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WETLAND PLANTS
OF ONTARIO

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Native plant species for wetlands and adjacent habitats

This is a partial list of plant species native to Ontario for wetlands and adjacent habitats. Our Sharing webpage provides people across Canada with the opportunity to share their lists of local plants with others. Please send us your list of native wetland plants local to your area to help us create a separate list for each province and territory.

When planning your wetland habitats

Do not remove plants from the wild. Do not plant invasive, non-native wetland plants because introduced plants can cause serious problems when they escape to the wild. They can hybridize with native plants, take over natural areas and eliminate native species, reduce habitat for wildlife, and introduce pathogens to native plant communities.


Plants for ponds and wet meadows

Floating plants

COMMON NAME

SCIENTIFIC NAME

Duckweeds

Lemna minor; Lemna trisula; Spirodela polyrhiza


Deep water species (50-150 cm deep)

Bladderwort

Utricularia vulgaris

Bulrush

Scirpus validus

Canada waterweed

Anacharis canadensis

Coontail

Ceratophyllum demersum

False Loosestrife

Ludwigia palustris var. americana

Pondweeds

Potamogeton spp.

Yellow Spatterdock

Nuphar spp.

Water Buttercup

Ranunculus spp.

Water-milfoil

Myriophyllum alterniflorum

Water weed

Elodea canadensis

White water lily

Nymphaea odorata

Wild celery or Tape grass

Vallisneria americana


Shallow water species (10-15 cm)

Arrowheads

Sagittaria latifolia; Sagittaria graminea; Sagittaria rigida; and 13 other species

Broad-leaved Cattail

Typha latifolia

Buckbean

Menyanthes trifoliata

Burreed

Sparganium

Cranberry (acidic soils only)

Vaccinium macrocarpon

Large blue flag

Iris versicolor

Marsh Cinquefoil

Potentilla palustris

Pickerel weed

Pontederia cordata

Rush, Soft

Juncus effusus

Spikerush

Eleocharis spp.

Sweetflag

Acorus calamus

Three square

Scirpus americanus

Water Arum

Calla palustris

Water Plantain

Alisma triviale


Herbaceous plants for wet soil

Most of the following plants are happy with a Spring flood time. Many of them will live in or out of water as long as the soil does not dry out for any length of time.

American Speedwell

Veronica scutellata; Veronica anagallis-aquatica; Veronica americana

Arrow arum or Tuckahoe

Peltandra virginica

Beggarticks

Bidens tripartita

Boneset

Eupatorium perfoliatum

Bur marigold

Bidens laevis

Canada Anemone

Anemone canadensis

Canada holly or Winterberry

Ilex verticillata

Canada lily

Lilium canadensis

Cardinal flower

Lobelia cardinalis

False dragon head

Physostegia virginiana

Flat topped Aster

Aster umbellatus

Fern, Cinnamon

Osmunda cinnamonea

Fern, Marsh

Dryopteris thelypteris

Fern, Ostrich

Matteuccia strathiopteris

Fern, Royal

Osmunda regalis

Gentian, bottled or closed

Gentiana andrewsii

Gentian, fringed

Gentiana crinita

Grass of Parnassus

Parnassia glauca

Great blue Lobelia

Lobelia siphilitia

Green dragon

Arisaema dracontium

Jack-in-the-pulpit

Arisaema triphyllum

Joe Pyeweed

Eupatorium maculatum

Marsh Marigold/Cowslip

Caltha palustris

Monkey Flower

Mimulus ringens; Mimulus alatus

Narrow-leaved Meadowsweet

Spiraea alba

Northern Bedstraw

Galium boreale

Panicgrass

Panicum lanuginosum

Primrose

Primula mistassinica

Reed Canary grass

Phalaris arundinacea

Sedges

Cyperaceae family

Skunk cabbage

Symplocarpus foetidus

Smartweed

Polygonum spp.

Stargrass

Hypoxis hirsuta

St. John's Wort

Hypericum virginicum; Hypericum mutilum

Swamp milkweed

Asclepias incarnata

Swamp rose mallow

Hibiscus palustris

Meadow-rue, Tall

Thalictrum polygamum

Meadow-rue, Purple

Thalictrum dasycarpum

Turtle head

Chelone glabra

Violet, lance-leaved

Viola lanceolata

Water stargrass

Heteranthera dubia

Wild calla

Calla palustris

Yellow-eyed grasses

Xyris spp.

