Courtesy Sweet Grass Gardens, 2003

NATIVE SHRUBS

INDIGO BUSH, Amorpha fruiticosa
A tough native shrub of the Midwest to southwestern Ontario. Small populations are said to remain on Peelee Island. Produces purple flowers with orange centres on 3-6 inch spikes in early summer. Very attractive divided leaves. Medium to dry soil/full fun/6-15 feet

FRAGRANT FALSE INDIGO, Amorpha nana
An extremely rare and exceptionally beautiful western prairie shrub.  The magnificent show in early summer can be attributed to the production of dense, fragrant purple flowers in May through July. A stunning addition to your yard. Medium to well drained soil/full sun/2-3 feet

SILVER SAGEBRUSH, Artemisia cana
This western prairie is native to the Sierra Nevada area and north to Canada. It offers needle-like, very fragrant, silvery green foliage. Makes a beautiful formal or informal hedge. Average to well drained soil/full sun/2-3 feet    

FRINGED SAGE, Artemisia frigida
Offers delicate mounds of silvery fragrant foliage. Native Women of the Dakota, Pawnee and Omaha drank a tea made from the boiled leaves to regulate menstruation. The leaves were used to make tea for coughs and, to produce a light green dye. Average, well drained soil/full sun/3-4 feet 

WYOMING BIG SAGEBRUSH, Artemisia tridentata var. wyomingenses
Western natives used the leaves to sooth toothaches and made a tea to treat stomach pain. The silvery grey aromatic foliage has a very unique branching habit Well drained soils/full sun/3-6 feet         

BUTTON BUSH, Cephalanthus occidentalis
This hard to find southern Ontario native offers white, ball-like, fragrant flowers in July and August A great attraction for waterfowl and a good source of wildlife food. Is often found growing naturally along with Winterberry. Wet to medium soil/full sun/3-8 feet

WINTERBERRY, Ilex verticillata
A deciduous Holly native to the Ontario wetlands. Offers a dark green glossy foliage with white flowers in early spring. The bright red berries that persist through the winter months provide a good food source for many birds. The beautiful golden yellow fall colour with its oval/rounded twisting branches offer a beautiful wintry scene. Moist to medium soil/full sun to part shade/6x6 feet

NORTHERN BAYBERRY/ CANDLEBERRY, Myrica penslyvanica
Foliage is very fragrant and a glossy dark green. Natives used the dried leaves for flavouring and tanning leather. Waxy greyish coloured berries are grown on the female plants only. Need to plant in groups to produce fruit. Berries are also enjoyed by wild duck and fox. Wax from the fruit is used to make aromatic candles. Excellent for mass plantings along roadsides as it tolerates salt. Average to poor soils-tolerates clay/full sun to part shade/6x8 feet

FRAGRANT SUMAC, Rhus aromatica
An excellent ground cover found along the Niagara Escarpment. This Carolinian shrub produces small yellow flowers in early spring and matures to an average size of 6' wide x 4' high. Very fragrant foliage offers red berries in August and September that sometimes persist into winter. A beautiful shrub for fall with its scarlet, reddish-purple to bronzy-orange colour. Average to dry soils/full sun-part shade/4 feet

VIRGINIA ROSE, Rosa virginiana
Its single five petal, fragrant pale pink blooms appear in June. The edible hips are high in vitamin C. Its leaves offer a beautiful fall colour of orange-red. Average soil/full sun-part shade/4-6 feet

ELDERBERRY, Sambucus canadensis
A North American native. Grows well in low, damp grounds, thickets and waste places.  It offers white star shaped flowers that bloom in June and July with edible purple-black berries in September/October. A very useful medicinal shrub. All parts of this plant can be used for different treatments. The Mohawk name for this plant is onaa'ra'ge'ha. The Iroquois boiled the inner bark to be used as a pain killer and dried the leaves as a bug repellant. Moist to medium soil/full sun/5-12 feet

CANADIAN YEW/ GROUND HEMLOCK, Taxus canadensis
A slow growing native yew found throughout Southern Ontario. Its glossy green leaves create a beautiful red wintry scene. Offers edible red, sweet, fleshy fruit while the rest of the shrub and seeds are poisonous. Will not tolerate heat and drought. The Chippewa name is ne' bagandag' and was used to treat rheumatism. Medium-moist sandy loam/shade-part shade/3' wide by 6' high

SOAPWEED, Yucca glauca
This clump forming edible native features spiked, rigid evergreen foliage. Pure white bell-like flowers on single stalks appear in June-July. Young flower stalks can be prepared like asparagus in the spring. Fresh flower petals can be added to salads in late spring. Immature fruits with seeds removed may be prepared and cooked as greens. The Lakota name is hupe'stola meaning sharp pointed stem. Similarly, the Blackfoot name ek-siso-ke means sharp vine or snake weed. Many natives soaked roots in water to produce suds or soapy liquid to wash or bathe.  Medium to well drained soil/full sun/3-6 feet