A Native Plant is a plant that is part of the balance of nature that has developed over hundreds or thousands of years in a particular region or ecosystem.
A Native Animal is a species that is found in a certain ecosystem due to natural processes, such as natural distribution and evolution.
Native plants naturally attract more of the local wildlife in your area. It creates a more natural environment that animals are used in the wild. The plants can provide the type of food and shelter the animals need. Native plants use less water because they’re suitable for your climate.
Why Native Plants Matter
Restoring native plant habitat is vital to preserving biodiversity. By creating a native plant garden, each patch of habitat becomes part of a collective effort to nurture and sustain the living landscape for birds and other animals.
Native Plants Found In Ontario
Ontario native plants are so well adapted to our climate, they’re able to care for themselves, which is why they grow naturally in the wild. Many are perennials, so you can continue to enjoy them year after year if you plant them in your garden.
- CANADA GOLDENROD (Solidago canadensis)
Forms large, dense patches, growing around one metre tall.
Where: Open patches, full sun, well-drained soil. This is a highly drought-resistant plant.
When: Yellow blooms in summer and autumn.
Attracts: Native bees, butterflies and other pollinators use it as a source of nectar and pollen.
- BLACK-EYED SUSAN (Rudbeckia hirta)
A member of the sunflower plant family, growing under a metre tall.
Where: Great for all types of gardens, especially prairie or meadow conditions. Grows readily from seed.
When: Yellow blooms in the summer and autumn.
Attracts: Bees, butterflies and beetles benefit from the nectar, and the caterpillars of the silvery checkerspot butterfly feed on the leaves.
- WILD BERGAMOT (Monarda fistulosa)
A bushy looking plant that smells like Earl Grey tea, growing 0.6–1.2 metres tall.
Where: Full to partial sun, prefers moist to slightly dry soil conditions.
When: Lavender/pink showy summer-blooming flowers.
Attracts: A variety of bees, bee flies, butterflies, caterpillars, hummingbirds and hummingbird moths.
- SWAMP MILKWEED (Asclepias incarnata)
Deer resistant, vanilla fragrant flowers. Forms an erect, clump-forming plant, growing 0.6 – 1.2 metres tall.
Where: Easily grown in moist to wet soils, in full sun or on stream/pond banks.
When: Pink and mauve flowers bloom in summer.
Attracts: Butterflies looking for nectar, as well as monarch caterpillars looking for a food source.
- WILD COLUMBINE (Aquilegia canadensis)
Select the native version over the many exotic, hybrid species of columbine. Grows in colonies, under a metre tall.
Where: Best for woodland edges or rocky areas in well-drained soil, in full sun to part shade.
When: Red and yellow tubular flowers bloom in summer.
Attracts: Hummingbirds and the columbine dusky wing butterfly.
- CARDINAL FLOWER (Lobelia cardinalis)
A striking shoreline flower that grows 0.6–1.2 metres tall.
Where: Moist conditions along shorelines.
When: Vibrant red tubular flowers bloom mid-to-late summer.
Attracts: Hummingbirds.
- PIN CHERRY (Prunus pensylvanica)
A small- to medium-sized tree that grows up to 12 metres tall.
Where: Requires full sun and dry to moist conditions.
When: Flowers in late spring. In mid-summer, the pollinated flowers become cherries.
Attracts: The flowers benefit pollinators, while the cherries provide food for foraging songbirds and other small animals.
- WINTERBERRY HOLLY (Ilex verticillata)
A showy shrub plant, growing in clumps 1–4 metres tall.
Where: Moist, full sun to partly shady areas. Best for shoreline naturalization.
When: Bright red berries begin to bloom later in summer and stay on the twigs into winter.
Attracts: Birds and small mammals that feed on the berries.
- PUSSY WILLOW (Salix discolor)
A well-known Canadian shrub, usually growing 1–4.5 metres tall.
Where: Moist soils along streams, ponds and lakes.
When: Silver-gray catkins open in the late winter.
Attracts: Songbirds and a large variety of butterflies. Provides food for native pollinators and nest areas for a wide variety of birds.
- FOAM FLOWER (Tiarella cordifolia.)
A ground cover with maple-like leaves. Grows 15-30 centimetres tall.
Where: Partial to full shaded areas, ideal for edging in woodland conditions and shady, rocky areas.
When: Bright green, leafy colonies with white flowers in late spring.
Attracts: Pollinators; is deer and rabbit resistant.
- WILD WOODLAND STRAWBERRY (Tiarella cordifolia)
A tasty alternative to invasive plants, such as the periwinkle and English ivy. Grows 2.5-13 centimetres tall.
Where: Areas of average moistness, full to partial shade.
When: White blooms in late spring/early summer, spreading throughout summer. Berries ripen in summer.
Attracts: Native bees, butterflies and other poll minators.
Benefits of Native Plants
- Low maintenance
Once established, native plants generally require little maintenance.
2. Beauty
Many native plants offer beautiful showy flowers, produce abundant colourful fruits and seeds, and brilliant seasonal changes in colours from the pale, thin greens of early spring, to the vibrant yellows and reds of autumn.
3. Conserving water
Because native plants are adapted to local environmental conditions, they require far less water, saving time, money, and perhaps the most valuable natural resource, water.
4. Helping the climate
Landscaping with native plants can combat climate change. In addition to the reduced noise and carbon pollution from lawn mower exhaust, many native plants, especially long-living trees like oaks and maples, are effective at storing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.
5. Wildlife
In addition to providing vital habitat for birds, many other species of wildlife benefits as well. The colourful array of butterflies and moths, including the iconic monarch, the swallowtail, tortoiseshells, and beautiful blues, are all dependent on very specific native plant species. Native plants provide nectar for pollinators including hummingbirds, native bees, butterflies, moths, and bats. They provide protective shelter for many mammals. The native nuts, seeds, and fruits produced by these plants offer essential foods for all forms of wildlife.
