Native Bee & Butterfly Pollinators of the Ottawa Valley
Prairie Garden: Sandy Dry Soil
Not So Hollow Farm suggests:
Choose an open sunny location
"Butterflies require warm temperatures and bright conditions to fly and forage. Selecting a space with more than 6 hours of sunlight will increase the amount of plant species available and the likelihood that butterflies will stay and feed."
Aim for continuous bloom
"Choosing species that bloom in different periods of the growing season will allow a garden to always have something to offer for butterflies. Generally, this can be broken down into spring, summer and fall blooming plants."
Create blocks of colour
"A garden will be discovered by butterflies more easily with groupings of individual plant species. This will better serve them by allowing them to spot the location and efficiently gather nectar by minimizing movement. Plant diversity should be tempered based on the size and scale of the project. It’s better to have healthy groupings of a few species as opposed to a wide diversity of singular plants."
https://notsohollowfarm.ca/native-plants-for-a-butterfly-garden/
*Piet Inspired Selections
"Piet Oudolf is a Dutch plantsman and one of the most famous garden designers in the world today. His artistic approach of using plants to create a wild, natural garden has led to his prominence. Some of his notable garden designs are the High Line in New York City, Lurie Gardens in Chicago and Hummelo his garden."
Piet's designs are centred around plant species that visually create a wild, natural feel. He often uses North American native species for this very reason.
https://notsohollowfarm.ca/store/Piet-Inspired-Selections-c112647251
Black-Eyed Susan
Scientific Name: Var. pulcherrima Farw.3
Height: 2 ft
Bloom period: blooms biennially
Propagation: reseeds quickly so flowers are seen every year.1 or by division ofroots4
Companion: with purple Coneflower or Wild Bergamot1
Resilient: drought-tolerant1
Spacing:
Herb: is used for colds, flu, infections, parasitic worms, snake bites, sores, swelling and dropsy.(roots & leaves)
Not edible, seeds are poisonous.
Yellow flowers can make a nice dye.
Sun requirements:
1.onplants.ca2
.m.Wikipedia.org
3.northernontarioflora.ca
4.Ruggedthuglife.com
5.Plants.ces.ncsu.edu
Blue Asters
Scientific Name: Symphyotrichum (24 species) laeve
New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Height: 1 -4 ft
Bloom period: blooms late summer/fall
Propagation: perennials can be divided or by seed
Companion: with purple Coneflower or Black-eyed susan, goldenrods, sunflowers & grasses
Resilient: drought-tolerant
Spacing:
Not edible or medicinal
Sun requirements: full sun to partial shade
1.uwaterloo.ca
2.gardeningknowhow.com
3.Inournaturegarden.ca
4.Gardenia.net5.Onplants.ca
6.Ontariowildflowers.com
Daisy Fleabane
Scientific Name: can grow to 3 feet tall,daisy-like flowers1
Height: 1-3 ft
Bloom period: summer to fall
Propagation: creeping rhizomes, spread by stolons1
Companion: with purple Coneflower or Wild Bergamot1
Resilient: drought-tolerant
Spacing:
Herb: traditionally used as an antimicrobial, neuroprotective, digestion, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. Leaves are edible, a little hairy, best cooked4
Sun requirements: Sun to Partial Shade
1.geckogreen.com
2.gardeningknowhow.com
3.eclecticschoolofherbalmedicine.com
4.Ediblewildfood.com
5.Gardenista.com6.Bing.com
7.Rhs.org.uk
Ternate-leaf Cinquefoil
Scientific Name: Potentilla norvegica
Height: .5-2 ft
Bloom period:
Propagation: division with at least one stem and two sets of leaves
Companion:
Resilient: drought-tolerant
Spacing:
Edible Herb: (small amounts)antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, digestive problems, menstrual cramps, bleeding.
Sun requirements: Sun to Partial Shade3
1.Illinoiswildflowers.info
2.Practicalplants.org
3.Pfaf.org
4.Inaturalist.org
Above plants identified through PlantNet app
Bluebells
Scientific name: Campanula rotundifolia
Woodland Goldenrod
Scientific Name: Solidago flexicaulis1
Propagation: by division or seeds
Companion: blue asters
Resilient: to drought
Birds eat the seeds in the winter.3
Leaves can be eaten or cooked.3
Sun Requirements: full sun
Yarrow
Scientific Name: Achillea millefolium
Height: 2-3 feet (60-90 cm)
Spread: 2-3 feet (60-90 cm)
Blooms: June to September
Propagation: can be invasive
Sun requirements: full sun
Resilient: dry to medium
Habitat: Open woods and meadows
1.https://www.localgardener.net/wildflowers-for-your-garden/
2.https://notsohollowfarm.ca/perennial-gallery/white-yarrow/
*Coneflower
Scientific Name: Echinacea purpurea
Height: 2 ft.
