Shrubs, Small Trees and a few Herbaceous Plants
These species are suited to most typical garden soils and will grow well with regular care.
There are hundreds more herbaceous plants (and many more shrubs) on the commercial market that are acceptable, with new ones being added all the time. Just check to see that they are not a listed invasive species before buying them.
Red Osier Dogwood fruits
Native Near Toronto
| Common Name | Form | Habitat |
|---|---|---|
| American hazelnut | shrub | dry soils, sun |
| Black raspberry | shrub | sun |
| Bush honeysuckle | low shrub | sun or partial shade |
| Choke cherry | large shrub | sun or partial shade |
| Common elderberry | shrub | sun or shade |
| Common juniper | shrub | sun |
| Creeping juniper | low shrub | sun |
| Fragrant sumach | shrub | dry sun |
| Grey dogwood | shrub | sun |
| Juneberry | small tree | rich soil, sun or partial shade |
| Marginal wood fern | fern | partial shade |
| Missouri willow | shrub | moist sun |
| Nannyberry | large shrub | sun or partial shade |
| Ninebark | shrub | sun |
| Ostrich fern | fern | partial shade |
| Pagoda dogwood | large shrub | sun or partial shade |
| Purple raspberry | shrub | sun or partial shade |
| Red cedar | small tree | dry sun |
| Red elderberry | shrub | partial shade |
| Red osier dogwood | shrub | moist soils, sun |
| Red raspberry | shrub | sun |
| Sandbar willow | shrub | sun |
| Shrubby cinquefoil | shrub | dry sun |
| Smooth rose | shrub | sun |
| Smooth serviceberry | small tree | rich soil, sun or partial shade |
| Staghorn sumach | shrub | sun |
| Virginia creeper | vine | sun |
| Virgin’s bower | vine | sun |
| Virgin’s bower | shrub | partial shade |
Non-Native Or Cultivars
Consider these species for gardens where native species are less important. Many species listed as native by nurseries are not native to our area, but can still be suitable for city gardens.
| Common Name | Form | Habitat |
|---|---|---|
| Arrow wood | shrub | sun |
| Bearberry | groundcover | dry sun |
| Butterflybush | shrub | sun |
| Forsythia | shrub | sun |
| Lance-leaved coreopsis | flower | sun |
| Mint Julep juniper | low shrub | dry sun |
| Mock orange | shrub | sun |
| Moss pink | groundcover | dry sun |
| Pasture rose | shrub | dry sun |
| Purple coneflower | flower | sun |
| Redbud | shrub | sun |
| Shadblow serviceberry | shrub | average sun |
| Snowberry | shrub | sun or partial shade |
| Striped maple | shrub | moist partial shade, acid soil |
| Thornless hawthorn | small tree | sun |