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Native Plants

GT319-8

NATIVE PLANTS
HUMBER NURSERIES "GREEN THUMBS GUIDES"

 

This listing of indigenous North American plants, most of which are available from Humber Nurseries, has been produced in response to many inquiries that we have received for this information.  Government funded projects or those requiring Governmental approval are now asking Landscape Architects to use native plant material whenever possible.

 

  The majority of plants listed grow naturally in Ontario. Some are hardy in this province but may come from a more western or southern area.  It is of course not merely sufficient that plants be native but also that they be appropriate to the site – dry grassland, shady woods, pond side or wet areas etc.

NATIVE TREES

 

Abies balsamea
A. concolor
A. fraseri
A. lasiocarpa
Acer negundo
A. nigrum
A. pennsylvanicum
A rubrum
A. saccharinum
A. saccharum
A. spicatum
Aesculus glabra
A. octandra
Alnus incana rugosa
Amelanchier canadensis
A. laevis
Aralia spinosa
Asimina triloba
Betula lenta
B. lutea
B. nigra
B. papyrifera
B. populifolia
Carpinus caroliniana
Carya cordiformis

C. glabra

C. illinoensis
C. ovata
C. tomentosa
Castanea dentata
Catalpa speciosa
Celtis occidentalis
Cercis canadensis
Chamaecyparis nootkatensis
Chionanthus virginicus
Cladrastis lutea
Cornus alternifolia
C. florida
Crataegus crusgalli
C. mollis
C. phaenopyrum
C. pruinosa
Diospyros virginiana
Euonymus atropurpureus
Fagus grandiflora
Fraxinus americana
F. nigra
F. pennsylvanica
F. quadrangulata
Gleditsia triancanthos
Gymnocladus dioicus
Halesia carolina
Hamamelis virginiana
Juglans cinerea
J. nigra
Juniperus scopulorum
J. virginiana
Balsam Fir
Silver (White) Fir
Fraser Fir
Rocky Mountain Fir
Manitoba Maple (Box Elder)
Black Maple
Striped Maple (Moosewood)
Red Maple
Silver Maple
Sugar Maple
Mountain Maple
Ohio Buckeye
Yellow Buckeye
Speckled (Hazel) Alder
Shadblow (Downy) Serviceberry
Allegany Serviceberry
Devil’s Walking Stick
Common Paw Paw
Sweet Birch
Yellow (Silver) Birch
River Birch
Paper Birch
Gray Birch
American Hornbeam (Blue  Beech)
Bitternut Hickory
Pignut Hickory
Northern Pecan
Shagbark Hickory
Mockernut Hickory
American Chestnut
Northern Catalpa
Common Hackberry
Eastern Redbud
Nootka False Cypress
Fringetree
Yellowwood
Pagoda Dogwood
Flowering Dogwood
Cockspur Hawthorn
Downy Hawthorn
Washington Hawthorn
Frosted Hawthorn
Common Persimmon
Eastern Wahoo
American Beech
White Ash
Black Ash
Green Ash
Blue Ash
Common Honeylocust
Kentucky Coffeetree
Carolina Silverbell
Common Witchhazel
Butternut
Black Walnut
Rocky Mountain Juniper
Eastern Red Cedar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Larix laricina
Liquidambar styraciflua
Liriodendron tulipfera
Maclura pomifera
Magnolia acuminata
Malus ioensis
Morus rubra
Nyssa sylvatica
Ostrya virginiana
Oxydendrum arboreum
Picea glauca
P. glauca var. conica
P. glauca densata
P. mariana
P. pungens
P. pungens var. glauca
P. banksiana
P. flexilis
P. ponderosa
P. resinosa
P. strobus
Platanus occidentalis
Populus balsamifera
P. deltoides
P. grandidentata
P. tremuloides
Prunus americana
P. pensylvanica
P. serotina
P. virginiana
Ptelea trifoliata
Quercus alba
Q. bicolor
Q. coccinea
Q. imbricaria
Q. macrocarpa
Q. palustris
Q. rubra
Rhododendron maximum
Rhus glabra
R. typhina
Robinia pseudoacacia
Salix discolor
S. nigra
Sassafras albidum
Sorbus americana
S. decora
Taxodium distichum
Thuja occidentalis
Tilia americana
Tsuga canadensis
Ulmus americana
Viburnum lentago
V. prunifolium
Zanthoxylum americanum

