Native Plants

Six Native Plants to Incorporate Into Your Landscape in 2025

January 29, 2025

It’s the new year, and if you are like us Haliburton County Master Gardeners, these -20℃ nights lately have us dreaming of spring. And even though the ground is frozen and covered in a few feet of snow, there is plenty you can do to prepare for your 2025 garden and landscaping goals. Is it time to really naturalize your shoreline? Looking to attract pollinators? Whatever your goals, planting more native plants is almost always the answer.

Reminder! In Canada, there are 10 identified Plant Hardiness Zones that take into account a wide range of factors including snowfall, elevation, wind and others. The higher the zone number, the warmer the climate. Haliburton County is a Zone 4 region.

Why Plant Native Plants?

Native plants are plant species that naturally occur in a specific region or ecosystem without human introduction. They have spent thousands of years evolving to not only be resilient to the climate of their region but also support the local environment including reducing erosion (hello shorelines), stabilizing soil and providing shelter and sustenance for local wildlife.

Six Native Plants to Get You Started in 2025

The following plants are native species that are also considered ‘keystone plants’. Keystone plants attract more wildlife and are particularly beneficial to native insects. We recommend the following plants and other keystone species make the backbone of your plantings.

Note: To see a larger selection of Native Plants that we recommend, including more ornamental plants and a larger range that would work for the sun and moisture levels of your property, be sure to grab your copy of the Guidebook to Ecological Landscaping in the Highlands available for purchase at businesses across the county.

Red Oak (Quercus rubra)
Basswood (Tilia americana)
Serviceberry (Amelanchier)
Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum trilobum)
Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea)
Meadowsweet (Spiraea alba var latifolia)

Red Osier Dogwood along Minden Riverwalk (photo credit: Shelley Fellows)

Serviceberry in bloom (photo credit: Shelley Fellows)

Meadowsweet, also along the Minden Riverwalk (photo credit: Shelley Fellows)

Highbush Cranberry (photo credit: Carolyn Langdon)

As with any planting, you want to take into consideration the various environmental elements that your property has. Where is it shady versus more consistently full sun? How moist is your soil and what is the natural drainage like? What wildlife and pollinators do you want to host?

These are all questions to consider, among others, when researching which native plants to bring to your landscape. The Haliburton County Master Gardeners can support you with a donation-based consultation or – if you’re up for your own research and reading – we recommend grabbing your own copy of our Guidebook for Ecological Landscaping in the Highlands as a starting point.

Stay warm, and happy researching!

Gardening in the Highlands

October 6, 2023

As many northern gardeners will agree there are challenges to gardening in the highlands. The impulse to keep trying speaks to the doggedness and persistence of the type of character who make this region their home or cottage.

As a gardener you’ll be up against:

Long, cold winters with drying winds
Variable summers of hot dry or cool wet weather
Short growing season and cool nights
Blackflies and mosquitoes
Nutrient poor and thin soils
No municipal water or limited well water
Pests like deer, bear, beaver, and turtles
Fewer sources of information for northern gardeners

There are benefits of gardening in the Highlands. There are the spectacular views and the ready-made stunning natural backdrop to one’s garden. You’re certain to have an upper story of native trees, an understory of native shrubs and herbaceous plants, and the contrast of a glittering lake, a burbling creek or an imposing rocky outcrop.

The Highlands are part of the Algonquin dome with the contour of the land sloping from a high point downwards to the east, west and south. The northern part of the county, often called the Algonquin Park Region is marginally cooler, dominated by coniferous forests, and poorer soils. The central and southern parts of the county called the Haliburton Slopes benefit from areas of underlying sedimentary limestone. Limestone contains calcium which can neutralize acid and benefit plants. If you happen to garden in one of these areas you have a bit of an edge. In general however Haliburton soils are acidic with a ph. of 6 or less and that’s because the subsoil is composed of ground-up granite rock of the Precambrian shield.

For information about growing zones please click here.

Canada’s most recent Plant Hardiness Zone map takes a wide range of climate variables into account, like minimum winter temperatures, maximum temperatures, rainfall, snow cover, wind, and elevation. In Canada, there are 10 zones, which are numbered from 0 to 9. The higher the zone number, the warmer the climate. Haliburton County is generally considered to be zone 4.

There may also be areas of exception or ‘micro climates’. Factors that contribute to microclimates may be nearby bodies of water, presence of concrete or stone, slopes, soil type, vegetation, or structures. For example, plantings close to a house that are sheltered from northern winds will do well so you might experiment with a plant rated for a warmer zone, like a zone 5. Read the plant tags when you are buying new plants to ensure they will survive year after year.

Beware of imported plants that have the US hardiness zone information on the tags. This is not equivalent to Canadian hardiness zones. As a general rule of thumb gardeners can simply add one zone to the designated USDA zone. For example, USDA zone 4 is roughly comparable to zone 5 in Canada. Buying locally and asking questions at your local garden centre will help alleviate this confusion.

If you want to overwinter perennials outdoors in containers, it’s best to sink them into the ground. This will protect your planter and the plants.

