Native Flowers and Pollinators

Native Flowers and Pollinators Edible Berries Ferns Groundcovers Native Trees

Aster - Douglas - Aster subspicatus Attracts Beneficial

Colourful purple flowers in late August / early September that not only add beauty to your landscape but are also a great food source for native pollinators and honey bees towards the end of the season.

Grows: 30-120 cm tall, cut back in the fall

Black-eyed Susan - Attracts Beneficial

The Black-eyed Susan is also the easiest to grow. A single plant can produce an extravagant floral display over much of the summer and planted in masses it is simply stunning! A self-seeding biennial, it is not picky about soil conditions and will grow just about anywhere.

Colour: Yellow Blooms: Mid to Late Summer Light: Full Sun to Part Shade
Height: 1' – 3' Soil: Sand to Clay Water: Dry to Medium
Matures in 85-90 days

Common Camas - Camassia quamash Edible Bulb

Highly ornamental - beautiful spring flowering bulb. Grows well in a variety of conditions but does best in organically rich and acidic soils that are moist in the winter and spring but dry during the summer months. The bulbs were harvested and pit-roasted or boiled by various First Nations people. Always ensure proper identification before eating. Similar looking toxic species exist.

Goldenrod - Solidago canadensis Attracts Beneficial

Grows best in moist organically rich soil in the full sun but can tolerate drier soils for short periods. Produces large tops of yellow flowers that bloom throughout from August to October. Great at attracting natural pollinators and honey bees.

Grows: 30-120 cm tall, cut back to 15cm in the fall to create habitat for pollinators

Lupin (Large Leafed) - Lupinus polyphyllus Attracts Beneficial

Spectacular blue to violet wild flower – flowers mid Spring through late summer. Produces ornamental pea like pods. Great for attracting birds, butterflies and bees to the garden. Grows well in full sun to partial shade and prefers well drained soil. This member of the legume family benefits the soil and plants growing in the vicinity with its nitrogen fixing abilities.

Height: 1-1.5m (3-5 ft) tall Spread: 30-45cm (12-18in)

Nodding Onion - Allium cernuum Edible Greens / Bulb

Edible greens – basically a native chive with a stronger onion smell and flavour. The bulbs can also be eaten. Grows best in full sun to light shade. Plant in well-draining, gravelly or sandy soil. Requires minimal moisture once established. Attractive delicate pink / purple flowers bloom mid summer. Attracts bees, hummingbirds and butterflies.

Height: 15-30 cm

Nootka Rose – Rosa nutkana Edible Petals /Attracts Bees

A great addition to any landscape – thrives in a wide variety of conditions. As beautiful as domesticated roses and easier to maintain with less disease issues. They are also drought tolerant once established. Easy to prune and maintain as required. Flowers attract bees and hummingbirds to the garden. First Nations People used Nootka Rose for a variety of food and medicinal purposes.

Tall Oregon Grape – Mahonia aquifolium Edible Berries / Attracts Beneficial

A great evergreen shrub that grows in full sun in well draining, organically rich soil. Produces yellow flowers early in the spring which provide a great food source for native pollinators and honey bees. Produces tart berries with large seeds which were eaten by some First Nations Peoples. Generally the berry were mixed with other sweeter berries. Today people use the berries to make jellies and wines.

Grows: 1-1.5m tall, takes an aggressive pruning.

Red Columbine – Aquiliga formosa Attracts Beneficial

Elegant, colourful flowers starting in April and continuing throughout the summer. Grows in a variety of conditions but thrives in moist well-draining soil in full sun to light shade. Great for attracting bees and hummingbirds to your garden. Cut back tall stalks once seed heads have dispersed if you would like to increase there presence in the garden.

Height: 30-60+ cm

Red Flowering Currant - Ribes sanguineum Attracts Beneficial

One of the first plants to flower out – clusters of pink to red flowers form in early spring before leaves even develop. Great at attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to the garden. They prefer well drained soil and full sun but can tolerate quite a variety of conditions. Can be left natural or pruned quite dramatically in the early spring or late fall depending upon your desire. Berries were eaten by some First Nations people but mainly as subsistence food as they are quite bitter.

Height: 1-3m (3-10ft) Spread: 1-3m (3-10ft)

Western Bleeding Heart - Dicentra formosa Attracts Beneficial

This beautiful non-edible native plant produces soft pinkish-purple heart-shaped flowers on soft ferny foliage in late spring/early summer and then tends to go dormant before emerging in the fall with a second lighter flush of flowers. Does well in both full and partial shade as long as the soil is lightly acidic, well drained and moist.

Height: 15-30cm (6-20in) Spread: 15-30cm (6-20in)

Wooly Sunflower – Eriophyllum lanatum Attracts Beneficial

Drought tolerant, showy perennial groundcover. Grows best in full sun but will still flower in partial shade – requires minimal moisture once established. Tolerates poor soil as long as it drains well. Not a true sunflower but produces lots of 2-4cm yellow flowers from May – August and as an attractive silver / grey foliage. Attracts bees and other beneficial insects and pollinators to the garden. Grows 10-40cm tall and spreads slowly. Also known as Oregon Sunshine because of its showy flowers.

Yarrow -Achillea millefolium Attracts Beneficial

Great herbaceous perennial that grows well in a variety of soil conditions – but prefers well draining soil. Spreads by rhizomes. Useful as a tall growing ground cover. Attracts natural pollinators, butterflies and honey bees.

Grows: 15-90 cm tall, cut back in the fall or early spring