Yellow loosestrife

Lysimachia terrestris

Plants found in or along the shorelines of wetlands

LEGEND

Forest Regions

G - Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Valley

D - Deciduous Forest (carolinian Forest)

B - Boreal Forest

Soil types

B - Broad range of tolerance

P - Peat
C - Clay
S - Sand
L - Loam

Moisture

A - All (wet, moist, dry)

M - Moist
D - Dry
W - Wet

Wildlife

B - Butterflies
S - Seed-eating birds
H - Hummingbirds

Plants were only marked if they attracted butterflies, hummingbirds and/or seed eating birds. It should be remembered that all native species provide food/shelter for animals. Anyone of the plants in the list would provide wildlife habitat.


TREES: Conifers

COMMON NAME

SCIENTIFIC NAME

FOREST REGION

SOIL TYPES

MOISTURE

WILDLIFE

G

D

B

B

P

C

S

L

A

M

D

W

B

S

H

Balsam fir

Abies balsamea

G

         

S

L

 

M

 

W

     

Cedar, Eastern Red

Juniperus virginiana

G

D

     

C

S

   

M

D

   

S

 

Cedar, White

Thuja occidentalis

G

D

B

   

C

S

   

M

     

S

 

Eastern Hemlock

Tsuga canadensis

G

D

             

M

 

W

 

S

 

Pine, Eastern White

Pinus strobus

G

D

B

   

C

S

 

A

       

S

 

Pine, Red

Pinus resinosa

G

         

S

L

 

M

D

       

Spruce, Black

Picea mariana

   

B

         

A

           

Spruce, White

Picea glauca

G

D

B

   

C

S

L

 

M

D

   

S

 

Tamarack

Larix laricina

G

D

B

         

A

       

S

 


TREES: Broadleaf

COMMON NAME

SCIENTIFIC NAME

FOREST REGION

SOIL TYPES

MOISTURE

WILDLIFE

 

G

D

B

B

P

C

S

L

A

M

D

W

B

S

H

Ash, American mountain

Sorbus americana

G

D

B

           

M

D

   

S

 

Ash, Black

Fraxinus nigra

G

D

           

A

           

Ash, Green 

Fraxinus pennsylvanica

G

D

B

                       

Aspen, Bigtooth

Populus grandidentata

                             

Aspen, Trembling

Populus tremuloides

G

D

B

                       

Populus balsamifera

G

D

B

                       

Populus deltoides

G

D

B

         

B

           

Butternut

Juglans cinerea

G

D

B

           

M

D

       

Cherry, Black

Prunus serotina

G

D

             

M

D

       

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana

               

A

       

S

 

Cherry, Pincherry

Prunus pensylvanica

 

D

             

M

D

 

B

   

Crabapples

Malus coronaria

             

L

 

M

D

       

Elm, Rock

Ulmus thomasi

G

D

         

L

     

W

     

Elm, Slippery

Ulmus rubra

G

D

                         

Elm, White

Ulmus americana

G

D

         

L

     

W

     

Hackberry

Celtis occidentalis

G

D

 

B

       

A

           

Honey Locust

Gleditsia triacanthos

G

                           

Hop-Hornbeam

Ostrya virginiana

G

D

               

D

       

Maple, Manitoba

Acer negundo

G

   

B

       

A

M

     

S

 

Maple, Red

Acer rubrum

G

D

B

     

S

L

 

M

 

W

     

Maple, Silver             

Acer saccharinum

G

D

 

B

         

M

D

       

Oak, Bur

Quercus macrocarpa

G

D

B

B

         

M

D

   

B

 

Oak, Swamp White

Quercus bicolor

G

D

     

C

S

   

M

 

W

 

B

 

Oak, White

Quercus alba

G

D

       

S

L

 

M

     

B

 

Red Mulberry

Morus rubra

 

D

         

L

 

M

 

W

     

Serviceberry, Alleghany

Amelanchier laevis

                 

M

D

       

Serviceberry, Shadblow

Amelanchier canadensis

G

 

B

           

M

 

W

     

Serviceberry, Shadbush or Downy

Amelanchier arborea

G

 

B

           

M

D

       

Shagbark Hickory

Carya ovata

G

D

             

M

D

       

White Birch

Betula papyrifera

G

D

             

M

     

S

 


