Haliburton Native Plants

Forbs (Herbaceous Perennials)

American Sweet Flag

Perennial wetland plant growing in dense stands, reaching 60-90 cm tall. Features sword-like leaves and a flower spike resembling foliage. Prefers consistently wet or saturated soils and full sun to partial shade. Often found along pond edges, streams, and in marshes. Has historical medicinal and culinary uses. Valuable for wetland restoration, rain gardens, and water feature margins. Provides cover for small wildlife and helps stabilize shorelines. Spreads via rhizomes, forming colonies in suitable conditions.

Anise Hyssop

Herbaceous perennial reaching 60-120 cm tall. Features anise-scented foliage and spikes of lavender-blue flowers blooming for extended period. Prefers well-drained soils and full sun. Drought-tolerant once established. Highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Leaves can be used for tea. Self-seeds readily in favorable conditions.

Azure Aster

Herbaceous perennial growing 60-90 cm tall. Features narrow leaves and azure blue flowers blooming September-October. Prefers well-drained soils and full sun to partial shade. Drought-tolerant once established. Attracts late-season pollinators. Excellent for prairies, meadows, and sunny borders. Provides important late-season nectar source. Also known as Sky Blue Aster. Native to central and eastern North America.

Black-eyed Susan

Short-lived perennial or biennial growing 30-100 cm tall. Features hairy, lance-shaped leaves and showy yellow daisy-like flowers with dark centers, blooming from June to September. Prefers well-drained soils and full sun. Drought-tolerant once established. Attracts butterflies and supports native bees. Excellent for meadows, prairies, and sunny borders. Self-seeds readily. Native to most of North America.

Bloodroot

Blue Vervain

Herbaceous perennial growing 90-150 cm tall. Features lance-shaped, opposite leaves and slender spikes of small, blue-violet flowers blooming July-September. Prefers moist soils and full sun. Attracts butterflies and supports native bees. Suitable for rain gardens, wet meadows, and pond edges. Self-seeds readily in ideal conditions. Native to most of North America.

Bog Goldenrod

Herbaceous perennial reaching 90-150 cm tall. Features narrow leaves and wand-like spikes of yellow flowers. Prefers consistently moist to wet, acidic soils and full sun. Important late-season nectar source. Excellent for rain gardens, wet meadows, and bog gardens.

Butterfly Milkweed

Herbaceous perennial reaching 30-90 cm tall with alternate, lance-shaped leaves. Produces vibrant orange flower clusters in summer, followed by slender seed pods. Prefers well-drained soils and full sun. Extremely drought-tolerant once established. Important nectar source and larval host for monarch butterflies. Attracts various pollinators. Deep taproot makes it difficult to transplant. Suitable for prairie gardens, butterfly gardens, and dry, sunny borders. Native to eastern and southern United States.

Canada Anemone

Rhizomatous perennial reaching 30-60 cm tall. Features palmately-lobed basal leaves and solitary white flowers with yellow centers, blooming late spring to early summer. Prefers moist, rich soils and partial shade to full sun. Spreads aggressively by rhizomes, forming dense groundcover. Suitable for woodland gardens, naturalized areas, and along streams or ponds. Provides early season nectar for pollinators. Can be invasive in ideal conditions, best used in contained areas or where spreading is desired.

Canada Mayflower

Rhizomatous perennial reaching 8-20 cm tall. Features heart-shaped leaves and small spikes of white flowers followed by red berries. Prefers acidic, moist woodland soils and shade. Spreads aggressively by rhizomes to form extensive groundcover. Adaptable to various woodland conditions. Suitable for naturalizing in acidic shade gardens and woodland groundcover. Native to northern North America.

Shrubs

Alternate leaved Dogwood

Deciduous shrub or small tree reaching 5-8 m tall. Features distinctive horizontal branching and alternate leaves, unlike most dogwoods. Produces flat-topped clusters of white flowers in late spring, followed by blue-black berries. Prefers moist, well-drained soils and partial shade. Provides food for birds and wildlife. Adds unique architectural interest to woodland gardens and naturalized landscapes. Native to eastern North America.