Blooms: purple-pink flowers that bees love, spring, summer
Propagation:
Companion:
Resilient: to drought
Sun requirements: full sun, partial shade
Butterfly Milkweed
*Scientific Name: Asclepias tuberosa
Height:3 ft.
Blooms: June to August
Propagation: deep taproots, self-seeding
Companion: Black-eyed Susan, Little Bluestem.
Resilient: to drought
Sun Requirements: full sun
Butterflies: Monarch caterpillars love to eat the tender young leaves, and will fly south to Mexico, the only ones known to migrate as birds do.
Common Milkweed
Ninwanzh (Anishinaabemowin)
Scientific Name: Asclepias syriaca
Height: 3-5 ft.
Blooms: pink flowers in summer, floral vanilla scent
Propagation: by rhizomes (caution as it spreads prolifically, remove seed pods to contain)
Companion: Woodland Sunflower, Bergamot, Indian Grass or New England Aster
Resilient: to drought
Sun Requirements: full sun to partial shade
Butterflies: Monarch caterpillars love to eat the tender young leaves
Poke Milkweed
Scientific Name: Asclepias exaltata
Height:5 ft.
Blooms: White flowers in summer
Propagation: by rhizomes, self-seeding
Companion: Forest Edge, Bluestem Goldenrod, Large Leaf Aster, Maidenhair Fern
Resilient: to drought
Sun Requirements: partial shade or shade
Butterflies: Monarch caterpillars love to eat the tender young leaves, and will fly south to Mexico
Hairy Goldenrod
Scientific Name: Solidago hispida
Height: 2-3 ft.
Blooms: Yellow flowers in August to September
Propagation: by rhizomes, self-seeding, perennial herb
Companion: short grasses
Resilient: to drought
Sun Requirements: full sun
Perennial herb: traditionally used, "the flowers are edible and make attractive garnishes on salads. Flowers and leaves (fresh or dried) are used to make tea. Leaves can be cooked like spinach or added to soups, stews or casseroles, and can also be blanched and frozen for later use in soups, stews, or stir fry throughout the winter or spring." Recipes for oil, vinegar and tea as well as a cool 30 reasons to love Goldenrod video.
Ground Cover Ideas
Wooly Blue Violet
Scientific Name: Viola sororia
Height: 1 ft.
Bloom period:
Propagation:
Companion: excellent ground cover with wild strawberries
Resilient
Sun requirements: sun to shade
inourgarden.ca/nativeviolet
Wild Strawberries
Scientific Name: Fragaria virginiana
Propagation: by taproots.
Companion: black-eyed Susan, wild bergamot.
Resilient: to drought
Birds & people love to eat the fruit.
Leaves can be eaten raw or cooked or used for herbal tea.
Medicinal: used traditionally as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, laxative, and diuretic, to improve bile & liver function.
Sun Requirements: full sun
1.Herbal-supplement-resource.com
2.Thespruce.com
Moss
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Scientific Name: Anemone canadensis
Soil: sandy loam, loan
Height: 1-2 ft
Bloom period: April to June, white flowers, spreads quickly
Mature spread: 3 ft
Companion: sweetgrass, golden alexander
Resilient: to drought
Sun requirements: partial shade to full sun
Bees and butterflies love Blazing Star, Coneflower, Milkweed & Ironweed families.
*Dense Blazing Star
Scientific Name: Liatris spicata
Height: 2-5 ft (60-150cm)
Spread: 1-1.5 feet (30-45 cm)
Bloom period: July to August
Sun requirements: full sun
Resistant: prefers moist to average, well-drained soil.
Native Habitat: Meadows and marsh lowlands
1.https://notsohollowfarm.ca/store/Liatris-spicata-Dense-Blazing-Star-p312769075
Canada or meadow anemone
Scientific Name: Anemone canadensis
Height: 1-2 ft
Bloom period: April to June, white flowers, spreads quickly, may become invasive
Tall Ironweed
Scientific Name: vernonia gigantea ironweed
Height: 1 ft.
Bloom period: late summer
Propagation:
Companion: excellent ground cover with wild strawberries
Resilient
Sun requirements: sun to shadeLate summer is prime time for the Vernonia (Ironweed) family of species. With large panicles of nectar-rich flowers these tall perennials have a commanding presence. Monarch butterflies are seen regularly coasting about these flowers waving in the wind. Both Missouri ironweed (vernonia missurica) and tall ironweed (vernonia gigantea) will serve their late-season purpose with success.