Natural Landscaping Solutions

September 25, 2022

Plants have roots.They have roots that intertwine, roots that mat together, roots that penetrate deeply and anchor around rocks, roots that prevent soil from washing away. Nature has done a pretty good job holding things together since the last ice age 10,000 years ago. Attached to these roots are a variety of remarkable plants, shrubs and trees that have evolved over 10, 000 years with each other and with mammals, insects and avian species to create some pretty extraordinary ecosystems.

More and more landscapers are turning to native plants and methods that mimic natural processes to restore degraded sites along shorelines and in upland areas. If you live on waterfront, you’ll want access to the water to reach a dock or a beach. The ideal is to minimize the amount of native vegetation that you remove to create a path. For level sites a soft path is kindest on the land. For steeper sites, steps or a snaking path may be necessary. A path will act as a water course during heavy rains so top your path with wood mulch to help slow and absorb water. If your slope is very steep and you’re using rock, make it local granite which is available nearby and aesthetically fits in with the surrounding land. Don’t ignore the value of plants when you are putting in hardscapes like steps, patios and retaining walls and wherever practical choose plants over hardscape to solve problems and create esthetic spaces. Place plants close to hard scape features to hold the soil in place and plant them densely.

Bearberry would be a good choice for planting around steps and paths since they are widely available, hardy, low growing, sun loving and thrive in poor sandy soil.

Photo credit Sten Porse CC-BY 3.0plants

Shorelines cloaked in vegetation fare better than properties cleared of shrubs and trees and planted in grass. Steep banks do well planted in Willow shrubs, Speckled Alder, Beaked Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta) and Red Osier Dogwood, named for its red stems. It is the tenacious plant roots of these shrubs that hold the soil in place. These plants have adapted to extreme conditions and will survive periods of flooding and then long periods of little rain. They are deciduous and can be pruned aggressively to maintain views. There are many other plants that can tolerate a range of conditions that make them ideally suited to shorelines and the vagaries of the weather. For other plant choices please peruse the article on Solutions to Erosion .

Hard surfaces like steps and retaining walls do nothing to slow the flow of water from the top of a slope or prevent the force of a river or wave action from slowly undermining these structures. Engineers have found that rip rap is not always effective in stabilizing the shore but merely armours it for a period of time. Rip rap does a poor job of absorbing the energy of water and merely deflects waves to the edges undermining neighbouring properties. Placing plants in rip rap to accumulate organic debris from roots can help.

Restorationists are now opting to use vegetation and softer organic materials. In serious cases a steep slope may need to be cut back to reduce the angle and then clothed in coco mat to hold the disturbed soil in place until plant roots spread enough to take over this function. Coconut fiber rolls and mats placed along a shoreline can absorb and redirect water and can be planted so that plant roots can eventually take over.

Picture of Rip Rap — Rip Rap has fallen out of favour

Ideally we want to take care of water before it reaches the shore. And to do that we need to assess the state of the landscape from the shoreline back to your property line. We would need to consider how many buildings and parking areas with impervious surfaces, grass vis a vis a many layered woodland are in place. A landscape of different layers allow light to penetrate to all plants – low perennials, understory, upper canopy.

Erosion has a lot to do with upland management. The ideal is to have the ground water from rainfall and runoff be absorbed, filtered and cleaned before it runs down the slope to the water body. Bio swales, raingardens, and undulations in the landscape can all be used to hold water and give it time to absorb into the ground.
Forests filter and regulate the flow of water. Leaves capture and slow the fall of rain to the forest floor. The ground acts like an enormous sponge, absorbing up to 46 centimetres (15 in) of precipitation before gradually releasing it to streams and recharging ground water. On average an untouched forest floor can absorb 2/3rds more rain than a cover of suburban turf.

Well vegetated upland areas can still offer a view. Deciduous shrubs and trees can be thinned, and branches removed with little effect on the vegetation. It’s called ‘vista pruning’ and looks more attractive than a clear-cut swath down to your lake. Use brush and other available organic matter to build soil to reclaim poor soil areas. It may take a few years for twigs and branches to break down in our temperate zone with our short summers and cool evenings, but you’ll eventually be rewarded with rich, moist soil ideal for planting natives. If you can’t wait, you can make a hole in the brush, add soil and plant. Brush piles also act as habitat for wildlife so you may want to have a succession of soil building projects on the go.

Build swales or ditches and then plant them so that plant roots can take up excess water. A bio swale allows surface water to soak into the earth slowly, rather than flooding or shooting down to the lake. Use rocks, logs and any other natural debris to slow down the flow of water and arrest erosion. Place logs perpendicular to a compacted and steep path to direct water to the sides. Use wood chip mulch on the sloped pathways as it is absorbent and is a soil builder. As tempting as it may be, please avoid planting fast growing invasive ground covers like periwinkle (Vinca) and Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria).