Eastern Larch
American Sweetgum
Tuliptree
Osage-orange
Cucumbertree Magnolia
Prairie Crabapple
Red Mulberry
Black Tupelo
Ironwood (Hop Hornbeam)
Sourwood
White Spruce
Dwarf Alberta Spruce
Black Hills White Spruce
Black Spruce
Colorado Spruce
Colorado Blue Spruce
Jack Pine
Limber Pine
Ponderosa Pine
Red Pine
Eastern White Pine
American Planetree
Balsam Poplar
Eastern Poplar
Bigtooth Aspen
Trembling Aspen
American Plum
Pin Cherry
Black Cherry
Chokecherry
Common Hoptree
White Oak
Swamp White Oak
Scarlet Oak
Shingle Oak
Bur Oak
Pin Oak
Red Oak
Rosebay Rhododendron
Smooth Sumac
Staghorn Sumac
Black Locust
Pussy Willow
Black Willow
Sassafras
American Mountain Ash
Showy Mountain Ash
Common Baldcypress
Eastern White Cedar (Arborvitae)
American Linden (Basswood)
Canadian Hemlock
American Elm
Nannyberry
Blackhaw Viburnum
Common Prickly Ash

 
NATIVE SHRUBS

 

Aesculus parviflora
Amorpha canescens
A. fruticosa
Andromeda polifolia
Arctostaphylos uva – ursi
Aronia arbutifolia
A. melanocarpa
A. prunifolia
Calycanthus floridus
Ceanothus americanus
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Clethra alnifolia
Comptomia peregrina
Cornus amomum
C. canadensis
C. racemosa
C. sericea
Diervilla lonicera
Dirca palustris
Elaeagnus commutata
Epigaea repens
Euonymus obovatus
Fothergilla gardenii
F. major
Gaultheria procumbens
Hamamelis vernalis
Hydrangea arborescens
H. quercifolia
Hypericum kalmianum
H. prolificum
Ilex glabra
I. verticillata
Itea virginica
Juniperus communis
J. horizontalis
Kalmia angustifolia
K. latifolia
K. polifolia
Ledum groenlandicum
Leucothoe fontanesiana
Lindera benzoin
Lonicera canadensis
Bottlebrush Buckeye
Leadplant
Indigobush
Bog Rosemary
Bearberry
Red Chokeberry
Black Chokeberry
Purple Chokeberry
Sweetshrub
New Jersey Tea
Buttonbush
Summersweet
Sweetfern
Silky Dogwood
Bunchberry
Gray Dogwood
Red Osier Dogwood
Dwarf Bush Honeysuckle
Leatherwood
Silverberry
Trailing Arbutus
Running Euonymus
Dwarf Fothergilla
Fothergilla
Wintergreen (Checkerberry)
Spring Witchhazel
Smooth Hydrangea
Oakleaf Hydrangea
St. John’s Wort
Shrubby St. John’s Wort
Inkberry
Winterberry
Virginia Sweetspire
Common Juniper
Creeping Juniper
Lambkill Kalmia
Mountain Laurel
Bog Kalmia
Labrador Tea
Drooping Leucothoe
Fly Honeysuckle

 

 

 

 

Mahonia aquifolium
M. repens
Myrica Morella  pensylvanicum
Paxistima canbyi

Physocarpus opulifolius

Pinus aristata
Potentilla fruticosa
Rhododendron catawbiense
Rhus aromatica
Ribes americanum
R. odoratum (aureum)
Robinia hispida
Rosa acicularis
R. carolina
R. setigera
R. virginiana
R. woodsii
Rubus allegheniensis
R. occidentalis
R. odoratus
Salix humilis
Sambucus canadensis
S. pubens
Shepherdia argentea
S. canadensis
Spiraea alba
S. tomentosa
Staphylea trifolia
Symphoricarpus albus
S. orbiculatus
Taxus canadensis
Vaccinium angustifolium
V. corymbosum
V. macrocarpum
Viburnum acerifolium
V. alnifolium
V. cassinoides
V. dentatum
V. rafinesquianum
V. trilobum
Yucca filamentosa
Y. glauca
Oregon Grapeholly
Creeping Oregon Grapeholly
Bayberry
Canby Paxistima (Mountain Lover)
Common Ninebark
Bristlecone Pine
Bush Cinquefoil
Catawba Rhododendron
Fragrant Sumac
American Black Currant
Golden (Clover) Currant
Rose Acacia
Prickly Rose
Carolina (Pasture) Rose
Prairie Rose
Virginia Rose
Mountain Rose
Allegheny Raspberry
Blackcap Rasp berry
Flowering Raspberry
Prairie Willow
Americana Elder
Scarlet Elder
Silver Buffaloberry
Russet Buffaloberry
Meadowsweet
Hard Tack (Steeplebush)
American Bladdeernut
Snowberry
Coralberry
Canadian Yew
Lowbush Blueberry
Highbush Blueberry
American Cranberry
Mapleleaf Viburnum
Hobblebush
Witherod
Arrowood
Rafinesque Viburum
American Highbush Cranberry
Adam’s Needle
Spanish Bayonet