1.https://notsohollowfarm.ca/native-plants-for-a-butterfly-garden/
Hoary Vervain
Scientific Name: Verbena stricta
Height: 2-3 ft (60-90 cm)
Spread: 1 ft (30 cm)
Bloom Period: June to September
Sun Requirements: full sun to partial shade
Resilient: dry to medium
Soil: Sand, loam, clay
Native Habitat: Prairies, meadows, disturbed areas
*Tall Coreopsis
Scientific Name: Coreopsis tripteris
Height: 3-8 feet (60-240cm)
Spread: 2-8 feet (60-240 cm)
Blooms: July to September, daisy-like flowers
Propagation: self-seeding perennial
Sun requirements: full sun
Resilient: dry to moist
Native Habitat: Dry open woods, corridors and prairies
Anise hyssop
Scientific Name: Agastache foeniculum
Height: 1-3 feet (30-90 cm)
Spread: 1-3 feet (30-90 cm)
Bloom Period: June to September
Sun Requirements: Full to Partial Sun
Resilient: dry to medium
Soil: Sand, loam
Native Habitat: Prairies, plains and open forests
Landscape Uses : Butterfly gardens, pollinator gardens, prairies and borders,
yellow giant hyssop
Agastache nepetoides
*Culver's Root
Scientific Name: Veronicastrum virginicum
Height: 4-7 feet (120-210cm)
Spread: 2-4 feet (60-120cm)
Blooms: June to August
Propagation:
Companion:
Resilient: to drought, moist woodland to prairie
Sun Requirements: full to partial sun
Butterflies:
*Golden Alexander
Scientific Name: Zizia aurea
Height: 1-3 feet
Spread: 1-2 feet (30-60 cm)
Blooms: May-June
Propagation: self-seeding
Companion: Sweetgrass, Canada Anemone (wetland plants)
Sun Requirements: full to partial sun
Native Habitat: meadows thickets, prairies,
* * *
Sweet Fern
deciduous scrub
Scientific Name: Comptonia peregrina
Height: to 5 ft but here I see it mostly grows to 1 ft.
Propagation: spreads by rhizomes, with shallow root system
Companion: I have seen them with blue asters, black-eyed Susan, and goldenrods.
Resilient: to drought
Sun Requirements: full sun to light shade
Habitat: edging woodlots
Traditionally used: "The nutlets are edible. Tea can be made from the leaves. Dried and powdered leaves can be used as a spice." I just love the smell of evergreen when you brush the leaves. "Medicinal properties have been known to assist every organ in the elimination of toxins. It helps to clear lymph, blood and skin." Maybe used as a poultice for poison ivy. The Anishinaabe lined and covered their berry baskets with leaves to prevent spoilage and repel bugs. Leaves were added to campfires to repel mosquitos.
Northern Bracken Fern
Scientific Name: Pteridium aquilinum
Height:
Propagation: rhizomes
Companion:
Resilient:
Sun Requirements: n
Butterflies:
Ancient plant dating back 55,000 years.
Traditional Uses: "Adhesive; Basketry; Biomass; Compost; Dye; Hair; Lining; Mulch; Packing; Repellent; Soap; Soap making; Stuffing; Thatching; Tinder." See link for more information on how each part was used.
Plume Goldenrod
Scientific Name: Solidago juncea
Height: 2-5 ft,
Blooms: early flowering
Propagation: can be invasive but pulling up shoots after a rain in the spring is very easy
Companion:
Resilient: to drought
Sun Requirements: full sun
Butterflies, bees & wasps: love all goldenrods
Stag horn Sumach
Scientific Name: Rhus typhina
Height: 2-5 ft
Propagation: will spread, deep roots, rhizomes
Companion:
Resilient: to drought
Sun Requirements: full
Habitat: for small animals and birds.
"Staghorn Sumac is often planted as an ornamental due to the lovely fruit clusters and beautiful autumn foliage."
Traditionally used: The bark, leaves and fruit are all rich with tannin and thus used to tan hides. The leaves and fruit were boiled down to make ink and dried leaves were used for smoking. The sap was also used as a treatment for warts. "
Food Forest Ideas
Wild Red Raspberry
Scientific Name: Rubus idaeus
Raspberries have a hollow core.
Height: 7 ft, (2 m)
Blooms: White spring flowers
Fruit: Edible, red raspberries ripen in summer
Propagation: by rhizomes, canes fruit the second year.
