Stephanie Bonner
In celebration of National Wildlife Week, this month’s Take Five is showcasing five of our favourite widespread native plants! Remember, animals in Canada rely on native plants for food and shelter, so use them in your backyard to create a wildlife-friendly space and enhance the natural landscape. Special thanks to Sarah Coulber and Maria MacRae for their expertise and help with this issue of Take Five!
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Photo: Sarah Coulber, CWF
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1. False Sunflower or Oxeye (Heliopsis helianthoides) – This small bushy plant will grow to be about three feet high. It blossoms brilliant yellow flowers in the summer and will grow in sun and partial shade conditions. The Oxeye can be found across Canada with the exception of the far East Coast. |
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Photo: Sarah Coulber, CWF
| 2. Pasque flower (Anemone patens var. multifida) – This spring flower blossoms in different shades of purple, with leaves and stems that are covered in fine white, silky hairs. It grows in a moist to dry soil and is native to the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. |
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Photo: Sarah Coulber, CWF
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3. Viburnum shrubs, such as High Bush Cranberry (Viburnum trilobum) and Nanny berry (Viburnum lentago) – While there are many species of Viburnums, High Bush Cranberries and Nanny Berries boast beautiful white blooms in the spring and colourful berries of red or purple in late summer. You can find this native plant at the edges of woods across most of Canada. |
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Photo: Connie Smith
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4. Bluebead lily (Clintonia borealis) – This plant can be found throughout the Maritimes all the way across to Manitoba. Small yellow flowers blossom in the spring, and come summer the Bluebead lily bears brilliant blue fruits. It can be found in the moist soils of cool shaded woods, specifically coniferous forests. |
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Photo: Sarah Coulber, CWF |
5. Wild Columbine (Aquilegia Canadensis) – This beautiful yellow and red flower blooms in late spring or early summer. With its needle-like shape and sweet nectar, this plant is a favourite for hummingbirds. The Wild Columbine grows in well-drained moist soils in fields and forest edges. It can be found from Saskatchewan to Nova Scotia. |