Plant Smart
The public often asks about the plant species we choose for our boulevards and parks landscaping.
Our garden staff select the following plants for their beauty but also their ability to grow in drought conditions, resist deer, provide ecological benefits, and as they are endorsed by Firesmart BC.
Perennial Plants
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Mature Height | Sun/Shade | Attracts Pollinators | Deer Resistant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basket of Gold | Aurinia saxatalis | 20-45 cm | Full Sun (FS) | / | Yes |
| Beardtongue/ Penstemon | Penstemon spp. | 10-120 cm | FS-Psh | / | Yes |
| Beebalm/Wild Bergamot | Monarda fistulosa | 30-60 cm | FS-Psh | Yes | Yes |
| Blanket Flower | Gaillardia sp. | 20-90 cm | FS | Yes | Yes |
| Candytuft | Iberis sempervirens | 23-30 | FS | / | Yes |
| Catmint | Nepeta faassenii | 15-90 cm | FS-Psh | Yes | Yes |
| Chives | Allium sp. | 30-60 cm | FS-Psh | / | Yes |
| Columbine | Aquilegia Sp. | 25-90 cm | FS-Psh | / | Yes |
| Coreopsis, Tickseed | Coreopsis Sp. | 25-60 cm | FS-Psh | / | Yes |
| Cranesbill/Wild Geranium | Geranium maculatum | 45-75 cm | FS-Psh | / | Yes |
| Cushion Sponge | Euphorbia polychroma | 30-45 cm | Fs | Yes | Yes |
| Daylily | Hemerocallis hybrids | 30-120 cm | FS-Psh | Yes | Yes |
| False Rockcress | Aubrieta deltoidea | 7.5-20 cm | FS-Psh | Yes | Yes |
| Hen and chicks | Sempervivum sp. | 5-15 cm | Fs-Psh | / | Yes |
| Iris | Iris hybrids | 40-60 cm | FS | / | Yes |
| Lamb's Ears | Stachys byzantina | 30-38 cm | FS | / | Yes |
| Lavender | Lavandula sp. | 30-60 cm | FS | Yes | Yes |
| Oriental Poppy | Papaver orientale | 60-90 cm | FS-Psh | Yes | Yes |
| Primrose, evening | Oenothera spp. | 15-30 cm | FS-Psh | / | Yes |
| Red-Hot Poker | Kniphofia uvaria | 30-120 cm | FS | Yes | yes |
| Sage, fringed/ Pasture Sage | Artemisia frigida | 30-60 cm | FS | / | Yes |
| Sage, perennial salvia | salvia spp. | 30-120 cm | FS | / | Yes |
| Sage, Russian | Perovskia atriplicifolia | 90-150 cm | FS | Yes | Yes |
| Sedum/Stonecrop (upright) | Sedum spectabile | 30-45 cm | FS-Psh | Yes | Yes |
| Shasta Daisy | Leucanthemum x superbum | 60-90 cm | FS-Psh | / | Yes |
| Sulpher Buckwheat/Sulphur flower | Eriogonum umbellatum | 30-90 cm | FS | Yes | Yes |
| Sun Rose | Helianthemum nummularium | 30-50 cm | FS-Psh | / | Yes |
| Yarrow | Achillea sp. | 15-90 cm | FS | Yes | Yes |
| Yucca | Yucca filamentosa | 60-90 cm | FS-Psh | / | Yes |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Mature Height | Sun/Shade | Attracts Pollinators | Deer Resistant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Grama grass/ Mosquiot grass | Bouteloua gracilis | 30 cm | FS | Yes | |
| Fescue, blue | Festuca glauca | 10-20 cm | FS-Psh | Yes | |