Companion: Blackberries
Resilient: to drought
Sun Requirements: full sun to light shade
Habitat: grasslands, woodland borders. Prickly, sprawling canes with thicket forming habit.
Traditionally used: important fruit for birds, insects and humans, a soft red fruit, easily crushed., 2x the Vitamin C as oranges. Leaves can be dried and used as tea.
Common Blackberries
Scientific Name: Rubus allegheniensis
Blackberries have a solid core.
Height: 50 cm - 5 m
Blooms: Spring
Propagation: by rhizomes
Companion: Raspberries
Resilient: to drought
Sun Requirements: full sun
Habitat: grasslands, woodland borders.
Traditionally used: important fruit for birds, insects and humans. Leaves were used to treat sore throats.
Lowbush Blueberries
Scientific Name: Vaccinium angustifolium
Height: 35 cm
Blooms: May to June
Propagation:
Companion:
Resilient: to drought
Sun Requirements: full sun
Habitat: grasslands
Traditionally Used: to dye clothing blue. Rich in antioxidants & Vitamin C.
Prairies Roses
Scientific Name: Rosa arkansana porter
Height: 15-20 cm (6-18 inches)
Blooms: summer, fall
Propagation: rhizomes, seed
Companion:
Resilient: to drought
Sun Requirements: full or partial sun
Habitat: grasslands, woodland borders.
Traditionally Used: Flowers are followed by spherical red hips filled with seeds, rich in Vitamin C. Petals & leaves are used for tea.
MacKinnon, Andrew, Edible & Medicinal Plants of Canada, Lone Pine Publishing, 1956, pg 150, 93-95, 114,115.
Native Grasses
Prairie Garden: Sandy Dry Soil
Indian Grass
Scientific Name: Sorghastrum nutans, clumping variety
Height: 5-6 ft, shorter in dryer soils
Spread: 2-3 feet (60-90cm)
Blooms: August to September
Propagation: showy seed heads, rhizomes or root division
Companion: Bigstem, Oxeye Sunflower, New England Aster, Wild Bergamot
Exposure: Sun
Habitat: skipper insects, birds eat the seeds & use them for nesting material and shelter.
*Prairie Dropseed
Scientific Name: Sporobolus heterolepis
Height:.5-2 ft.
Propagation: deep taproots, self-seeding
Companion: Black-eyed Susan, Little Bluestem.
Resilient: to drought
Sun Requirements: full sun
Butterflies:
Oat Grass
Scientific Name: Danthonia spicata
Height:2 ft.
Propagation: dense root system
Companion: does not like crowding, plant with wildflowers
Resilient: to drought
Sun Requirements: full sun or partial
Butterflies: host to Indian & Leonard skipper caterpillars
Pennsylvania Sedge
Scientific Name:
Height: 0.5-1 feet (15-30 cm)
Propagation: Spreads via rhizomes with a mat-forming habit
Companion:
Resilient: dry to medium
Sun Requirements: Partial to full shade
A beautiful groundcover for a shady or woodland settings. Although most sedges prefer moist soil, the Pennsylvania sedge will grow successfully in dry conditions.
Landscape Uses: ground cover, woodland or shade gardens, naturalization
* * *
Native Trees as a focal point and for Winter Decoration
"We buy 30 million Christmas trees every holiday season." (Everything Gardening, Facebook)
Imagine if we planted a tree and every year we decorated it instead.
