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If you are interested in a speaker for your classroom, organization or public event, please contact the Gorge Waterway Action Society. We also have a working model of the Gorge Waterway. The model is used in local schools to assist in the delivery of environmental education and is available for public display. In addition, the society loans Gorge material and historical photos to schools and other interested groups.
The society publishes a newsletter. To get on the mailing list please send a donation. Brochures can be downloaded directly from Gorge.ca:
The table below lists plants native to Victoria's Gorge Waterway and is followed by a listing of native plant nurseries and sources, local societies and books for further information.
| Plant Name
|
Latin Name
|
Growth Habit
|
| Arbutus
|
Arbutus menziesii
|
To 30 m tall; evergreen broadleaf; young bark smooth and greenish, older bark brown and peeling; clusters of white flowers become orange-red berries
|
| Camas
|
Camassia quamash
|
Perennial herb to 70 cm tall; several deep blue flowers on a long stalk; iconic plant of Garry oak meadows
|
| Chocolate lily
|
Fritillaria lanceolata
|
Perennial herb to 80 cm tall; bell-shaped speckled brown flowers in clusters of 2-5
|
| Deer fern
|
Blechnum spicant
|
Evergreen tufted fern 20-80 cm tall
|
| Douglas fir
|
Pseudotsuga menziesii
|
Conifer to 70 m tall; branches spreading to drooping; bark on older trees very thick and ridged
|
| Evergreen huckleberry
|
Vaccinium ovatum
|
To 4 m tall; leathery toothed leaves; pink flowers, purplish edible berries
|
| Fringecup
|
Tellima grandiflora
|
Perennial herb 40-80cm tall; lobed basal leaves, small fragrant flowers on tall stalks
|
| Garry oak
|
Quercus garryana
|
Heavy limbed deciduous tree to 25 m tall; bark light grey with thick furrows and ridges; round-lobed leaves; 2-3 cm acorns
|
Idaho fescue
(blue bunchgrass)
|
Festuca idahoensis
|
Densely tufted perennial grass, narrow leaves
|
| Indian plum
|
Oemleria cerasiformis
|
Deciduous shrub to 5 m tall; early clusters of white flowers, edible plum-like fruits bluish-black
|
| Kinnikinnick
|
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
|
Trailing evergreen with woody stem; dark green leaves; red berries persist through winter
|
| Nodding onion
|
Allium cernuum
|
Perennial to 50 cm tall from tapering bulb; grass-like flat leaves, nodding cluster of purple flowers borne on tall stalk; edible and tasty
|
| Nootka rose
|
Rosa nutkana
|
To 3 m tall; deciduous leaves, broad pink flowers; red hips persist through winter
|
| Oceanspray
|
Holodiscus discolor
|
Several main stems to 4 m tall; lilac-like clusters of white flowers become brown and remain through winter
|
Oregon grape -
Dull Oregon grape and
Tall Oregon grape
|
Mahonia nervosa
|
Evergreen to 60 cm tall; leaves resemble holly; yellow flowers, blue berries Mahonia aquifolium Evergreen to 2 m; leaves resemble holly; yellow flowers, blue berries
|
| Pacific willow
|
Salix lucida ssp. lasiandra
|
To 12 m tall; deciduous lance-shaped leaves; catkins appear with leaves
|
| Red-flowering currant
|
Ribes sanguineum
|
1-3 m deciduous shrub; showy dark pink clusters of flowers in early spring
|
| Red-osier dogwood
|
Cornus stolonifera
|
Freely spreading deciduous shrub to 10 m tall; clusters of greenish-yellow flowers, blue-black berries
|
| Salal
|
Gaultheria shallon
|
Creeping to erect evergreen shrub, to 2 m; whitish-pink flowers along branch tips turn to dark blue edible berrries
|
| Sea blush
|
Plectritis congesta
|
Annual herb 10-60 cm tall; small pinkish flowers in early spring
|
| Seashore lupine
|
Lupinus littoralis
|
Perennial herb; trailing stems to 60 cm, often in mats; long clusters of blue and white flowers
