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Ontario Native Plant Nursery

You are here: Home / Butterfly Garden / Five Native Perennials For Moist/Wet Conditions

Five Native Perennials For Moist/Wet Conditions

Butterfly Garden· Garden Conditions· Native Plants· Perennials· Pollinator Garden

1 Oct

Lobelia cardinalis – Cardinal Flower

Stunning, vibrant and sexy. A hands-down favourite for many native plant enthusiasts. The cardinal flower boasts of scarlet red “flower wands” that bloom during the summer months. Butterflies and ruby-throated hummingbirds are frequent visitors to this wildflower species. Prefers moist to wet soil as it naturally occurs in wetland areas.

Height : 2-5 feet (60-180 cm) Spread : 1-2 feet (30-60 cm)

Blooming Period : July to September

Light : Full to Partial Sun

Water : Medium to Wet

Soil : Sand, loam

Zone : 3-9

Native Ontario Habitat : Stream banks, wetlands and low-lying woods

Landscape Uses : Butterfly gardens, pollinator gardens, hummingbird gardens, wet meadows

Lobelia cardinalis – Cardinal Flower

Rudbeckia lacianata – Green-headed Coneflower

Also known as wild golden glow. A tall woodland species that enjoys moist soils. Displays cheery, yellow blooms from summer into the fall. This rhizomatus-spreading perennial can become aggressive when in preferable growing conditions.

Height : 5-7 feet (150-210cm) 

Spread : 1-3 feet (30-90 cm)

Blooming Period : July to October

Light : Full sun to shade

Water : Medium to moist

Soil : Sand, loam, clay

Zone : 3-8

Native Ontario Habitat : Woodlands

Rudbeckia lacianata – Green-headed Coneflower

Verbena hastata – Blue Vervain

Landscape Uses : Butterfly gardens, pollinator gardens, woodland plantings, shade gardens and naturalized areas

The blue vervain is a beautiful native perennial with long, spear-shaped purple flowers. This vervain species prefers moist to wet soil and is commonly found around streams and near wetlands. Attractive to many native bees.

Height : 2-6 feet (60-180cm) Spread : 1-2 feet (30-60 cm)

Blooming Period : July to September

Light : Full sun

Water : Medium to Wet

Soil : Sand, loam, clay

Zone : 3-8

Native Ontario Habitat : Wet meadows, stream banks and fields

Landscape Uses : Pollinator gardens, stream landscapes, rain gardens and naturalized areas

Verbena hastata – Blue Vervain

Vernonia missurica – Missouri Ironweed

Know as the most “attractive” ironweed, this species boasts of bright, magenta flowers with a large profile. Enjoys wet to moist soil with the ability to handle periodic flooding but will also thrive in an average garden soil. The Missouri ironweed gets its name from the tough, robust stems and rusty coloration of its seeds. The composite flowers are highly attractive to various butterfly and pollinator species

Height : 3-5 feet (90-150 cm) Spread : 2-4 feet (60-120 cm)

Blooming Period : July to August

Light : Full Sun

Water : Medium to Wet

Soil : Sand, loam, clay

Zone : 4-8

Native Habitat : Fields, wet meadows, stream banks and wooded swamps

Landscape Uses: Butterfly gardens, pollinator gardens, wet meadows, stream bank restoration and naturalized areas

Notes: A North American native considered a naturalized species in Ontario

Eupatorium maculatum – Joe Pye Weed

Butterflies absolutely love the Joe Pye Weed! The huge clusters of bright pink flowers are buzzing with pollinators from August into September. A tall, native Ontario perennial that thrives in moist to average soil with full sun. The seed heads persist into winter and provide aesthetic interest.

Height : 4-6 feet (120-180cm) Spread : 2-4 feet (60-120 cm)

Blooming Period : July to September

Light : Full to Partial Sun

Water : Medium to Wet

Soil : Sand, loam, clay

Zone : 4-8

Native Ontario Habitat : Moist meadows, thickets and streambanks

Landscape Uses : Butterfly gardens, pollinator gardens, meadows and naturalized areas

Eupatorium maculatum – Joe Pye Weed

Bonus

Chelone glabra – White Turtlehead

White blooms are said to resemble a turtle’s head. Attractive to many nectar seeking species such as bumblebees, hummingbirds and butterflies. Enjoys moist to wet soils in full sun.

Height : 2-4 feet (60-120 cm) Spread : 1-2 feet (30-60 cm)

Blooming Period : August to September

Light : Full Sun to Part Shade

Water : Moist to Wet

Soil : Sand, Loam, Clay

Zone : 3-8

Native Ontario Habitat : Wetland edges, stream banks, moist meadows

Landscape Uses : Butterfly gardens, pollinator gardens, hummingbird gardens, wetland restoration, pond edges

Chelone glabra – White Turtlehead
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