Over 150 commemorative trees grace the grounds of Rideau Hall, the official residence of the governor general of Canada. They mark visits by members of the Royal Family, heads of State and other dignitaries. They also are planted for special anniversaries and at the end of a governor general’s mandate.

The tradition began in 1906, with the visit of Prince Arthur of Connaught, son of Prince Arthur, the Duke of Connaught, and later governor general. The red oak he planted still stands over the far end of the Upper Terrace Garden.

Then, in 1907, Japan’s Prince Fushimi made the first official foreign royal visit to Ottawa. While the Prince did not plant a tree at Rideau Hall, Governor General Earl Grey named one in his honour at Ottawa’s nearby Dominion Arboretum. In Lord Grey’s words: “I selected a young maple, recently planted, in a commanding position, and asked [The Prince] if he would allow the tree to have the honour of being associated with his name. He descended from our motor, walked around the tree, bowed to it, and expressed himself delighted at the suggestion that the tree should be known as Prince Fushimi’s tree.”

Since then, the planting of commemorative trees has become a Canadian tradition, symbolizing friendship and co-operation between nations. Her Majesty The Queen and members of the Royal Family have planted 17 commemorative trees since 1939.

His Majesty King Charles III, King of Canada, planted four trees when he was still the Prince of Wales: in 1971, 1983, 2009 and 2017. Trees have also been planted by other members of the Royal Family, including Queen Elizabeth II, in 1951 (before becoming Queen), 1957, 1977, 2002 and 2010; and Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (now the Prince and Princess of Wales) in 2011. In addition, 15 foreign kings and queens, more than 63 presidents (six of which were American), one prime minister and three secretaries general of the United Nations have all planted trees. With the exception of Governor General Georges Vanier, who passed away during his mandate, each Canadian governor general has planted a tree at the end of their respective mandates.

Maples and oaks are in abundance on the grounds of Rideau Hall, along with conifers and other species mainly native to Canada. They are selected in collaboration with the National Capital Commission for their beauty and for their ability to endure the Ottawa climate. Some choices are significant to the person or the country being represented during an official tree planting. For example, a Ginkgo tree, indigenous to China, was planted in 1985, by His Excellency Li Xiannian, President of the People’s Republic of China, while in 1999, former Governor General Roméo LeBlanc, chose—aptly for his family name—a white birch.

A bronze plaque at the base of each tree indicates the name and title of the person who planted it, the species, and the date it was planted.

List of Ceremonial Tree Plantings

1. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

His Royal Highness Prince Arthur of Connaught and Strathearn
April 1906

2. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

The Duke of Devonshire, Governor General of Canada
May 1917

3. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

The Duchess of Devonshire
May 1917

4. Norway Spruce
Picea abies

The Right Honourable Stanley Baldwin, Prime Minister of Great Britain
August 5, 1927

5. Norway Spruce
Picea abies

Mrs. Lucy Baldwin
August 5, 1927

6. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

His Majesty King George VI
May 21, 1939

7. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth
May 21, 1939

8. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Harry Truman, President of the United States of America
June 11, 1947

9. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Mrs. Elizabeth Truman
June 11, 1947

10. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh
October 10, 1951

11. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh
October 10, 1951

12. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Her Majesty Queen Juliana of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
April 22, 1952

13. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the United States of America
November 13, 1953

14. Red Maple
Acer rubrum

Mrs. Mamie Eisenhower
November 13, 1953

15. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

His Imperial Majesty Hailé Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia
June 4, 1954

16. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Her Royal Highness Mary, The Princess Royal
October 10, 1955

17. Red Maple
Acer rubrum

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
October 15, 1957

18. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

The Right Honourable Vincent Massey, Governor General of Canada
October 22, 1957

19. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

Her Royal Highness The Princess Margaret
August 3, 1958

20. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

General Charles de Gaulle, President of the French Republic
April 19, 1960

21. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

John F. Kennedy, President of the United States of America
May 16, 1961

22. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy
May 16, 1961

23. Hackberry
Celtis occidentalis

Field Marshall Mohammad Ayub Khan, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
September 20, 1962

24. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales
July 3, 1971

25. Red Maple
Acer rubrum

The Right Honourable Roland Michener, Governor General of Canada
November 12, 1971

26. White Pine
Pinus strobus 

Mrs. Norah Willis Michener
November 12, 1971

27. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

Richard M. Nixon, President of the United States of America
April 14, 1972

28.  Red Oak
Quercus rubra 

Mrs. Patricia Nixon
April 14, 1972

29. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Chief Scout of Canada
May 9, 1974

30. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

His Majesty Baudouin, King of the Belgians
September 20, 1977

31. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Her Majesty Fabiola, Queen of the Belgians
September 20, 1977

32. White Ash 
Fraxinus americana

The Right Honourable Jules Léger, Governor General of Canada
September 22, 1977

33. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Madame Gabrielle Léger
September 22, 1977

34. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Silver Jubilee visit
October 19, 1977

35. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh
October 19, 1977

36. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Her Royal Highness The Princess Margriet of the Kingdom of The Netherlands
June 8, 1978

37. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

His Royal Highness The Prince Andrew
July 28, 1978

38. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

International Year of the Child
November 15, 1979

39. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

Her Royal Highness The Princess Anne, The Princess Royal
November 18, 1979

40. White Elm
Ulmus americana

José López Portillo, President of the United Mexican States
May 27, 1980

41. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Juvenal Habyarimana, President of the Republic of Rwanda
September 24, 1980

42. Silver Maple
Acer saccharinum

Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America
March 11, 1981

43. Silver Maple
Acer saccharinum

Mrs. Nancy Reagan
March 11, 1981

44. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Their Majesties King Hussein I and Queen Noor of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
November 15, 1981

45. Norway Maple
Acer platanoides

75th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of Canada
May 29, 1982

46. Pin Oak
Quercus palustris

Their Royal Highnesses The Prince and Princess of Wales
June 21, 1983

47. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

The Right Honourable Edward Schreyer, Governor General of Canada
Mrs. Lily Schreyer and Family
April 24, 1984

48. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

First Canadian Christian Festival
May 24, 1984

49. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

Captain M.D. Marshall (Retired) C.D. In recognition of his contribution to the
Ontario Horticultural Association and to the Ottawa Horticultural Society
May 16, 1985

50. Ginko
Ginko biloba

Li Xiannian, President of the People’s Republic of China
July 15, 1985

51. Bur Oak
Quercus macrocarpa

François Mitterrand, President of the French Republic, and Mrs. Mitterrand
May 25, 1987

52. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
May 11, 1988

53. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Chaim Herzog, President of the State of Israel
June 27, 1989

54. Pin Oak
Quercus palustris

Mrs. Vigdis Finnbogadottir, President of Iceland
August 1, 1989

55. Red Maple
Acer rubrum

The Right Honourable Jeanne Sauvé, Governor General of Canada
November 3, 1989

56. Red Maple
Acer rubrum

The Honourable Maurice Sauvé
November 3, 1989

57. Red Maple
Acer rubrum

Corazón Aquino, President of the Republic of the Philippines
November 6, 1989

58. Tamarack
Larix laricina

Forestry Canada
May 4, 1990

59. Red Maple
Acer rubrum

Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, Secretary-General of the United Nations
May 21, 1990

60. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

Mikhaïl Gorbachev, President of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
May 23, 1990

61. American Linden
Tilia americana

Dr. Richard Von Weizsäcker, President of the Federal Republic of Germany
September 17, 1990

62. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Robert Mugabe, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe
September 26, 1990

63. Asian White Birch
Betula platyphylla

Mauno Koivisto, President of the Republic of Finland
October 11, 1990

64. Norway Spruce
Picea abies

Carlos Salinas de Gortari, President of the United Mexican States
April 8, 1991

65. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Luis Alberto Lacalle Herrera, President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay
May 16, 1991

66. White Ash
Fraxinus americana

Roh Tae Woo, President of the Republic of Korea
July 5, 1991

67. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
October 11, 1991

68. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

Arpád Göncz, President of the Republic of Hungary
October 21, 1991

69. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

National Wildlife Week
April 2, 1992

70. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Trees and People 1992
June 6, 1992

71. Norway Spruce
Picea abies

Boris N. Yeltsin, President of the Russian Federation
June 20, 1992

72. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

Carlos Saul Menem, President of the Argentine Republic
June 21, 1994

73. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

Lech Walesa, President of the Republic of Poland
September 13, 1994

74. Ohio Buckeye
Aesculus glabra

Leonid Danylovych Kuchma, President of Ukraine
October 24, 1994

75. Bur Oak
Quercus macrocarpa

The Right Honourable Ramon John Hnatyshyn, Governor General of Canada
November 18, 1994

76. Bur Oak
Quercus macrocarpa

Mrs. Gerda Hnatyshyn
November 18, 1994

77. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

William J. Clinton, President of the United States of America
February 23, 1995

78. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Kim Young Sam, President of the Republic of Korea
October 21, 1995

79. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Secretary-General of the United Nations
November 23, 1995

80. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Abdou Diouf, President of the Republic of Senegal
May 3, 1996

81. Silver Fir
Abies concolor

Ernesto Zedillo, President of the United Mexican States
June 12, 1996

82. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

Eduardo Frei, President of the Republic of Chile
November 19, 1996

83. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Fernando Henrique Cardoso, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil
April 23, 1997

84. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, President of the Italian Republic
June 27, 1997

85. Bur Oak
Quercus macrocarpa

The CRB Foundation’s National Heritage Fair
July 21, 1997

86. Bur Oak
Quercus macrocarpa

Jiang Zemin, President of the People’s Republic of China
November 28, 1997

87. Ohio Buckey
Aesculus glabra

Fidel V. Ramos, President of the Republic of the Philippines
November 30, 1997

88. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations
December 3, 1997

89. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Emil Constantinescu, President of Romania
May 26, 1998 

90. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

In Memory of John F. Kennedy / in Honour of Continued Friendship Between
Countries / The Ancient and Honourable Artillery Company of Massachusetts
October 3, 1998

91. Bur Oak
Quercus macrocarpa

Mary McAlesse, President of Ireland
October 5, 1998

92. Black Walnut
Juglans nigra

Alberto Fujimori, President of the Republic of Peru
October 28, 1998

93. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Nelson Mandela, President of the Republic of South Africa
September 24, 1998

94. Ironwood
Ostrya virginiana

Vaclav Havel, President of the Czech Republic
April 30, 1999

95. Red Oak
Quercus Rubra

Their Majesties King Abdullah Bin Al-Hussein and Queen Rania Al-Abdullah
of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan   May 14, 1999

96. Maple
Acer saccharum

Andrés Pastrana Anago, President of the Republic of Colombia
June 1, 1999

97. Korean Fir
Abies koreana

Kim Dea-Jung, President of the Republic of Korea
July 6, 1999

98. Weeping Willow
Salix alba tristis

To honour the Celebration of Life, hosted by Mrs. Diana Fowler LeBlanc
July 27, 1999

99. White Birch
Betula papyrifera

Mrs. Diana Fowler LeBlanc
October 1, 1999

100.  White Birch
Betula papyrifera

The Right Honourable Roméo LeBlanc, Governor General of Canada
October 1, 1999

101. Ohio Buckeye
Aesculus glabra

His Excellency Miguel Angel Rodriguez, President of the Republic of Costa
Rica, and Mrs. Lorena Clare de Rodriguez
February 1, 2000

102. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

His Excellency Ali Abdullah Saleh, President of the Republic of Yemen
March 28, 2000

103. Ohio Buckeye
Aesculus glabra

His Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Mrs. Stella Obansanjo
May 12, 2000

104. Bur Oak
Quercus macrocarpa

His Excellency Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of the People’s Republic of Algeria
May 16, 2000

105. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

His Excellency Constantinos Stephanopoulos, President of the Hellenic Republic
May 30, 2000

106. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

His Excellency Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation and Mrs. Lyudmila Putina
December 18, 2000

107. White Ash
Fraxinus americanum

His Excellency Vincente Fox Quesada, President of the United Mexican States
April 18, 2001

108. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

His Excellency Jorge Sampaio, President of the Portuguese Republic and Mrs. José Ritta
May 28, 2001

109. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

His Excellency John Agyekum Kufor, President of the Republic of Ghana and Mrs. Theresa Kufuor
November 5, 2001

110. American Beech
Fagus grandifolia

His Excellency Moshe Kastav, President of the State of Israel, and Mrs. Gila Kastav
March 7, 2002

111. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway
May 8, 2002

112. Hackberry
Celtis occidentalis

His Excellency Rudolf Schuster, President of the Slovak Republic and Mrs. Irene Schusterova
June 6, 2002

113. Bur Oak
Quecus macrocarpa

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Golden Jubilee visit
October 14, 2002

114. Silver fir
Abies concolor

His Excellency Joaquim Chissano, President of the Republic of Mozambique
March 18, 2003

115. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

The 11th Earl of Elgin and 15th Earl of Kincardine
April 3, 2003

116. White Spruce
Picea glauca

Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki, President of the Republic of South Africa
November 3, 2003

