The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority

Riverine Flood Status
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Lake Simcoe Shoreline Status
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Low Water Status
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Native Species in the Lake Simcoe Watershed

100 natives species you can source

​When you add native plants to your landscape, they won’t be the only colourful and amazing things you’ll see! That’s because native plants will attract birds, butterflies and other wildlife to your garden, drawn by their natural food and habitat sources.

Need some help getting started? Your native plants will depend on the conditions in your garden. Take a look at some of your options by clicking each category below:

Close up view of Nodding wild onion flowers.
Nodding wild onion
Close up view of Prairie smoke flowers. Several green stalks of vegetation are also visible in the background.
Prairie Smoke
Close up view of a Sensitive fern.
Sensitive Fern
Close up view of a Monarch Butterfly resting on a Swamp milkweed flower.
Swamp Milkweed
Close up view of a Virginias bower flower.
Virginias Bower
Several Wild bergamot flowers in various stages of bloom along a wooden fence.
Wild Bergamot
Close up view of a New England aster.
New England Aster
Close up view of a Wild columbine flower.
Wild Columbine
Close up view of a Bloodroot flower. Several Bloodroot flowers are visible in the background along a wooden fence.
Bloodroot
Close up view of a bee sitting on a Butterfly Milkweed flower.
Butterfly Weed
Close up view of a Marsh Marigold.
Marsh Marigold
A yellow butterfly rests on a Joe pye weed, surrounded by lush green vegetation in the forest.
Joe Pye Weed

Sunny Meadows: full sun, dry soils

  • Anise Hyssop, Agastache foeniculum
  • Black Snakeroot, Ageratina altissima
  • Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta
  • Butterfly Weed, Aslecpias tuberosa
  • Calico Aster, Symphyotrichum lateriflorum
  • Cylindrical Blazingstar, Liatris cylindracea
  • Dense Blazingstar, Liatris spicata
  • Early Goldenrod, Solidago juncea
  • Evening Primrose, Oenothera biennis
  • Fireweed, Chamaenerion angustifolium
  • Golden Alexander, Zizia aurea
  • Hairy Beardtongue, Penstemon hirsutus
  • Hoary Vervain, Verbena stricta
  • New England Aster, Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
  • Nodding Wild Onion, Allium cernuum
  • Pearly Everlasting, Anaphalis margaritacea
  • Prairie Smoke, Geum triflorum
  • Red Columbine, Aquilegia canadensis
  • Scarlet Beebalm, Monarda didyma
  • Sky-Blue Aster, Symphyotrichum oolentangiense
  • Smooth Aster, Symphyotrichum cordifolium
  • Spotted Geranium, Geranium maculatum
  • Spotted Joe Pye Weed, Eutrochium maculatum
  • Wild Bergamot, Monarda fistulosa
  • Wild Blue Lupine, Lupinus perennis
  • Wild Strawberry, Fragaria virginiana
  • Woodland Sunflower, Helianthus divaricatus

Woodland Wonderland: part shade, drier soils

  • Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis
  • Blue-stemmed Goldenrod, Solidago caesia
  • Canada Violet, Viola canadensis
  • Canada Wild Ginger, Asarum canadense
  • Downy Yellow Violet, Viola pubescens
  • Dutchman’s Breeches, Dicentra cucullaria
  • Foamflower, Tiarella cordifolia
  • Foxglove Beardtongue, Penstemon digitalis
  • Giant Solomon’s Seal , Polygonatum biflorum
  • Heartleaf aster, Symphyotrichum cordifolium
  • Jack in the Pulpit, Arisaema triphyllum
  • Large-flowered Bellwort, Uvularia grandiflora
  • Mayapple, Podophyllum peltatum
  • Red Columbine, Aquilegia canadensis
  • Red Trillium , Trillium erectum
  • Round-lobed hepatica, Hepatica americana
  • Sensitive Fern, Onoclea sensibilis
  • Sharp-lobed Hepatica, Hepatica acutiloba
  • Trout Lily, Erythronium americanum
  • Upland White Goldenrod, Solidago ptarmicoides
  • Virgin’s Bower, Clematis virginiana
  • Virginia Waterleaf, Hydrophyllum virginianum
  • White Trillium, Trillium grandiflorum
  • White Wood Aster, Eurybia divaricata
  • Wood ferns, Dryopteris spp.
  • Wood Poppy, Stylophorum diphyllum
  • Woodland Strawberry, Fragaria vesca
  • Woodland Sunflower, Helianthus divaricatus
  • Zigzag Goldenrod, Solidago flexicaulis