| Muttongrass | Poa fendleriana | 30-60 cm | Ps | Yes | |
| Needle-and-thread grass/ Porcupine grass | Hesperopstipa comata * | 90 cm | Fs-Psh | ||
| Ryegrass | Lolium spp. | 30-80 cm | FS | ||
| Sandberg Bluegrass | Poa secunda | 30-80 cm | FS | ||
| Squirreltail grass | Elymus elymoides | 30-60 cm | FS | Yes | |
| Weatgrass, crested | Agropyron Cristatum | 50-100 cm | FS | ||
| Weatgrass, western | Pascopyrum smithi | 30-90 cm | FS |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Mature Height | Sun/Shade | Attracts Pollinators | Deer Resistant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine Currant | Ribes alpinum | .90-1.8 m | FS-Psh | Yes | Yes |
| Barberry | Berberis sp. | .45-1.5 m | FS | / | Yes |
| Beaked Hazelnut /Filbert | Corylus cornuta | 1.2-2.4 m | FS-Psh | / | / |
| Blue-mist Spirea | Caryopteris x clandonensis | .9-1.5 m | FS-Psh | / | / |
| Buffaloberry/Soapberry | Shepherdia spp. | 1.8-3 m | FS | / | / |
| California lilac | Ceanothus impressus | 1.5-2.4 m | FS | Yes | Yes |
| Cinquefoil, Potentilla | Potentilla fruticosa | .3-1.2 | FS/Psh | / | / |
| Common lila | Syringa vulgaris | 1.5-4.5 m | FS/Psh | / | / |
| Cotoneaster, Peking | Cotoneaster acutifolius | 1.8-3 m | FS-Psh | Yes | Yes |
Double Flowering Plum/ Flowering almond | Prunus triloba | 3.5-4.5 m | FS-Psh | Yes | Yes |
| Elderberry | Sambucus spp. | 1.5-9 m | FS-Psh | / | Yes |
| Firethron/Pyrcantha | Pyrcantha coccinea | 1.8-5.5 m | FS-Psh | / | Yes |
| Forsythia | Fosythia spp. | 2.5-3 m | FS | Yes | Yes |
| Mahala Mat | Ceanothus prostratus | 2.5-7.5 m | FS | Yes | / |
| Mock Orange | Philadelphus sp. | 1.8-2.4 m | FS-Psh | Yes | Yes |
| Ninebark | Physocarpus opulifolius | 1.5-3 m | FS-Psh | / | / |
| Orchid rockrose | Cistus purpureus | .9-1.2 m | FS | / | Yes |
| Oregon grape | Mahonia aquifolium | 1.5-1.8 m | FS-Psh | Yes | Yes |
| Point Reyes Ceanothus | Ceanothus gloriosus | 0.3-0.9 m | FS-Psh | Yes | Yes |
| Red flowering currant | Ribes sanguineum | 3m | FS-Psh | Yes | Yes |
| Redosier Dogwood/Red-twig Dogwood | Cornus sericea | 2.1-3 m | FS | / | Yes |
| Rose, Rugosa | Rosa regosa "Hansa" | 1.5-1.8 m | FS-Psh | Yes | Yes |
Saskatoonberry/ Serviceberry | Amelanchier sp. | 2.5-3.5 m | FS-Psh | Yes | Yes |
| Silberberry | Elaeagnus commutata | 1.8-3.5 m | FS | / | Yes |
| Smoke tree | Cotinus coggygria | 3-4.5 m | FS | / | Yes |
| Snowberry | Symphoricarpos albus | 1.2-1.8 m | FS-Psh | Yes | Yes |
| Spirea | Spirraea spp. | .6-1.2 m | FS-Psh | / | Yes |
| Strawberry tree | Arbutus unedo | 1.8-4.5 m | FS-Psh | Yes | Yes |
| Sumac, Fragrant | Rhus aromatica | .6-1.8 m | FS-Psh | / | Yes |
| Sumac, Oakleaf | Rhus trilobata | 2.1 m | FS-Psh | / | Yes |
| Sumac, Smooth | Rhus glabra | 2.75-4.5 m | FS-Psh | / | Yes |
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