Choosing native plants for your garden
Pollinators emerge hungry in the early spring and rely on plants that provide nectar and pollen throughout the growing season, including in late fall. Our pollinators, including many species of native bees, have co-evolved over time with native plants. For that reason, anyone interested in attracting pollinators should consider planting natives. It is important never to harvest native plants from the wild. Plants and seeds should be obtained from reputable nurseries.
Additional information on native plants for this region can be found at Wild Pollinator Partners and also at the City of Ottawa.
An important part of encouraging native plants is eliminating invasive plants, and the attached list identifies plants to be avoided.
Aquilegia canadensis – Wild Columbine
Description: Excellent red cut flower.
Attracts: Hummingbirds, long-tongued bees, butterflies and moths.
Photo Credit: J. Labreche
Garden Type: Woodland, border, Average to dry.
Light: Semi-shade.
Soil: well drained calcareous/loam, moss-covered rocks.
Blooming Season: May-June.
Geum triflorum – Prairie Smoke
Description: Interesting reddish purple stalks and sepals (calyx) but pink flower hidden and not showy itself. Excellent as cut stem when fruiting as each seed bears a long showy tail hence the common name.
Attracts: Bumblebees.
Photo credit: G. Boyd
Garden Type: Average to dry meadow or clearing.
Light: Sun.
Soil: well drained calcareous gravelly to sandy.
Blooming Season: May-June.
Phlox divaricata – Woodland Phlox
Description: Excellent scented ice blue cut flower.
Attracts: Diversity of pollinators.
Photo credit: G. Boyd
Garden Type: Damp woodland.
Light: Dappled sunlight.
Soil: calcareous/loam.
Blooming Season: May–June.
Garden Type: Damp.
Light: Full sun.
Soil: calcareous/loam.
Blooming Season: June.
Campanula rotundifolia – Harebell
Description: Excellent blue cut flower.
Attracts: Diversity of pollinators.
Photo credit: G. Boyd
Garden Type: Rock garden, border, average to dry.
Light: Full sun.
Soil: calcareous/loam.
Blooming Season: June – July
Asclepias incarnata – Swamp Milkweed
Description:Excellent pink/white scented cut flower.
Attracts: Diversity of pollinators.
Photo credit: J. Labreche
Garden Type: Moist/damp to average.
Light: Full sun.
Soil: calcareous/loam.
Blooming Season: June – September.
Lysimachia quadrifolia – Whorled Loosestrife
Description: Very good yellow cut flower.
Attracts: Bees
Garden Type: Damp woodland.
Light: Semi shade.
Soil: calcareous/loam.
Blooming Season: June
Description: Excellent red cut flower. Scented foliage.
Attracts: Hummingbirds and butterflies.
Photo credit: G. Boyd
Garden Type: Average to damp.
Light: Sun to part shade.
Soil: Rich neutral loam.
Blooming Season: June-July.
Penstemon digitalis – Foxglove Beardtongue
Description: Tall plant, spikes of white flowers. Very good cut flower.
Attracts: Hummingbirds and butterflies
Photo Credit: J. Labreche
Garden Type: Average to dry.
Light: Full sun to part shade.
Soil: dry to moist well drained calcareous/loam.
Blooming Season: June-July.
Penstemon hirsutus – Hairy Beardtongue
Description: Excellent pink mauve cut flower.
Attracts: Hummingbirds, bees.
Photo credit: J. Labreche
Garden Type: Rock garden, border, average to dry.
Light: Full sun to part shade.
Soil: Calcareous/loam.; medium to dry soil
Blooming Season: June – July.
Ratibida pinnata – Gray-headed Coneflower
Description: Very good yellow cut flower.
Attracts: Bees, butterflies.
Photo credit: G. Boyd
Garden Type: Average to dry meadow or forest clearing.
Light: Sun.
Soil: well drained calcareous loam.
Blooming Season: June-August.
Chamerion augustifolium – Fireweed
Description: Tall showy plant with pinkish-purple flowers
Attracts: Bees and hummingbirds
Photo credit: J. Labreche
Light: Sun and semi-shade
Soil: Prefers well drained soil
Blooming Season: June to September
Echinacea purpurea – Purple Coneflower
Description: Excellent purple cut flower.