117. Hackberry
Celtis occidentalis

Natasagiin Bagabandi, President of Mongolia
October 20, 2003

118. Eastern Hemlock
Tsuga canadensis

Amadou Toumani Toure, President of Mali
May 11, 2005

119. American Linden
Tilia americana

His Excellency Hu Jintao, President of the People’s Republic of China and Mrs. Liu Yongquing
September 8, 2005

120. Swamp White Oak
Quercus bicolor

The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada
September 26, 2005

121. Swamp White Oak
Quercus bicolor

Mr. John Ralston Saul
September 26, 2005

122. American Beech
Fagus americana

Her Excellency Vaira Vike-Freiberga, President of the Republic of Latvia
September 26, 2006

123. Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus

Their Majesties King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden
October 24, 2007

124. Silver Fir
Abies concolor

His Excellency László Sólyom, President of the Republic of Hungary
April 25, 2007

125. Ohio Buckeye
Aesculus glabra

His Excellency Victor Yushchenko, President of Ukraine, and Mrs. Kateryna Yushchenko
May 26, 2008

126. Canadian Hemlock
Tsuga Canadensis

Their Imperial Majesties Akihito and Michiko of Japan
July 6, 2009

127. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall
November 12, 2009

128. Bur Oak
Quercus rubra

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
June 30, 2010

129. Swamp White Oak
Quercus bicolor

The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada,
Mr. Jean-Daniel Lafond and their daughter Marie-Éden
September 30, 2010

130. Eastern Hemlock
Tsuga canadensis

Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
July 2, 2011

131. White Pine
Pinus strobes

His Excellency Shimon Peres, President of the State of Israel
May 8, 2012

132. Bur Oak
Quercus macrocarpa

His Excellency Jayaka M. Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania
October 4, 2012

133. Red Maple
Acer rubrum

His Excellency Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of the Republic of Estonia, and Mrs. Evelin Ilves
May 1, 2013

134. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

His Excellency Sebastián Piñera, President of the Republic of Chile, and Mrs. Cecilia Morel
May 30, 2013

135.  Eastern Hemlock
Tsuga Canadensis

His Excellency Ollanta Humala Tasso, President of the Republic of Peru, and Mrs. Nadine Heredia
April 10, 2014

136. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

100th anniversary of service to Canada by Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry
September 18, 2014

137. Bitternut Hickory
Carya cordiformis

Her Excellency Park Geun-hye, President of the Republic of Korea
September 22, 2014

138. Bur Oak
Quercus macrocarpa

His Excellency Joachim Gauck, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, and Ms. Daniela Schadt
September 24, 2014

139. Red Maple
Acer rubrum

His Excellency Sauli Niinistö, President of the Republic of Finland, and Mrs. Jenni Haukio
October 9, 2014

140. Bitternut hickory
Carya cordiformis

His Excellency François Hollande, President of the French Republic
November 3, 2014

141. Red Maple
Acer rubrum

Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal and the Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence
November 10, 2014

142. Red Spruce
Picea rubens

His Excellency Benigno S. Aquino III, President of the Republic of the Philippines
May 7, 2015

143. White Pine
Pinus strobes

Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands
May 27, 2015

144. Hemlock
Tsuga Canadensis

His Excellency Enrique Peña Nieto, President of the United Mexican States
June 28, 2016

145. Eastern Hemlock
Tsuga canadensis

Her Excellency Michelle Bachelet, President of the Republic of Chile
June 5, 2017

146. Regal Celebration Maple
Acer x freemanii 'Regal Celebration'

The Right Honourable David Johnston Governor General of Canada, Mrs. Sharon Johnston, the provincial lieutenant governors and the territorial commissioners, in celebration of the 150th of Confederation
June 20, 2017

147. Buckeye
Aesculus glabra

His Excellency Sergio Mattarella, President of the Italian Republic
June 27, 2017

148. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall
July 1, 2017

149. White Pine
Pinus strobus

The Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, and Mrs. Sharon Johnston
September 28, 2017

150. Bitternut Hickory
Carya cordiformis

His Excellency Juan Manuel Santos Calderón, President of the Republic of Colombia
October 30, 2017

151. Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

Their Majesties the King and Queen of the Belgians
March 12, 2018

152. Blue-Beech
Carpinus caroliniana

His Excellency Reuven Rivlin, President of the State of Israel
April 1, 2019

153. Blue-Beech
Carpinus caroliniana

Her Excellency Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, President of the Republic of Croatia, and Mr. Jakov Kitarović
May 13, 2019

154. Red Oak
Quercus rubra

His Excellency Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, President of Iceland and Ms. Eliza Reid
May 29, 2023