American Elderberry

Deciduous shrub growing 1.5-3 m tall. Features compound leaves and large, flat-topped clusters of small white flowers in early summer, followed by edible purple-black berries. Prefers moist, well-drained soils and full sun to partial shade. Attracts pollinators and provides food for birds. Berries used for food and medicine. Suitable for naturalized areas, wildlife gardens, and edible landscapes. Native to eastern and central North America.

American Hazelnut

Deciduous shrub growing 2.5-4.5 m tall. Features rounded, doubly-serrate leaves and produces edible hazelnuts. Male flowers appear as catkins in early spring before leaves emerge. Prefers well-drained soils and full sun to partial shade. Provides food for wildlife and humans. Forms thickets in favorable conditions. Suitable for naturalized areas, wildlife gardens, and edible landscaping. Native to eastern North America.

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Beaked Hazel

Deciduous shrub reaching 2-5 m tall. Features oval, doubly-serrate leaves and produces edible hazelnuts enclosed in distinctive beaked husks. Male flowers appear as catkins in early spring. Prefers well-drained, slightly acidic soils and partial shade. Provides food for wildlife and humans. Suitable for woodland edges, naturalized areas, and understory plantings. Native to northern and western North America.

Bearberry

Evergreen groundcover growing 15-30 cm tall and spreading up to 1.8 m wide. Features small, leathery leaves and clusters of small, pink to white urn-shaped flowers in spring, followed by red berries. Prefers well-drained, acidic soils and full sun to partial shade. Extremely cold-hardy and drought-tolerant once established. Provides year-round interest and food for wildlife. Useful for erosion control on slopes and as a native alternative to non-native groundcovers.

Bebb’s Willow

Deciduous shrub or small tree growing 2-8 m tall. Features elliptical leaves with wavy margins and catkins appearing in early spring. Adaptable to various soil conditions and full sun to partial shade. Tolerates both dry and wet soils. Provides early season food for pollinators and cover for wildlife. Suitable for naturalized areas, wetland margins, and erosion control. Native to most of North America.

Black Chokeberry

Deciduous shrub growing 1-3 m tall. Produces clusters of white flowers in late spring, followed by edible purple-black berries. Features glossy, dark green leaves turning brilliant red in fall. Prefers moist, well-drained acidic soils but adaptable to various conditions. Tolerates full sun to partial shade. Berries are high in antioxidants and attractive to birds. Suitable for hedges, mass plantings, and rain gardens. Native to eastern North America.

Bog Birch

Deciduous shrub growing 1-3 m tall. Features small, rounded leaves and inconspicuous catkins. Bark is smooth and dark brown. Prefers wet, acidic soils and full sun to partial shade. Often found in bogs, fens, and wet meadows. Tolerates seasonal flooding and cold temperatures. Provides food and cover for wildlife. Useful for wetland restoration projects and naturalized areas in moist sites. Native to northern North America.

Buffaloberry

Deciduous shrub reaching 1-3 m tall. Features oval leaves with silvery undersides and small, yellowish flowers in early spring before leaves emerge. Produces edible but bitter red berries. Prefers well-drained soils and full sun to partial shade. Nitrogen-fixing roots improve soil. Drought-tolerant once established. Provides food for wildlife. Suitable for poor soils, woodland edges, and wildlife gardens. Native to northern North America.

Trees

American Plum

Deciduous shrub or small tree growing 3-8 m tall. Features finely toothed, ovate leaves and clusters of fragrant white flowers in early spring before leaves emerge. Produces edible, tart plums. Prefers well-drained soils and full sun to partial shade. Provides food for wildlife and early nectar for pollinators. Suitable for naturalized areas, wildlife gardens, and edible landscapes. Native to eastern and central North America.