 
NATIVE VINES

 

Aristolochia durior
Bignonia capreolata
Campsis radicans
Celastrus scandens
Clematis virginiana
Dutchman’s Pipe
Crossvine
Trumpet (Hummingbird) Vine
American Bittersweet
Virginsbower

Lonicera dioica
Menispermum canadense
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Smilax rotundifolia
Vitis riparia
Limber Honeysuckle
Common Moonseed
Virginia Creeper
Common Greenbrier
Riverbank Grape

 
NATIVE PERENNIALS FOR SUNNY LOCATIONS

 

Achillea
Agastache foeniculum
Amsonia tabernaemontana
Anaphalis margaritacea
Anemone canadensis
Antennaria dioica
Aquilegia canadensis
Aruncus diocus
Asclepius tuberosa
Aster ericoides
Aster novae angliae, A. novi belgii
Baptisia australis
B. leucopaea & B. pendula
Boltonia asteroides
Bouteloua curipendula
Bouteloua gracilis
Castilleja miniata
Cheloni glabra
C. Lyonii & c. obliqua
Chrysogonum virginianum
Chrysopsis villosa
Cimicifuga racemosa
Coreopsis rosea
Coreopsis verticilata
Dryas octopetala
Hyperiucm buckleyi
Iris cristata
Iris louisisana hybrids
Iris setosa
Iris versicolor
Liatris aspera
Liatris pycnostachya
Liatris cariosa, L. spicata
Lilium canadense
L.  philadelphicum
L.  superbum
Linum perenne
Lobelia cardinalis
L. siphilitica, L.s. ‘Alba’
Lupinus perennis
Lysimachia ciliata
L.  thyrsiflora
Mimulus ringens
Monarda citriodora
M. didyma
M. fistulosa
M. punctata
Monardella montana
Oenothera missouriensis
O. palida, O. speciosa
O. tetragona
Paxistima canbyi
Panicum virgatum
Yarrow
Giant Hyssop
Blue Star
Pearly Everlasting
Meadow Anemone
Pussy Toes
Columbine
Goatsbeard
Butterflyweed
Heath Aster
Michaelmas Daisy

False Indigo
White Baptisia
Boltonia
Side Oats Gramma
Mosquito Grass
Indian Paintbrush
Turtle Head
Pink Turtle Head
Golden Star
Golden Aster
Black Snakeroot
Pink Coreopsis
Threadleaf Coreopsis
Mountain Avens
Blue Ridge St. John’s Wort
Dwarf Crested Iris
Louisiana Iris
Arctic Iris
Blue Flag Iris
Blazing Star
Kansas Gayfeather
Gayfeather
Canada Lily
Prairie Lily
Turk’s Cap Lily
Prairie Flax
Cardinal Flower
Great Lobelia
Wild Lupin
American Loosestrife
Swamp Loosestrife
Monkey Flower
Lemon Bergamot
Bee Balm
Wild Bergamot
Dotted Mint
Mountain Mint
Ozark Sundrops
Evening Primrose
Sundrops
Pachistima
Switch Grass

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Echinacea purpurea
Elymus canadensis
Erigeron compositus
E. speciosus
Eryngium yuccafolium
Eupatorium coelestinum
E. maculatum, E. purpureum
E. rugosum
Festuca ovina glauca
Filipendula rubra
Fragaria virginiana
Gaillardia aristata
Gaura lindheimerii
Geum triflorum
Gillenia triflorum
Helenium autumnale
H. bigelovii, H. hoopsi
Helianthus decapetalus
H. salicifolius
Heliopsis helianthoides
H. patula, H. scabra
Heracleum sphondulium
Heuchera richardsonii
Heuchera cultivars
Hibiscus palustris
Heiracium umbellatum
Peltiphyllum peltatum