|
Shootingstar
(broad-leaved)
|
Dodecatheon hendersonii
|
Perennial herb 5-50 cm tall; magenta flowers with distinctive back-swept petals; spring bloomer
|
| Spring-gold
|
Lomatium utriculatum
|
Perennial herb 10-60 cm tall; lacy leaves; bright yellow clusters of small flowers in early spring
|
| Snowberry
|
Symphoricarpus albus
|
0.5 – 2 m tall shrub, several thin main stems; pink-white flowers form dense clusters of round white berries that persist through winter
|
| Spiny wood fern
|
Dryopteris expansa
|
To 1 m tall; clustered fronds are erect and spreading
|
| Sword fern
|
Polystichum munitum
|
Large, evergreen fern; to 1.5 m tall
|
| Thimbleberry
|
Rubus parviflorus
|
0.5 – 3 m tall thornless shrub; large maple-shaped leaves, broad white flowers; bright red edible berries
|
| Thrift
|
Armeria maritima
|
Perennial herb 5-45 cm tall; pink to lavender flowers in tight round cluster at end of stalk
|
| Trillium (western)
|
Trillium ovatum
|
Perennial herb to 45 cm tall; whorl of 3 leaves with large showy white flower on central stalk
|
| White fawn lily
|
Erythronium oregonum
|
To 30 cm tall; oblong basal leaves with large white nodding flower
|
| Yarrow
|
Achillea millefolium
|
Perennial 10-100 cm tall; fern-like leaves; white flowers in flat or round-topped clusters
|
Some Local Sources for Native Plants
Fraser’s Thimble Farms, 175 Arbutus Rd, Salt Spring Island
www.thimblefarms.com (250) 537-5788
Nature’s Garden Seed Company, 3749 Shelbourne St, Victoria www.naturesgardenseed.com 595-2062
Queenswood Nurseries, (trees, shrubs) 6458 Central Saanich Rd, Central Saanich
652-1443
Russell Nursery, 1370 Wain Rd., Sidney
656-0384
Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary, Victoria. Native plant sale each April.
www.swanlake.bc.ca 479-0211
Woodland Native Plant Nursery, 4060 Happy Valley Road, Victoria
812-5930 (call for appointment)
Resources: Coastal Stewardship and Native Plants
Organizations and programs in Greater Victoria:
Capital Regional District Environmental Services
www.crd.bc.ca/es 360-3045
Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre 1216 North Park St. Native plant demonstration garden on site.
www.compost.bc.ca 386-9676
Horticultural Centre of the Pacific, 505 Quayle Rd. Native plant demonstration garden on site.
www.hcp.bc.ca 479-6162
Native Plant Study Group, Victoria Horticultural Society
www.vhs.homestead.com
Native Plant Society of British Columbia
www.npsbc.org
Naturescape British Columbia
www.hctf.ca/nature.htm 387-9853
Pesticide Free Naturally: your guide to healthy gardening
City Green (CRD Program)
www.citygreen.ca 381-9995
Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary, 3873 Swan Lake Rd. Native plant demonstration garden on site.
www.swanlake.bc.ca 479-0211
The Living by Water Project
www.livingbywater.ca
Veins of Life Watershed Society
http://www.salishsea.ca
Books
Coastal Shore Stewardship, A guide for planners, builders and developers on Canada’s Pacific coast, 2004. Stewardship Series, Province of British Columbia. Available on-line at www.stewardshipcentre.bc.ca
Gardening With Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest, 1982. Arthur R. Kruckeberg. Douglas & McIntyre, Vancouver/Toronto
How to Get Your Lawn and Garden off Drugs, Carole Rubin. Harbour Publishing, Madeira Park Native Plants in the Coastal Garden, 2002. April Pettinger with Brenda Constanzo. Whitecap Books, North Vancouver
On the Living Edge, Your handbook for waterfront living, 2002. Sarah Kipp and Clive Callaway. Federation of British Columbia Naturalists.
Plants of Coastal British Columbia, 1994. Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon. Lone Pine Publishing, Vancouver
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