The Boreal Forest

Famous Flowers of the Canadian Provinces
By Christina Nielson

Canada is renowned the world over for it's impressive variety of wildflowers and habitats. The sheer variety of flowers found in Canada is partially due to the vast expanse of land and the extreme variations in climate and habitat found across the country. At some point in their esteemed history, each province or territory in Canada has adopted an official flower to represent and symbolize their region. That being said, the official flowers for each province or territory are not necessarily unique to that particular area.

Alberta first selected their official flower back in the 1930's. The Wild Rose (rosa acicularis) was selected to be the official provincial flower by a group of school children. The Wild Rose is a large, pink, fragrant flower that grows predominantly on rocky mountainous slopes. The Wild Rose, however, can be found in various areas of Canada.

British Columbia designated the Pacific Dogwood as their provincial flower in 1956. The Pacific Dogwood, or cornus nuttallii, produces clustered cream coloured flowers which bloom in the spring and produce bright red berries in the fall. It's worth noting that the Pacific Dogwood is a protected species in Canada.

Manitoba also allowed school children to select their provincial flower. In 1906, the Prairie Crocus was selected to represent the province of Manitoba. The Prairie Crocus, or anemone patens, is lavender-coloured and blooms in the early spring; often before all of the snow has melted.

New Brunswick deemed the Purple Violet their provincial flower in 1936, at the request of the provincial Women's Institute. The Purple Violet, or viola cucullata, is a stemless flower that starts to bloom in May and continues throughout the summer months.

Newfoundland / Labrador adopted the Pitcher Plant as their official provincial flower in 1954. The Pitcher Plant, or sarracenia purpurea, has a large wine-red flower with a red and gold centre. It grows primarily in marshland and bogs, and was shown on the Newfoundland penny coin in the 1880's. It is worth noting that the purple Pitcher Plant is the only member of the genus to inhabit a cold temperature climate.

Nova Scotia's official provincial flower is the Trailing Arbutus, which is commonly known as the Mayflower. It was made official in 1901, and it's pale pink and white blossoms flourish in the springtime months from March until May. The Mayflower, or epigaea repens, is a spreading shrub from the Ericaceae family and is known for it's lovely fragrance.

Ontario selected the White Trillium as it's official flower in 1937. It is generally found in deciduous forests and woodlands, and is easily recognizable by it's while, three-petalled flowers. The White Trillium, or trillium grandiflorum, is a protected species in Ontario provincial parks.

In 1947, Prince Edward Island adopted a member of the Orchid family as it's provincial flower. The Lady's Slipper, or cypripedium acaule, flowers in late May and is commonly found in moist, shady woodlands. It is easily recognized by it's lovely pink flowers, and is characterized by it's slipper-shaped pouches.

The predominantly French-speaking province of Quebec chose the Madonna Lily as their provincial flower. It was initially chosen due to it's likeness to the Fleur-de-Lis on the provincial flag. Ironically, this flower is not native to Quebec. In 1999, the provincial flower of Quebec was changed to the Blue Flag Iris. It is commonly found in marshes, meadows and along stream banks throughout the province.

Saskatchewan selected the Western Red Lily, or lullium philadelphicum, as their official flower in 1941. A protected species that grows in semi-wooded areas and meadows, the Red Western Lily produces distinctive orange and red blossoms in the summer months of June to August. It is also featured on the provincial flag of Saskatchewan.

The Northwest Territories provincial flower is the Mountain Avens; otherwise known as dryas integrifolia. It was selected in 1957. It produces small, white flowers and is quite common in the northern tundra of the NWT. It flowers in the springtime, and grows in barren, rocky areas in full view of the sun.

The territory of Nanavut chose the Purple Saxifraga as their flower in the year 2000. Otherwise known as saxifrage oppositifolia, it is easily recognized by it's bright purple star shaped flowers which appear shortly after the snow disappears for the season.

The Yukon Territory selected the Fireweed as their floral emblem in 1957. The Fireweed, or epilobium angustifolium, produces small clusters of dark pink flowers. On average, the stems on these flowers range from three to seven feet tall. Their peak season ranges from July to September.

About the Author:
Christina Nielson has had a life-long passion for flowers. When she is not playing in the garden, she works in the marketing department at Jackman's Fresh Flowers; an award winning online florist specializing in international flower delivery.