Penstemon barbatus
P.  caespitosa
P.  digitalis
P.  strictus
Phlox subulata cultivars
Physostegia virginiana
Potentilla tridentata
Ratibida columnifera
Rudbeckia cultivars
R. subtomentosa
Ruellia humilis
Salvia lyrata
Sedum oreganum
Sidalcea malvaeflora
Silene caroliniana
Silphium laciniatum
S. perfoliatum
Sisyrinchium agnustifolium
Smilacina racemoza, S. stellata
Solidago candensis
S. rigida
Thermopsis caroliniana
Tradescantia x andersoniana
T. a ohiensis
T. virginiana
Verbena canadensis
Purple Coneflower
Canadian Wild Rye
Mountain Fleabane
Daisy Fleabane
Rattlesnake Master
Mist Flower
Joe Pye Weed
White Snakeroot
Blue Fescue
Queen of the Prairie
Wild Strawberry
Blanket Flower
Gaura
Prairie Smoke
Bowman’s Root
Helenium
 
Sunflower
 
Heliopsis
 
Cow Parsnip
Alum Root
Coral Bells
Rose Mallow
Hawkweed
Umbrella Plant
Red Penstemon
Mat Penstemon
Foxglove Penstemon
Rocky Mountain Penstemon
Ground Phlox
Obedient Plant
Creeping Cinquefoil
Mexican Hat
Black-eyed Susan
Sweet Susan
Wild Petunia
Cancer Weed
Oregon Stonecrop
Checkerbloom
Mountain Pink
Compass Plant
Cup Plant
Blue Eyed Grass
Solomon’s Plume
Golden Rod
Stiff Golden Rod
Carolina Lupine
Spiderwort
Spiderwort
Spiderwort
Vervain

 
NATIVE PERENNIALS FOR SHADE LOCATIONS

 

Actea alba, A. rubra, A. neglecta
Anemonela thalictroides
Arisaema triphyllum
Asarum canadense
Caulophyllum thalictroides
Chrysogonum virginianum
Cornus canadensis
Cypripedium acaule
C. pubescens
Delphinium tricorne
Dentaria laciniata
Dicentra canadensis
D. cucullaria
Dodecatheon meadii
Gaultheria procumbens
Gentiana andrewsii
Gillenia triflorum
Hepatica americana, H. nobilis
Hydrastis canadenis
Mertensia virginica
Baneberry

Meadow Rue Anemone
Jack in the Pulpit
Wild Ginger
Blue Cohosh
Golden Star
Bunchberry
Pink Lady’s Slipper
Yellow Lady’s Slipper
Dwarf Larkspur
Pink Toothwort
Squirrel Corn
Dutchman’s Breeches
Shooting Star
Wintergreen
Bottle Gentian
Bowman’s Root
Livewort
Golden Seal
Virginia Blue Bells
Pachysandra procumbens
Phlox divaricata
P. stolonifera
Podophyllum peltatum
Polemonium van bruntiae
P. pulcherrimum
Polygonatum commutatum
Sanguinaria candensis
Stylophorum diphyllum
Teucrium canadense
Thalictrum dasycarpum
Tiarella cordifolia
Tovara virginiana
Trillium species
Uvularia perfoliata
Vaccinium vitis-ideae
Vernonia fasciculata
Viola blanda
V. rontudifolia
V. canadensis
Allegheny Spurge
Woodland Phlox
Creeping Phlox
May Apple
Bog Jacob’s Ladder
Dwarf Polemonium
Solomon’s Seal
Bloodroot
Golden Wood Poppy
American Wood Sage
Purple Meadow Rue
Foam Flower
Tovara
Trillium
Bellwort
Lingonberry
Iron Weed
Sweet White Violet
Yellow Violet
Canadian Violet
 

 
NATIVE GRASSES

 

Acorus calamus
Andropogon gerardii
A. scoparius
(Schyzachyrium s.)
Bouteloua curtipendula
B. graclis
Bromus kalmii
Calamagrostis canadensis
Carex grayi
C. muskingumensis
C. pensylvatica
C. plantaginea
Chasmanthium latifolium
Deschampsia caespitosa
Elymus canadensis
Sweet Flag
Big Blue Stem
Little Blue Stem

Side Oats Grama
Mosquito Grass
Prairie Brome
Blue Joint Gras
Gray’s Sedge
Palm Sedge Grass
Pennsylvanian Sedge
Plantain Sedge
Northern Sea Oats
Tufted Hair Grass
Canadian Wild Rye
Elymus virginicus
Festuca rubra
F. glauca (F. caesia)
Hierochloa odorata
Hystrix patula
Koeleria cristata
Panicum virgatum
Phalaris arundinacea
Phragmites australis
Sorghastrum nutans
Spartina synosuroides
S. pectinata
S.pectinata aureavariegata
Sporobolus heterlepsis
Wild Rye
Red Fescue
Blue Fescue
Sweet Grass
Bottle Brush Grass
Crested June Grass
Switch Grass
Reed Canary Grass
Common Reed
Indian Grass
Cord Grass
Cord Grass
Variegated Cord Grass
Prairie Drop Seeds