American Sycamore

Deciduous tree growing 30-40 m tall with a spreading crown. Features large, maple-like leaves and distinctive mottled bark that peels in patches. Produces round, spiky seed balls. Prefers deep, moist soils and full sun. Tolerates wet soils and urban conditions. Provides nesting sites for birds and food for wildlife. Suitable for large landscapes, parks, and urban settings. Native to eastern North America.

Balsam Poplar

Deciduous tree growing 20-30 m tall with a narrow crown. Features triangular to ovate leaves with serrated edges and fragrant, resinous buds. Prefers moist soils and full sun. Tolerates poor soils and cold temperatures. Fast-growing but short-lived. Provides food and habitat for wildlife. Suitable for windbreaks, erosion control, and reclamation of disturbed sites. Native to northern North America.

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Black Cherry

Deciduous tree growing 15-30 m tall with a narrow to rounded crown. Features finely toothed, lance-shaped leaves and long clusters of small white flowers in late spring. Produces small, dark purple fruits. Prefers well-drained soils and full sun to partial shade. Important food source for birds and wildlife. Valuable timber tree. Suitable for naturalized areas and large landscapes. Native to eastern North America.

Bur Oak

Deciduous tree growing 20-30 m tall with a broad, rounded crown. Features variable, deeply lobed leaves and large acorns with fringed cups. Adaptable to various soil conditions and full sun. Drought-tolerant once established. Important food source for wildlife. Fire-resistant bark. Suitable for large landscapes, parks, and savanna restorations. Native to central and eastern North America.

Butternut

Deciduous tree reaching 15-25 m tall. Features compound leaves and produces edible nuts enclosed in sticky, elongated husks. Prefers rich, moist, well-drained soils and full sun. Provides food for wildlife. Historically valued for its wood and medicinally. Currently threatened by butternut canker disease. Suitable for large landscapes and reforestation projects where disease is not prevalent. Native to eastern North America.

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Eastern Red Cedar

Evergreen tree growing 9-20 m tall with a pyramidal to columnar form. Features scale-like leaves and produces small, blue, berry-like cones. Adaptable to various soil conditions and full sun. Extremely drought-tolerant. Provides year-round cover and food for wildlife. Wood is aromatic and rot-resistant. Suitable for windbreaks, erosion control, and as a native evergreen in challenging sites. Native to eastern and central North America.

Eastern White Pine

Evergreen conifer reaching 20-30 m tall with a pyramidal to rounded crown. Features soft, bluish-green needles in clusters of five and long cones. Prefers well-drained, acidic soils and full sun to partial shade. Important for wildlife habitat and historically valued for timber. Suitable for windbreaks, large landscapes, and as a fast-growing evergreen screen. Native to eastern North America.

Grass

Big Bluestem

Tall, warm-season perennial bunchgrass and state grass of Illinois. Grows 4-8 feet tall forming blue-green clumps through short rhizomes. Deep root system extends 8-15 feet, making it extremely drought tolerant. Distinctive blue-green foliage turns bronze-orange in fall. Produces reddish-purple flowering heads in late summer. Slow to establish but very long-lived once mature. Essential component of tallgrass prairie ecosystems.

Bluejoint grass

Cool-season perennial grass forming loose to dense tufts, reaching 60-150 cm tall. Features flat, lax leaves and open, purplish panicles that turn golden in fall. Prefers moist to wet soils and full sun to partial shade. Spreads by rhizomes, forming colonies in favorable conditions. Important for wetland habitats, providing cover and nesting material for wildlife. Effective for erosion control along shorelines. Suitable for rain gardens, meadows, and naturalized areas.

Bottlebrush Grass

Cool-season perennial grass reaching 0.6-1.2 m tall. Features green foliage and distinctive bottlebrush-like seed heads that persist into winter. Blooms in mid to late summer. Prefers well-drained soils and partial shade to full sun. Tolerates dry conditions once established. Provides food and cover for wildlife. Adds unique texture to garden designs. Suitable for woodland edges, partially shaded meadows, and naturalized areas.

Sedges

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