Simcoe County Master Gardeners
Grow Natives!
PLANT PROFILE
COMMON NAME: Canada Mayflower
BINOMIAL: Maianthemum canadense
| Family | formerly Lilliaceae, now Ruscaceae |
| Cdn Native Range | all Canadian provinces, SW of NWT, SE of Yukon |
| Natural habitat | woodland, talus, rocky slopes, sandy pine woods |
| Type | understory perennial |
| Features | white flowers, cordate shiny leaves |
| Growth habit | short, spreading |
| Mature height | 5–25 cm (1–9”) |
| Mature spread | forms large patches, rhizomatous |
| Life span | perennial |
| Cdn Hardiness Zone | 3–9 |
| Growing conditions | partial shade |
| Soil conditions | moist |
| Watering needs | medium |
| Fertilizer needs | n/a |
| Tolerance | tolerates deer browsing |
| Maintenance rank | low |
| Maintenance needs | none |
| Bloom | white, star-shaped racemes in spring, summer |
| Fruit | fleshy red berry, two seeds |
| Pollinator support | attracts birds, mammals, pollinators including bees, flies and beetles |
| Environmental support | the fruit is a source of food for insects, birds and small mammals |
| Garden Use | ground cover in shaded areas |
| Risks & Cautions | attracts deer; assure plants are not collected from the wild |
References: Canadian Wildlife Federation; Native Plant Trust; Minnesota Wildflowers
http://cwf-fcf.org/en/resources/encyclopedias/native-plant-encyclopedia.html
https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/species/maianthemum/canadense
https://minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/canada-mayflower
Photo Credits:
Canada Mayflower Credit: Alaina Larkin, USFWS
Canada Mayflower on Forest Floor Credit: Joshua Mayer, Flickr on CC