 
NATIVE FERNS

 

Adiantum pedatum
Aspenium ebeniodes
A. platyneuron
Athyrium felix-femina
A. f.f. vernoniae cristata
Cheilanthus lanosa
Cystopteris bulbifera
Dennstedtia punctiloba
Dryopteris filix-mas ‘Bamesii’
D. polydactyla
D. goldiana
D. marginalis
D. recurvata
D. spinulosa (D. carthusiana)
D. thelypteris (D. palustris)
Maidenhair Fern
Dragon’s Tail Fern
Ebony Spleenwort
Lady Fern
Crested Lady Fern
Hairy Fern
Bulblet Bladder Fern
Hay Scented Fern
Barne’s Male Fern
Crested Male Fern
Goldies Fern
Leather Wood Fern
Oak Leaf Shield Fern
Toothed Wood Fern
Marsh Fern
 
  Matteuccia struthiopteris
Onoclea sensibilis
Osmunda cinnamomea
Osmunda regalis
Osmunda regalis cristata
Polystichum acrostichoides
Polystichum brauni
Polystichum munitum
Polystichum setiferum ‘Angulare’
Polystichum setiferum plumosum
Pteridium aquilinum
Thelypteris phegopteris
Woodsia obtusa
Woodwardia flimbriata
Woodwardia Virginica
Ostrich Fern
Sensitive Fern
Cinnamon Fern
Royal Fern
Crested Royal Fern
Christmas Fern
Braun’s Holly Fern
Western Sword Fern
Alaskan Fern

Soft Shield Fern

Bracken Fern
Beech Fern
Cliff Fern
Giant Chain Fern
Virginia Chain Fern

 
NATIVE WATER AND BOG PLANTS

 

Acorus Calamus
Asclepias incarnata
Azolla caroliniana
Calamagrostis canadensis
Caltha palustris
Carex muskingumensis
C. plantaginea
Ceratophyllum demersum
Dryopteris palustris (Thelypteris p.)
Dulichium arundinaceum
Elodia canadensis
Equisetum fluviatile
E. hyemale robustum
E. scirpoides
Eriophorum angustifolium
Eupatorium rugosum
Filipendula rubra
Hippurus vulgaris
Iris cristata
I. versicolor
 
Sweet Flag
Swamp Milkweed
Fairy Moss
Blue Joint Grass
Marsh Marigold
Palm Leaf Sedge
Plantain Sedge
Hornwort
Marsh Fern

Water Bamboo
Water Thyme
Horsetail
Giant Horsetail
Dwarf Horsetail
Cotton Grass
Joe Pye Weed
Queen of Prairie
Mare’s Tail
Crest Iris
Blue Flag Iris
 

Juncus effusus
Lemna minor
Lobelia cardinalis
L. siphilitica
Lobelia siphilitica alba
Menyanthes trifoliata
Mimulus ringens
Nuphar luteum
Nymphaea odorata
Osmunda cinnamomea
O. claytonia
O. regalis
Peltiphyllum peltatum (Darmera)
Phalaris arundinacea
Phragmites communis
Pontederia cordata
Potentilla palustris
Sagittaria latifolia
Sarracenia purpurea
Saururus cernuus
Scirpus validus
Typha angustifolia
T. latifolia
Vallisneria americana
Soft Rush
Duckweed
Cardinal Flower
Blue Lobelia
White Lobelia
Bog Bean
Monkey Flower
Spatterdock
Water Lily
Cinnamon Fern
Interrupted Fern
Royal Fern
Umbrella Plant

Reed Canary Grass
Reed Grass
Pickerel Weed
Water Strawberry
Duck Potato
Pitcher Plant
Lizzard’s Tail
Soft Stem Bullrush
Cattail
Cattail
Jungle Valisneria
 
         

For purposes of the above list, a native plant is considered to be a species which existed in what is now eastern North America prior to the arrival of European settlers (as opposed to a naturalized plant which has escaped into a new habitat because of human influence).  More precisely, a native plant is one that has proven its adaptability to our climate, soils, pathogens and other indigenous species over many thousands of years.

 

 

We encourage you NOT to dig native plants from wild populations due to the serious ethical, legal and scientific considerations involved.  Instead, choose to preserve existing indigenous plants for future generations and purchase well-grown nursery propagated native species.  Such plants have been cultivated and managed to assure successful transplanting and are not only good value in the longer term, but their purchase will encourage the production and availability of even more native plants.

Your accomplishments will benefit garden design, our environment and your spirit.