Jack Pine
Scientific Name: Pinus banksiana
Height: 12-18 m (40-60 ft)
Trunk: 20-30 cm (8-12in)
Lifespan:
Needles:
Bark: reddish brown to grey when young, dark brown or grey with age with flakes
Cones: 2.5-7.5 cm (1-3 in), curved in pairs sometimes fused to branch, green turning grey with age
Companion: fir, white spruce, red maple
Resilient: to drought, sandy dry, rocky soil
Sun requirements: full sun, open space
Red Pine
Scientific Name: Pinus resinosa
Height: 18-25 m (60-80 ft, max. 125 ft))
Trunk: 30-60 cm, max 1 m (1-2 ft, max. 3.3 ft)
Lifespan: to 350 yrs
Needles: 10-16 cm (4-6 in), green stiff with toothed edges, in pairs
Bark: Flaky, reddish pinky brown
Cones are food for red squirrels & crossbills producing larger amounts every 4 to 7 years
Roots: widespread moderate;y deep
Companion: White Pine, Jack Pine
Habitat: sandy dry
Sun requirements: full sun
White Pine
Scientific Name: Pinus strobus
Height: 30-35 m (100-115 ft)
Trunk: 1.5 m (5ft)
Lifespan: to 450 yrs
Needles: 6-13 cm (2-5 in), soft in clusters of five
Bark: grey-green smooth when young, rough, grey-brown with age
Cones: 7-20 cm (3-8 in), green turning brown over two years, opening of tree in fall dropping seeds
Roots: widespread and moderately deep
Companion: red pine, sugar maple, white spruce, balsam fir
Habitat: mid-boreal forest
Sun requirements: 20% sunlight
Balsam Fir
Scientific Name:
Height:
Trunk:
Lifespan:
Needles: 1-2 cm (1in), soft
Bark: bark contains tannins and was used to treat hides & leather
Cones: 12-20 mm, seeds fall from cone in fall & winter
Companion: hemlock, white spruce, trembling aspen, white birch, black spruce
Habitat: important to wildlife
Sun requirements: shade tolerant
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White Spruce
Scientific name: Picea glauca
Height: 20-25 m (66-82 ft)
Trunk: 30-60 cm (1-2 ft)
Lifespan: 150 yrs
Needles: 2-3 cm (.8-1.2 in), long dark green-bluish, four-sided curved toward tip of branch
Bark: flaky light grey skin
Cones: 5 cm (2in), light orange-brown scales, open in late summer, drops off through winter. More every 5-7 years.
Roots: shallow
Companion: trembling aspen, white birch, white pine, red maple, cedar, red pine, jack pine, chokeberry, moss, raspberry, strawberry, violets, bracken fern
Habitat: anywhere
Sun requirements:
Large Tooth Aspen
Scientific name: Populus grandidentata
Height: 20 m
Trunk: 20-25 cm (8-10 in)
Lifespan:
Leaves: 4-5 cm (1.5-2 in), rounded with a pointed tip, fine-toothed edge,
Bark: pale green when young, dark green & furrowed with age
Companion: white birch, white spruce, jack pine, red maple, white cedar
Habitat: sandy soil
Sun requirements: sun
Red Maple
Scientific name: Acer rubrum
Height: 20-27 m (15-45 ft)
Spread: 35-75 ft
Trunk: 40-130 cm (1.4-4.3 ft)
Lifespan: 100 yrs
Leaves: 7-13 cm (3-5 in) green with right angles toothed edges. Female trees produce yellow-orange leaves in fall and males orange to scarlet.
Bark: smooth silver grey when young, darker with ridges with age
Propagation: 2 cm (1 in) seeds in pairs with wings, falling in late June.
Companion: black ash, white elm, red oak, white pine
Habitat: dry- moist sandy soil
Sun requirements: full sun
Early settlers made red dye from the bark.
Growth Rate: Medium – Fast
Key Pollinators: Mining bees, small sweat bees, mason bees, cellophane bees
Sugar Maple
Scientific name:Acer saccharum
Height: 24-27 m (80-90 ft)
Trunk: 60-90 cm (2-3 ft)
Lifespan: 200-300 yrs
Leaves: 7.5 -13 cm (3-7 in), wide curving lobes with smooth edges. First to change colour in Fall. Rare north of Algonquin Park.
Bark: dark grey with ridges on one side
Propagation: 4cm (1.5 in), seeds in pairs with wings, mature in fall.
Roots: deep widespread
Companion: Beech, white cedar, ferns, violets, wild lily of the valley, wild ginger
Habitat: prefers sandy loam soil
Sun requirements: full sun
40 buckets of sap (3% sugar) make one bucket of syrup (66% sugar).
Basswood
Scientific name: Tilia americana
Height: 60-80 ft
Spread: 30-40 feet
Blooms: bees love the nectar
Trunk:
Lifespan:
Leaves: heart-shaped leaves, pale yellow fall colour
Bark:
Companion:
Habitat: sandy soil
Sun requirements: Full sun to part shade
Also commonly called American linden
Works Cited
Bennet,Doug, and Tim Tiner. 1993. UPNORTH: A Guide to Ontario's Wilderness from Blackflies to the Northern Lights. Reed Books Canada.
Ritchies Nursery Petawawa
Try them first as they are so close.
THE NETWORK OF NATURE
The Network of Nature is a national initiative to strengthen Canadian biodiversity by providing the inspiration, tools and knowledge to enhance existing greenspaces and naturalize developed areas with locally appropriate native plant species
Most of this information I have put together, first through observation and then through research. I have found other sources that might help as well, some simplified some more complex. Use this information as you would like.
