NATIVE PLANTS

In North America, a native plant is considered to be one that existed in a particular area prior to European settlement.  The choice of plants native to this region is extensive.  With over 350 species to choose from, nurturing your ecosystem by choosing native plants is not difficult.

 Spring Delights:

The red or western columbine is said to be an “unusual plant” due to its flower shape, rather than to how common it is throughout our region.

A particular favourite with our resident humming birds - particularly “Attila the Hum” our feisty male rufus - the Columbine takes it name from the Latin colombinus meaning like a dove.  The flowers arch backwards resembling five perched doves.

Columbine grows freely throughout British Columbia and although it prefers moist, partly shaded spots, I have yet to find a place where it won’t spread joyfully.

Collecting the abundant seeds during the summer is a fun activity for children and the young at heart. Sow them before winter by simply scattering them; they will also self-sow.

 

Columbine are particularly effective in a woodland garden with sword fern and foamflower.

The cultivated species will hybridize with our native columbines. While all are delightful, try to develop a robust native population as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Spring-flowering Natives:

Western bleeding heart (Dicentra formosa)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fringecup (Tellima grandiflora)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Including native plants in your garden is one of the best ways to attract wildlife.  As well as being beautiful to look at, choosing a variety of native plants will increase the number of different wildlife species which will be attracted to your garden.  Plants with berries, fruits and seeds will attract birds and those with nectar and pollen will also attract butterflies, bees and other types of insects.  Besides supplying food, native plants provide habitat for wildlife all year round.

Here are some other advantages to including native plants in your garden. 

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  Once established, native plants are low maintenance and require minimal care.

   

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  Due to their low water requirements, native plants help conserve water.  With the water restrictions we have had in place the last few summers, this is an important consideration.

   

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  Native plants are adapted to local conditions so don’t require synthetic fertilizers.  Just as you would with your other plants, applying leaf mulch and compost each year is a great way of promoting plant health.   

   

More and more garden centres now stock native plants, so next time you’re visiting your local nursery, have a look and start your own native plant collection.  

We will have more to say on this topic in the next while so please visit this page again.

 

 

 

OTHER NOTABLE PLANTS

Some people are always grumbling that roses have thorns.  I am thankful that thorns have roses.

Alphonse Karr

ASTRANTIA

 Masterwort

This gorgeous little flower is delightful in your garden in late Spring and early Summer. It also is a long-lasting cut flower and dries beautifully for winter enjoyment. Astrantia major, shown in picture, grows up to 3 feet high and 1 - 2 feet wide. The blossoms are white-and-green or white-or-pink with a very subtle scent. Astrantia spreads by underground runners and dies back in winter.

 

 

 

 

 

HORSERADISH

Amoracia Rusticana

Looking for a plant to fill a sunny, out-of-the-way corner?  This just might be it.  A member of the Brassicaceae or cabbage family, horseradish does best in rich, moist soils where it will grow up to five feet tall -- although ours has never grown over three feet tall or wide.  It can become invasive if the root is left in over winter, hence the suggestion for a somewhat remote location.  However, as it is the root that is used for culinary and, apparently, medical purposes, you harvest the main part of the root in the fall after the first frost kills the leaves, leaving one or more pieces to grow next year's plant(s).  In our climate, we find we can harvest chunks throughout the fall, winter, and spring.

The root is grated and either used immediately or combined with vinegar so that it will keep "fresh".  It will become dark in colour and have a bitter taste if left too long.  Horseradish has nutritional value being fairly high in Vitamin C.  Wikipedia says it is good for ingrown toenails. 

 

STINGING NETTLES

Urtica dioica Nettle family Urticaceae

Habitat: shady places

Range: In shady places across the province and into north-central BC.  Particularly abundant on abandoned house sites and stable areas.

Identification: Ragged, opposite leaves and inconspicuous drooping clusters of greenish or whitish flowers.  Grows as tall as five feet.

A good native plant to learn about!  Once you have been 'stung' by the fine stinging hairs -- which cause severe irritation by giving tiny jolts of formic acid -- on the leaves, you likely won't forget it.

However, there are other reasons to learn about this plant.  Cooking for only a few minutes kills the 'sting' completely and leaves a tasty green.  Young nettles are a delightful addition to spring dishes; steam them or use them in stir fries, frittata, or anywhere else you would use spinach.  Spring nettle soup is thought to be a wonderful spring tonic full of vitamins, minerals, and chlorophyll.  I learned -- the hard way -- to cut the leaves with gloves on directly into a strainer so that I can rinse them and throw them directly into the cooking pot without having to handle them again.

Nettle is also a useful plant for gardeners because it is high in nitrogen and stimulates the growth of any nearby plants.  We can capture this quality by making a tea or concentrate to use as a plant fertilizer.

 

 

COMFREY

Symphytum officinale L. Borage family Boraginaceae

Habitat: wet places

Range: Newfoundland south to Georgia, west to BC and Louisiana.

Identification: A large, conspicuous perennial growing to three feet high with a spread of 30 inches.  Narrowly oval, alternate dark green leaves grow on an erect stem that branches at the top.  The lower leaves may be ten inches long, the upper ones smaller.  Both stem and leaves are hairy and rough.  Downy, pale yellow to purplish bell-shaped flowers (May to September) bloom continuously in drooping clusters.

Other uses: Contains a substance called allantoin used in ointments for psoriasis and other skin problems.  Comfrey tea, said to ease bronchial and intestinal disorders, may not be safe when taken over a long period of time.

Since Greek and Roman antiquity the versatile comfrey has been used in a great variety of ways -- as an external application for wounds and fractures, and as a remedy for numerous internal problems, including bleeding (note: not to be used as a substitute for medical care).

Introduced in North America by early settlers, the plant now grows wild in much of the continent and is also cultivated.

Its botanical name, Symphytum, means "grown together".  Some question exists as to the wisdom of using comfrey internally.  First, when it is not in bloom it can be confused with foxglove, a deadly poisonous plant.

Comfrey leaves have at times been used as fodder for livestock; containing almost 35 percent protein, they are highly nutritious.

Gardeners Note: Comfrey is invaluable in the compost heap as a rich source of minerals, and the steeped or rotted leaves make a rich fertilizer.