This list is for guidance only. The most accurate information is your own observation.
R= riparian (stream/waterside) habitat for fish and aquatic ecosystems
Moisture 1 = dry, well drained soil
2 = needs some moisture
3 = prefers moist to wet soils
Common name (scientific name) | Sun | M | Description | Wildlife habitat values | |||
TREES | |||||||
Paper Birch (betula papyrifera) | Full | 3 | White, papery bark, 30 meters | Seeds eaten by Pine Siskins R | |||
Trembling (populus tremuloides) | Full | 2 | Whitish bark, trembling leaves, 25 meters | Butterfly food, woodpecker nest cavities in older trees | |||
Black (populus balsamifera, trichocarpa) | Full | 3 | 30-40 meters | Butterfly larval food, roosts and nests for owls, swifts, woodpeckers, bats, R | |||
Bitter cherry (prunus emarginata) | Shade /partial | 2 | R | ||||
Cascara (Rhamnus purshiana) | Shade | 2 | R | ||||
SHRUBS | |||||||
(acer glabrum) | Partial | 2 | Mulitstemmed, smooth bark, to 7 meters, colourful fall leaves | Evening grosbeaks eat seeds, and insects use nectar from flowers, R | |||
Mountain alder (alnus incana) | Full | 3 | Multistemmed, 10 meters, fixes nitrogen | Pine siskins eat seeds, foraging for insectivores, R | |||
(amelanchier alnfolia) | Full | 1 | White flowers, purple berries, 5 meters | Birds eat berries, R | |||
Redstem ceanothus (ceanothus sanguineus) | Partial | 3 | White flowers, fixes nitrogen, 1-3 meters | Butterfly larval food, deer browse | |||
Red-osier dogweed (cornus stolonifera) | Full /partial | 3 | Red stems, white flowers and berries, 4 meters | Birds eat berries, deer browse R | |||
Hazelnut (corylus cornuta) | Shade /partial | 3 | Red flowers, catkins, 4 meters | Chipmunks, squirrels, jays eat Nuts, R | |||
Columbian (red) hawthorn (crataegus Columbiana) | Full | 2 | Thorny, white flowers and red berries, 5 meters | Bird nesting and roosting, berries for birds and mammals | |||
Black hawthorn (crataegus douglasii) | Full | 2 | Thorny, white flowers, black berries, moist sites | Butterfly larval food, nesting and roosting for birds, berries for birds and mammals, R | |||
Oceanspray (holodiscus discolor) | Full | 2 | Sprays of creamy white flowers, 4 meters | ||||
Black twinberry (lonicera involucrate) | Partial | 3 | Small yellow flowers, black berries | Nectar for hummingbirds, R | |||
Red twinberry (lonicera utahensis) | Partial | 2 | Fragrant white trumpet flowers early in spring, red berries | Berries eaten by birds | |||
Oregon grape (mahonia aquifolium) | Full /partial | 1 | Yellow flowers, blue berries, holly like leaf | Winter cover for birds, R | |||
False Box (pachistima/paxistima myrsinites) | Shade | 2 | Dense evergreen shrub to 60 centimeters, tiny red flowers | Deer browse, R | |||
Mock-orange (philadelphus lewisii) | Full | 1 | White, fragrant flowers, 3 meters | Butterfly larval food and nectar, R | |||
Chokecherry (prunus virgiana) | Full | 2 | White flowers and red/black berries, prefers moist rich soil | Birds and mammals eat berries, larval butterfly flood | |||
Baldhip rose ( | Shade /partial | 2 | Small, delicate rose with “bald” hip, 1.5 meters | Chipmunks and other mammals eat hips, R | |||
Nootka rose ( | Full | 2 | Pink fragrant flowers, red hips, 3 meters | Chipmunks and other mammals eat hips, R | |||
Wood rose ( | Full | 1 | Pink fragrant flowers, red hips, 2 meters | Chipmunks and other mammals eat hips, R | |||
Prickly rose ( | Partial | 2 | Pink fragrant flowers, red hips, 1.5 meters | Chipmunks and other mammals eat hips, R | |||
Red raspberry (rubus idaeus) | Partial | 2 | White flowers, red berries, 1.5 meters | Birds and small mammals eat Berries | |||
Black raspberry /blackcap (rubus leucodermis) | Partial | 2 | White flowers, black berries and purple stem | Birds and small mammals eat Berries | |||
Thimbleberry (rubus parviflorus) | Full /partial | 2 | Large maple live leaves, which flowers, red berries, tart | Birds and small mammals eat berries, R | |||
Partial | 3 | Shrub to 8 – 12 meters | Butterfly larval food, R | ||||
Blue elderberry (sambucus caerulea) | Full | 1 | White flowers, blue berries | Birds and mammals eat berries, R | |||
Red elderberry (sambucus racemosa) | Full /partial | 1/2 | White flowers, red berries | Birds and mammals | |||
