Gardening Glossary

Lists some of the special qualities certain plants have which may make them more attractive as garden selections.

Please note that the attribute "deer resistant" only indicates those plants which are least likely to be damaged by deer. Selection of food plants by deer can vary greatly between different regions and at various times of year. Plants unappealing to deer at one time may seem more appealing during times of food scarcity.

"Drought tolerant" refers to established plants. Many plants require sufficient moisture to become established but can tolerate drought later in the season.

Lists the time of year the plant flowers. Due to the variability of bloom time across the country and in different locations this is given by season instead of by month. There may be some yearly shifts in bloom times due to variations in the weather.

Barbed fruit that clings like velcro to an animal's fur or people's clothing for increased seed dispersal.

Gas that is naturally a small part of the earth's atmosphere. It is a human and animal waste product from exhaling. Plants use carbon dioxide with water, sun and minerals from the soil to make food.

Lists some areas of concern for the selected plant. These are given where known, however, the absence of any listed caution does not indicate that the plant is necessarily trouble free.

The caution "can be toxic" indicates that part or all of the plant may be toxic to humans or animals if eaten. Again, this is only listed for those plants where this information is known and the absence of this caution does not indicate that any plant is safe for consumption.

The caution "ensure not wild collected" is listed for certain plants which have a history of being wild collected, are considered species at risk in some or all of their native range, or which are difficult and time-consuming to propagate (so more likely to be wild collected for sale). If purchasing these plants please take extra care to ensure that they are nursery propagated and not collected from the wild.

The caution "need both male and female plants" refers to plants which have male and female flowers on different plants so that both are needed for the production of fruit.

Please be careful with plants listed as "aggressive spreader" if your garden is adjacent to any natural areas to prevent their spread to and invasion of these areas. Grow them in contained areas and use root guards and dead-heading to prevent their spread through root or seed.

Lists the colour of the flowering part of each plant. For non-flowering plants the colour given is that of the leaves.

Lists the common name or names for each plant. Please note that common names often vary from region to region. An effort was made to include as many of the common names as possible for each plant.

Deeply cut leaf with fairly narrow segments where the dip in the segments nearly touches the vein's midrib.

Accelerating a plant's growth or maturity by artificially adjusting the light and/or temperature, usually to get the plant to bloom sooner.

a major category in the classification of plants, animals, and other organisms, more specific than the family and more general than the species; a group of species that are more closely related to one another than to other species. See “taxonomy.”  

Gives a brief description of the natural habitat of each plant.

Gives the approximate height of the plant at full size. Please note that this can vary according to the suitability of the site. Some native plants can reach greater heights in a garden situation than in the wild due to less competition and more available nutrients.

A juvenile phase in the life cycle of many animals such as insects and amphibians. Larvae often look very different from the adult organism.

Indicates the amount of sunlight the plant should ideally receive. Some plants thrive in a range of light situations while others require more specific conditions. Consult their habitat description for a better idea of the kinds of sites they prefer.

1. Sun indicates the plant prefers a location which receives direct sun for most of the day or approximately 6 hours or more of direct sun.
2. Partial shade can indicate an area with only filtered sunlight most of the day or one which receives direct sun for only 2 to 4 hours of the day.
3. Full shade indicates an area which receives less than 2 hours of direct sun each day.

Indicates the plant's preferred soil moisture. Some plants can tolerate a range of moisture regimes, but others are more particular.

Lists all Canadian provinces and territories for which the plant is considered a native component of the flora. Please note that the listing of a plant as native to a particular province does not necessarily indicate that the plant is native to all areas of that province. To find out if a particular plant is native to your local area please consult regional native plant guides or contact local naturalist groups, horticultural groups or native plant societies. We encourage the use of plants native to your specific area.

In some cases a qualifier has been added to indicate the limitations of a plants range within a province. For example, sAB would indicate the plant is found only in the southern part of Alberta.

Fruit consisting of a hard or toughened shell with a seed that opens in a specific way once it has reached maturity; e.g. hazelnut.

Fertilizer derived from a plant or animal--something that was once living.

Identifies each plant according to various accepted groupings such as shrub, perennial or grass.

Stem that grows horizontally along the soil's surface.

Appearance like a fish's skin with small thin, overlying flaps.

lists the botanical name (genus and species) for each of the plants listed.

A category of individuals with many shared characteristics. A species is just one category in a classification system used by scientists to group organisms.

Modified stem. Stem that grows at or under the soil's surface.

Pore-like structures on a leaf's surface surrounded by two guard cells that can open and close to allow for gas exchange. The plural of stoma is stomata.

Gives the possible use of the plant by various forms of wildlife. This information is gathered from a wide variety of sources and, therefore, the appeal to various wildlife will vary among the plants listed.

Gives the hardiness zone listing for each plant where available. This information is gathered from a variety of different sources and is meant only as a rough guide. Each garden is different and many factors can affect the survival of a plant. Therefore, use this field for reference only and refer to your local supplier for information on the plants hardiness in your area. Or better yet, choose plants native to your local area to be sure of their ability to thrive in the local climate.