Five native plants for gardens in the Maritimes
St. Andrews Blockhouse National Historic Site
Here is a shortlist of our favourite plants native to the Maritimes and are commonly found at nurseries and garden centres.
Insider tip: When shopping for native plants, it is important to check plant tags carefully – it’s a good habit to shop by scientific name, rather than by common name to avoid confusion. Talk to your local nursery owners and explain why you would like to see more native plants for sale!
| Plant name | Height | Growing conditions | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serviceberry Amelanchier spp. |
9 to 15 feet (3-5 m) | Full dun to part-shade. Prefers well drained soil, but is adaptable to most soils. | Serviceberries are shrubs or small trees that come alive with delicate white flowers every spring, followed by a crop of edible berries. In the fall, the leaves of this plant turn a gorgeous orangey-red. |
|
Late Lowbush Blueberry |
0.5-2 feet (15-60 cm) | Full sun to part-shade. Prefers well drained, acidic soil (most soils in the Maritimes are considered acidic) | Blueberry plants are shrubs with unique early spring flowers that are a bumblebee favourite. Edible antioxidant-filled berries appear in summer. Bright red fall colour. |
|
High-bush Blueberry |
6-12 feet (1.8-3.6 m) | ||
| Red Osier Dogwood Cornus stolonifera |
6-9 feet (1.8-3 m) | Full sun to part-shade. Prefers moist soil, but is adaptable to most soils. | Delicate white flowers bloom from May to June, followed by unique white berries that birds love to eat. Deep red to burgundy fall colour. Red stems are a showstopper in winter! |
| Spotted Joe Pye Weed Eupatorium maculatum |
3-6 feet (0.9-1.8 m) | Full sun to part-sun. Prefers moist soil, but is very adaptable. | A big and beautiful perennial flower. Very tall, but thanks to sturdy stems this plant does not require staking. Unique, fuzzy purple-pink flowers that continue to add interest after they’ve gone to seed. Blooms from August to October. |
| Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata |
2-4 feet (60-120 cm) | Full sun. Prefers moist soil, but is very adaptable. | Milkweed is the host plant for monarch butterflies. Rich pink vanilla-scented flowers last all summer long and interesting seed heads appear in the fall. Common milkweed has been known to take over gardens, but swamp milkweed is much less aggressive. |
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