Attracts: Bees, butterflies.
Photo credit: J. Labreche
Garden Type: Average.
Light: Sun.
Soil: well drained calcareous/loam.
Blooming Season: June-September.
Heliopsis helianthoides – False Sunflower
Description: Very good yellow cut flower.
Attracts: Bees, butterflies
Garden Type: Average.
Light: Sun.
Soil: well drained calcareous/loam.
Blooming Season: June-September
Rudbeckia hirta – Black-eyed Susan
Description: Very good yellow cut flower.
Attracts: Bees, butterflies and moths
Photo credit: J. Labreche
Garden Type: Average to dry.
Light: Sun.
Soil: well drained calcareous/loam.
Blooming Season: June-September.
Symphiyotrichum cordifolium (syn. Aster) – Heart-leaved Aster
Description: Very good blue-violet cut flower.
Attracts: Bees.
Garden Type: Average to dry.
Light: Full sun to semi-shade.
Soil: calcareous/loam.
Blooming Season: June – October/ will rebloom
Eutrochium maculateum – Spotted Joe Pye Weed
Description:Tall, showy plant with pinkish-purple tubular florets
Attracts: Bees, other pollinators
Photo credit: J. Labreche
Garden Type: Prefers damp soil
Light:
Soil: Sandy, clay or loam
Blooming Season: July
Monarda fistulosa – Wild Bergamot
Description: Excellent mauve cut flower, scented foliage.
Attracts: Bees.
Photo credit: J. Labreche
Garden Type: Average, Meadow.
Light: Full sun.
Soil: Calcareous, loam.
Blooming Season: July.
Garden Type: Average, woodland.
Light: Shade.
Soil: Calcareous, loam.
Blooming Season: July
Scrophularia marilandica – Carpenter’s Square
Description: Interesting inflorescence, smallish reddish brown flower.
Attracts: Bees, flies.
Garden Type: Average, woodland.
Light: Shade.
Soil: Calcareous, loam.
Blooming Season: July
Solidago flexicaulis – Zigzag Goldenrod
Description: Good yellow cut flower.
Attracts: Bees.
Photo credit: G. Boyd
Garden Type: Average, woodland.
Light: Shade.
Soil: Calcareous, loam.
Blooming Season: July.
Lobelia cardinalis – Cardinal Flower
Description: Excellent red cut flower.
Attracts: Hummingbirds.
Photo credit: J. Labreche
Garden Type: Damp to wet.
Light: Full sun.
Soil: Acidic/organic.
Blooming Season: July – August.
Anaphalis margaritacea – Pearly Everlasting
Description: Interesting white, papery cut flower.
Attracts: Bees, butterflies.
Photo credit: J. Labreche
Garden Type: Average to dry meadow or exposed slope.
Light: Sun.
Soil: well drained calcareous loam.
Blooming Season: July-September.
Doellingeria umbellata – Flat-topped Aster
Description: Good white cut flower.
Attracts: Bees.
Photo credit: G. Boyd
Garden Type: Damp to wet.
Light: Sun to part shade.
Soil: Neutral loam.
Blooming Season: July-September.
Helenium autumnale – Sneezeweed
Description: Excellent yellow cut flower.
Attracts: Bees, butterflies.
Photo credit: G. Boyd
Garden Type: Average, damp to dry.
Light: Sun.
Soil: well drained calcareous/loam.
Blooming Season: July-September.
Garden Type: Average to dry.
Light: Sun.
Soil: calcareous/loam.
Blooming Season: August– September.
Solidago altissima – Tall Goldenrod
Description: Excellent yellow scented cut flower.
Attracts: Diversity of pollinators.
Garden Type: Damp to average.
Light: Full sun.
Soil: calcareous/loam.
Blooming Season: Late July – September
Verbena hastata – Blue Vervain
Description: Excellent blue cut flower.
Attracts: Diversity of pollinators.
Garden Type: Damp to average.
Light: Full sun.
Soil: calcareous/loam.
Blooming Season: July – September
