got the amazing – temperate, sunny, rainy – climate of Victoria, BC to help you grow a life-giving tree! Now, where do we go from here?

Questions you should be asking yourself

Let’s say you just bought a new property and are excited to finally plant some trees, or you’re looking to spruce up your space.

That’s great, but what kind of tree do you want? What trees grow best in Victoria’s temperate climate? How does the salty seawater affect which trees can survive? Are there beautiful, lush trees that you want to grow but are worried that they might not thrive? Is my soil acidic or sandy, and does that matter or how much does that matter?

Great trees, that are pretty big

Big trees. They’re like animals, sometimes they can get a little too big and aren’t so great anymore. And when they’re not great they become really, really not great. Now, may look great when they’re growing but at the end of the day, they’re a lot of trouble. I’m talking about:

    • Pacific dogwood
    • Arbutus
    • Garry Oak
    • Douglas Fir

These trees are all common on the island, and you may even have wanted to grow one of them. We would never stop anyone from contributing to the environmental impact of our island, and these are all native to our home, but they grow very large and may not be the best choice for you. Having said that, if you want a big tree go right ahead! All these trees are great choices for you if you’re looking for a huge centerpiece for your space.

The Victoria advantage – climate

graph showing average amount of sunshine per month in Victoria, BC

There are a few key things to consider about Victoria’s climate. Victoria’s, on average, has 2,100 hours of sunshine a year! This doesn’t paint the full picture though, the most valuable hours of sunshine are during the summer months where trees and plants grow the most. From May 1 to September 31, Victoria has 1,340 of its sunshine hours. Toronto, by comparison, has only 1,215 summer (May – September) sunshine hours. That’s 13% more sunshine and a lot more growing!

A lot of websites or tree stores have recommendations based on what “zone” you’re in. Trees perform best when the climate suits its needs. I hope that’s obvious. Vancouver Island is generally zone 8. While some areas can be zone 7 or 9. For each town, you can find a link to a map here:
https://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-british-columbia-plant-zone-hardiness-map.php

Which are the best trees equipped for Victoria & Vancouver Island climate?

I have some opinions regarding the “best” tree and the importance of biodiversity, but let’s get back to that later. All the trees on this list are native to either Vancouver Island, British Columbia, or thrive particularly well because of the abundant rainfall and sunshine.

1) Pyramid Ceder (Thuja occidentalis Pyramidalis)

Pyramid ceders are healthy lower-mid sized trees, growing up to roughly 15 feet tall. Its roots don’t spread very widely which helps the grass and lawn grow around the trees more easily. They thrive in moderate winters, which is what the island’s climate provides. They also shouldn’t be pruned either which takes a lot of guess-work out of caring for them. This is because they don’t regrow their shoots very well once the tree has reached maturity. These trees are great as a “plant-it-and-leave-it” project.

Subtly, these trees are often added as garden or landscape accents. They’re often found in a garden-bed to add flair to shrubbery or provide contrast to finer flora. Why so popular in these small spaces? Well, they grow very narrowly and without large gaps in their branch structure. All this keeps out unsightly gaps when its added to your landscape.

2) Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

Here’s why Cherry Laurels thrive on Vancouver Island:

  1. Insect resistant. Depending on where you are on the island, insects could be a concern for you. Well, they aren’t a concern for this tree.
  2. High performance in shade and direct sunlight.
  3. Enjoys moist soil, which the island has in abundance.

Versatility. Cherry laurels are excellent hedges and stand-alone trees. They can do it all! With proper pruning and conditioning, cherry laurels will stay at a respectful 10 – 20 feet tall. As a smaller trees whose branches grow very low to the ground, it fits well into gardens. It also suits landscapes well as a centerpiece due to its evergreen properties, staying beautiful all year round.
Like I said, cherry laurels have a very non-traditional shape and growing pattern. If you have a plan for your landscape before you know what tree to use, cherry laurels are a safe bet. They can do so much and grow faster than other vegetation, you’ll be able to experiment faster with this than anything else.

3) Leyland Cyprus

Now, you might see this and think “Wow, that’s basically a pyramid ceder”. And you’d be more correct than incorrect. But there are things about the Leyland Cyprus that you should know.

  1. It grows faster than the ceder. With some care and luck, it can grow up to five feet per year.
  2. It’s very resilient to the cold, which makes it ideal on Vancouver Island.
  3. it grows bigger than the ceder. It can get as high as 50 feet!

Well, with those out of the way, why would you choose a Leyland Cyprus in Saanich, Victoria, or other cities? They grow with full foliage, meaning there’s a lot of privacy when you plant a wall of these. The Cyprus is common as a tree wall, a natural barrier for privacy while protecting the environment.

4) Dwarf Conifers

This isn’t a specific tree but rather a category, and it’s a great category. Dwarf Conifers. They’re generally cone-shaped, evergreen, and fairly big. That why, you guessed it, dwarf conifers are just smaller conifers.

Dwarf Conifers won’t grow more than 10 feet tall. This is the biggest factor in whether people choose this tree. They also grow slowly, rarely more than half a foot per year.
These trees are most effective when they’re in modest spaces where every inch of ground is accounted for. They’re great in gardens because they don’t crowd out other plant species, that other trees would.

5) Any tree that is cared for and tended to

I know, a bit of a cop-out, but that’s the truth. Victoria has one of the best climates for green-thumbs to stretch their creative muscles. If you can plant it, you can grow it.

Final Thoughts

Coming back to the importance of biodiversity – when everyone grows the “best” tree, it quickly stops becoming the “best” tree. Animals need different things to survive, trees that flower, large trees that can protect birds from predators, smaller trees that support smaller wildlife and provide more kinds of shelter.

So, now when you ask “What are the best trees to plant in Victoria’s climate?, we hope you have a little bit more insight.

If you do find yourself looking for other trees, just remember to take consider a few things:

  • What does the tree need to thrive?
  • Is there something you can give the tree so that it thrives even more?
  • What are you willing to give the tree?

This list contains trees that have a healthy balance of resilience and beauty. While not a comprehensive list by any means, we think it’s a great jumping off point for you.

Good luck and happy growing!

-Oakstead