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Native plants for sunny meadows
(sun-loving species that are indigenous to eastern Ontario)
Links are to photographs taken by Irving Dardick; to view his complete collection Wildflowers and other flora of Eastern Ontario and the Fletcher Wildlife Garden, click here.
Shrubs
Approximate heights at maturity are given along with soil conditions: D=dry, M=moist, W=wet
- Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.), 5-10 m [D]
- Hawthorns (Crataegus spp.), to 10 m [M,D]
- Common elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), to 3 m [M,D]
- Flowering raspberry (Rubus odoratus), 1-2 m [M]
- Highbush cranberry (Viburnum trilobum), 1-4 m [W,M]
- Wild raisin (V. cassinoides), to 5 m [M]
- Nannyberry (V. lentago), to 6 m [W,M]
- Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus), 1 m [D]
- Pin cherry (Prunus pensylvanica), to 12 m [M,D]
- Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata), 3-4 m [M]
- Wild rose (Rosa acicularis), 1 m [M,D]
- Cucumber vine (Echinocystis lobata), 3 m or more [D]
- Willow spp. (Salix spp.), 1-6 m depending on sp. [W,M]
Perennials
We've included flower colour, flowering times, and approximate height to help you plan your garden.
- Wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana), white, Apr-Jun, 3-6"
- Anemone (Anemone canadensis), white, May-Jul, 1-2 ft
- Bedstraws, white
- Northern (Galium boreale), May-Aug
- Fragrant (G. triflorum), Jun-Aug
- Rough (G. asprellum), Jul-Sep
- Cleavers (G. aparine), Jul-Sep
- Pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea), white, Jul-Sep, 1-3 ft
- Pussytoes (Antennaria sp.) white, Apr-May
- Daisy fleabane (Erigeron annuus), white, May-Oct
- Common fleabane (E. philadelphicus), pink, Apr-Jul, 6-30"
- Asters
- Flat-topped (A. umbellatus), white, Aug-Sep, 2-7 ft, thickets, edges, e. Canada south
- Small white (A. vimineus), white, Aug-Oct, 2-5 ft
- Heath (A. ericoides), white, Jul-Oct, 1-3 ft
- New England (A. novae-angliae), purple, Aug-Oct, 3-7 ft
- Common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis), yellow, Jun-Sep, 1-5 ft
- Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), yellow, Jun-Oct, 1-3 ft
- Tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata), yellow, May-Aug, 1-2 ft
- Shrubby St Johnswort (Hypericum spathulatum) yellow, Jul-Sep, 1-4 ft
- Cinquefoils
- Common (Potentilla simplex), yellow, Apr-Jun, 6-20"
- Dwarf (P. canadensis), yellow, May-Jun, 2-4"
- Shrubby (P. fruticosa), yellow, Jun-Oct, 1-3 ft
- Rough (P. norvegica), yellow, Jun-Oct, 1-3 ft
- Yellow wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta), yellow, May-Oct, 6-15" (distinguish from creeping wood sorrel which is alien)
- Goldenrods
- Grey (Solidago nemoralis), yellow, Jul-Nov, 0.5-2 ft
- Tall (S. altissima), yellow, Aug-Nov, 3-6 ft
- Canada (S. canadensis), yellow, Jul-Sep, 1-5 ft
- Lance-leaved (S. graminifolia), yellow, Jul-Oct, 1-4 ft
- Bergamot (Monarda didyma), Jul-Aug, 2-3 ft
- Fireweed (Epilobium augustifolium), pink, Jul-Sep, 3-7 ft
- Steeplebush (Spirea tomentosa), pink, Jul-Sep, 2-4 ft
- Phlox (Phlox paniculata), pink, Jul-Oct, 2-6 ft
- Sleepy catchfly (Silene antirrhina), pink or white, May-Sep, 8-30"
- Meadowsweet (Spirea latifolia), pink, Jun-Sep, 1-4 ft
- Narrow leaved verbena (Verbena stricta), purple, May-Sep, 1-2 ft
- Vervain (V. hastata), blue, Jul-Sep, 1-3 ft
- Spreading dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium), pink, Jun-Jul, 1-4 ft
- Common milkweed (Aesclepias syriaca), pink, Jun-Aug, 3-5 ft
- Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
- Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium sp.), blue, May-Jun, 6"
- Indian tobacco (Lobelia inflata), blue, Jul-Oct, 6-30"
- Pale spike lobelia (L. spicata), blue to white, Jun-Aug
Other possibilities
Regional meadows are dominated by grass species. However, identifying native grasses is a task for an expert. The following are recommended by the Federation of Ontario Naturalists in its informative publication, Natural Invaders.
- Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
- Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
- Bottle-brush grass (Hystrix patula)
- Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
And we like
- Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans)
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