Black elderberry (sambucus Canadensis) | Full /partial | 1 | White flowers, black berries | Birds and mammals | |||
Soapberry/soopolallie (shepherdia anadensis) | Partial | 1 | Tiny yellow flowers and tart red berries, fixes nitrogen, male and female plants | ||||
Mountain ash (sorbus sitchensis) | Partial | 2 | White flowers and red berries, 1-5 meters | Birds eat berries | |||
Snowberry (symphoricarpos albus) | Partial | 1 | Pinkish flowers and white berries, forms low thickets | Bird cover, winter food for birds, R | |||
Highbush cranberry (viburnum opulus) | Partial | 2 | White flowers and red berries | Birds eat berries in winter | |||
FLOWERS | |||||||
Showy aster (aster conspicus) | Full /partial | 1 | Showy purple flowers | Butterfly nectar plant and larval host | |||
Columbine (aquilegia | Partial | 2 | Spurred red and yellow flowers | Hummingbird and butterfly nectar, R | |||
Pearly everlasting (anaphalis margaritacea) | Full | 1 | Small yellow flowers, tolerates poor soil | ||||
Fireweed (epilobium angustifolium) | Full | 2 | Spikes of pink-purple flowers, fluffy white seeds, spreading roots | Hummingbird, butterfly and bee nectar | |||
Lupine (lupinus sericeus) | Full | 1 | Blue flowers, seeds burst from pods | Butterfly larval food | |||
False solomon’s seal (simlacina racemosa) | Shade | 2 | Wonderfully scented spike of white flowers, small reddish berries | R | |||
Birch leaved spirea (spiraea betulifolia) | full | 1 | Flat white flowers | Butterfly plant | |||
(viola canadensis) | Shade | 3 | White flowers | Butterfly larval host, R | |||
Heart leafed arnica (arnica cordifolia) | Partial | 2 | Yellow flowers, used as a herbal remedy | ||||
GROUNDCOVER | |||||||
Kinnikinnick (arctostaphylos uva-ursi) | Full | 1 | Evergreen shrub, dark green leaves, pinkish flowers, red berries | Bird food, butterfly larval food | |||
Umber pussytoes (antennaria umbrinella) | full | 1 | Mat forming , low ground cover, grey-woolly leaves | ||||
Field pussytoes (antennaria neglecta) | Full /partial | 1 | Mat forming, low grown cover, leaves green above | ||||
Wood strawberry (fragaria vessca) | Shade | 3 | Green leaves, delicious red berries | Birds and mammals eat berries | |||
Blue leaf strawberry (fragaria virginiana) | Partial | 2 | Blue green leaves, delicious red berries | Birds and mammals eat berries | |||
VINES | |||||||
Scarlet trumpet honeysuckle (lonicera ciliosa) | Partial | 2 | Orange/red “trumpet” flowers | Hummingbird and butterfly nectar | |||
Blue clematis (clematis occindentalis) | Partial/shade | 2 | Blue flowers, white wooly seed pods, shaded base needed | ||||
White clematis/virgin’s bower/traveller’s joy (clematis ligusticifolia) | Partial | 2 | White flowers, great climber! | ||||
GUIDELINES FOR NATIVE PLANT GARDENERS
1. Obtain native plants from seed, garden or nursery. Ask vendors where the native plants were obtained. Buy only nursery propagated stock.
2. Use native plants and seeds which have originated in your immediate bioregion. Such plants and seeds are best adapted to the local climate, soil, predators, pollinators and disease.
3. Transplant wild native flora only when the plants of a given area are officially slated for destruction e.g. road construction, subdivision, golf courses. Obtain permission before transplanting.
4. Do not collect seeds for plants from parks, ecological reserves or wildlife management areas. In other places, collect no more than 10% of seed crop from the wild. Leave the rest for natural dispersal and as food for dependent organisms.
5. Use natural means of fertilizing, weed and predator control, instead of synthetic chemicals.
6. Consider planting native species attractive to native fauna, especially birds, butterflies and moths uncommon to your bioregion.
7. Openly share your botanical knowledge but ensure that native species or communities will not be damaged in the process.
From Naturescape Handbook from Canadian Wildflower Society’s Gardener’s Guidelines
WHY NATIVE PLANTS?
· no/low maintenance healthy yard
· water conservation. No watering after the first year.
The right plant in the right place. Fall planting recommended.
· no work – no pruning, spraying, etc.
· wildlife habitat – butterflies, birds, etc.
· relaxation !