We like wet feet: full sun to partial shade, wetter soils

  • Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis
  • Blue Flag Iris, Iris versicolor
  • Blue Vervain, Verbena hastata
  • Bog Goldenrod, Solidago uliginosa
  • Canada Anemone, Anemonastrum canadense
  • Canada violet, Viola canadensis
  • Cardinal Flower, Lobelia cardinalis
  • Common boneset, Eupatorium perfoliatum
  • Culvert’s Root, Veronicastrum virginicum
  • Cup plant, Silphium perfoliatum
  • Fireweed, Chamaenerion angustifolium
  • Great Blue Lobelia, Lobelia siphilitica
  • Green headed Coneflower, Rudbeckia laciniata
  • Grey headed coneflower, Ratibida pinnata
  • Large-flowered Bellwort, Uvularia grandiflora
  • Marsh Marigold, Caltha palustris
  • New England Aster, Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
  • Obedient Plant, Physostegia virginiana
  • Spotted Jewelweed, Impatiens capensis
  • Spotted Joe Pye Weed, Eutrochium maculatum
  • Swamp Aster, symphyotrichum puniceum
  • Swamp Milkweed, Asclepias incarnata
  • Tall Meadow-rue, Thalictrum pubescens
  • Virginia Mountain Mint, Pycnanthemum virginianum
  • White Turtlehead, Chelone glabra
  • Yellow Ladies Slipper, Cypripedium parviflorum

Fancy a fern?

  • Christmas Fern, Polystichum acrostichoides
  • Cinnamon fern, Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
  • Maidenhair Fern, Adiantum pedatum
  • Ostrich Fern, Matteuccia struthiopteris
  • Sensitive Fern, Onoclea sensibilis
  • Wood ferns, Dryopteris marginalis

Gimme some Grasses

  • Big Bluestem, Andropogon gerardii
  • Indian Grass, Sorghastrum nutans
  • Little Bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium
  • Pennsylvania Sedge, Carex pensylvanica
  • Prairie Dropseed, Sporobolus heterolepis
  • Side Oats Grama, Bouteloua curtipendula
  • Switchgrass, Panicum virgatum

Devine Vines

  • Purple Clematis, Clematis occidentalis
  • Riverbank Grape, Vitis riparia
  • Virgin’s Bower, Clematis virginiana
  • Virginia Creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia​

Goodbye Grass, Hello Groundcover!​

  • Bladder Sedge, Carex intumescens (Foot-traffic friendly)
  • Pennsylvania Sedge, Carex pensylvanica (Foot-traffic friendly)
  • Wild Strawberry, Fragaria virginiana (Foot-traffic friendly)
  • Bearberry, Arctistaphylos uva-ursi(Perfect for lining driveways! Berries for the birds, winter interest, tolerates salt)
  • Wild blue phlox, Phlox divericata (Spring colour, good for pollinators)
  • Common Violet, Viola sororia (Spring colour, good for pollinators)
  • Wild Geranium, Geranium maculatum (Drought tolerant, good for pollinators)
  • Wild Ginger, Asarum canadense (Velvety heart-shaped leaves​)​​

phone icon   Who to Contact 

Restoration
905-895-1281
1-800-465-0437 Toll free
restoration@LSRCA.on.ca

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