Small trees and shrubs

COMMON NAME

SCIENTIFIC NAME

FOREST REGION

SOIL TYPES

MOISTURE

WILDLIFE

 

G

D

B

B

P

C

S

L

A

M

D

W

B

S

H

Alder

Alnus rugosa

G

D

B

                   

S

 

American Yew

Taxus canadensis

G

D

B

           

M

D

       

Black-fruited Choke-berry

Aronia melanocarpa

G

 

B

                       

Black Raspberry

Rubus occidentalis

G

D

             

M

D

   

S

 

Common Blackberry

Rubus allegheniensis

G

D

B

                 

B

   

Common Elder

Sambucus canadensis

G

D

B

         

A

       

S

 

Eastern Red Cedar

Juniperus virginiana

G

D

       

S

     

D

   

S

 

Hawthorns

Crataegus spp.

G

D

B

B

       

A

           

Hazelnut, American

Corylus americana

G

D

             

M

         

Hazel, Beaked

Corylus cornuta

G

D

B

           

M

         

Nannyberry

Viburnum lentago

G

D

B

B

         

M

D

       

Ninebark

Physocarpus opulifolius

G

D

B

B

         

M

D

       

Red Osier Dogwood           

Cornus sericea (formerly C. stolonifera)

G

D

B

 

B

       

M

 

W

     

Rose, Pasture

Rosa carolina

G

D

               

D

       

Rose, Prickly

Rosa acicularis

G

B

                         

Rose, Smooth

Rosa blanda

G

B

   

B

 

S

               

Rose, Swamp

Rosa palustris

G

                   

W

     

Sandbar Willow

Salix exigua

G

D

B

           

M

 

W

B

   

Southern Arrow-wood

Viburnum dentatum

 

D

                         

Staghorn Sumac

Rhus typhina

G

D

 

B

         

M

D

   

S

 

Winterberry Holly

Ilex verticillata

 

D

             

M

 

W

     


Vines and ground covers

COMMON NAME

SCIENTIFIC NAME

FOREST REGION

SOIL TYPES

MOISTURE

WILDLIFE

 

G

D

B

B

P

C

S

L

A

M

D

W

B

S

H

Bearberry

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

           

S

     

D

       

Bittersweet

Celastrus scandens

     

B

         

M

D

       

Bristly Catbrier

Smilax tamnoides

G

                           

Button Bush

Cephalanthus occidentalis

                 

M

 

W

     

Bunchberry

Cornus canadensis

                 

M

         

Partridgeberry

Mitchella repens

                             

Riverbank Grape

Vitis riparia

                             

Round-leaved Greenbrier

Smilax rotundifolia

 

D

                         

Trumpet Creeper

Campsis radicans

 

D

     

C

 

L

 

M

 

W

   

H

Virginia Creeper

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

     

B

         

M

D

       


Herbaceous plants

COMMON NAME

SCIENTIFIC NAME

FOREST REGION

SOIL TYPES

MOISTURE

WILDLIFE

 

G

D

B

B

P

C

S

L

A

M

D

W

B

S

H

Asters

Aster spp.

G

D

B

B

         

M

D

 

B

S

 

Bergamot, Wild

Monarda fistulosa

     

B

         

M

D

 

B

   

Black-Eyed Susans

Rudbeckia hirta

G

D

B

           

M

D

 

B

   

Blazing stars, Rough

Liatris aspera

                 

M

D

 

B

 

H

Columbine

Aquilegia canadensis

                 

M

   

B

 

H

Common Thistle

Cirsium spp.

G

D

B

                 

B

   

Coreopsis

Coreopsis spp.

                       

B

S

 

Dogbane

Apocynum spp.

                 

M

D

 

B

   

Evening Primrose

Oenothera biennis

                 

M

D

   

S

 

Goldenrod

Solidago spp.

G

D

B

B

   

S

         

B

   

Lupine

Lupinus perennis

           

S

   

M

D

 

B

   

Phloxes

Phlox spp.

G

D

B

       

L

 

M

   

B

   

Scarlet Bee Balm

Monarda didyma

                 

M

 

W

   

H

Spotted Jewelweed

Impatiens biflora

                 

M

 

W

   

H

Sunflowers

Helianthus spp.

           

S

L

 

M

D

W

 

S

 

Verbena

Verbena spp.

           

S

   

M

D

 

B

   

Yarrow

Achillea millefolium

                 

M

D

 

B

   

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