Plants, with their varied root systems blanket and protect the soil from drying out and from blowing or eroding away. They also aerate the soil and provide nutrients to the soil from decaying foliage. Organic material has the additional benefit of providing texture and nutrients to your soil as it breaks down.

An effective and affordable solution for any terrain but particularly steep slopes is the use of wattles which are simply bundles of organic material, possibly coco rolls. Live stakes and/or steel rods are used to hold the material in place. The live stakes are cuttings taken from shrubs such as willow and dogwood, that quickly set down roots. The use of live stakes can only be used in early spring and the stakes can be bought or cut from existing vegetation before leaf out. Buttonbush, elderberry, viburnum, willow and dogwood are all sold as live stakes. Buy dormant and plant in April/May.

How to obtain plants:
The nursery trade has a very small inventory of native plants, so you’ll have to be creative.
Celebrate what you have, prune, move and enhance.
Transplant or divide from plants on your property.
Collect seed from friends.
Purchase sustainably grown plants
For a list of local landscapers, arborists and nurseries please visit our Buy Local page

Carolyn Langdon, Master Gardeners, 2023

Three Invasive Species to Avoid When Planning your Garden

July 29, 2022

Scientific Name: Lythrum salicaria L.

Common Name: Purple Loosestrife

Family: Lythraceae (Loosestrife)

Type of Plant: Herbaceous Perennial

Usage: Ornamental

Identifying Characteristics:

Stems & roots: Stout plant, erect (24-48in); 4 angled stem can be smooth to fuzzy; long, well-established tap root

Leaves: Smooth, opposite (2 per node) or whorled (3 per node); narrow to narrowly oblong and heart shaped at base; 1.25-4 in long, attach directly to stems; upper leaves & those in the inflorescence alternate (1/node) & smaller than lower leaves

Flowers: Magenta – pink, tightly clustered, dense, terminal spikes from 4-20in; sepals united into a column with 8-12 prominent green veins & ending in several, long, thin, pointed lobes; 5-7 petals approx. 1/4in long; several stamens & 1 pistil; small seedpod. Bloom late June – mid Sept. Many garden species previously thought to be sterile can produce seeds by cross pollination with wild & other species, increasing the opportunities for spreading

Habitat: In the wild – wetlands, sedge meadows, open bogs. Can also occur along streams, riverbanks, lake shores. Opportunistic in areas with recent soil disturbance. Grows best in highly organic soils in full sun

Invasive Potential: Introduced from Europe. 2.7 million seeds per plant annually, highly invasive in wetland areas through wind, birds, animals & humans. Readily establishes itself, crowding out native species. Decrease in biodiversity has far reaching ecological implications including displacing plants & animals, eliminating food & shelter for wildlife, degrading native wetlands, reducing habitat for waterfowl. Native to Eurasia

Control: No effective method except in small, localized growth area where it can be intensively managed. Isolated areas, uproot plant by hand ensuring the removal of all parts of plant including all roots

Other methods of control: cutting, burning where permitted, herbicide application although herbicides can destroy other nearby plants

Biological control using root weevil (Hylobius transversovittatus), 2 specie

s leaf eating beetles (Galerucella pusilla & Galerucella calmariensis) have been approved by Canadian government. Research indicate there is little chance of permanent host transfer as these insects only feast on purple loosestrife

Recommendations: Recommended to dig all cultivars of Purple Loosestrife from the landscape and, according to the Manitoba Purple Loosestrife Project, can best be replaced with Spiked Gayfeather (Liatrus); a native plant with pink, purple or white flowers that is an environmentally safe perennial. It requires full sun to part shade, height up to 1.5-2.5m, hardy to CDA zone 3; blooms midsummer to Sept

Scientific Name: Lonicera tatarica

Common Name: Tartarian Honeysuckle

Family: Caprifolaceae (Honeysuckle)

Type of Plant: Flowering Deciduous Shrub

Usage: Ornamental

Stems & roots: Woody, multi-stemmed, upright 2-5m; Branches thin, smooth, becoming hollow; Dicotyledon; bark turns pale grey & shreds with age

Leaves: Opposite, ovate, 3-6cm long, short-stalked & blue-green; Smooth, hairless, bluish-green leaves

Flowers: Usually in 2 pairs developing in axils of leaves at end of branches; 2 leaflets beneath each bud pair, 2 sepals above leaflets; Petals pink to crimson, tubular, 2-lipped, 7-20mm long, fragrant. Blooms May-June. Fruit – abundant berries 3mm diameter, joined at base, ripening orange to red that are available in winter for the birds & other wildlife

Habitat: Adaptable to wide range of habitat; open woods, ravines, woodland edges; prefer moist, sunny areas

Invasive Potential: Moderately invasive in Ontario. Replaces native understory species & ground flora thereby changing vegetation structure; impedes forest seedling & natural tree regeneration; spread by birds & mammals dispersing seed. Native Eastern Asia

Control:
Mechanical: less dense infiltrations – pull ensuring all roots removed
Chemical: systemic herbicides such as Roundup are most effective. Another method is to cut off near ground level & apply herbicide
Biological: There are no current biological control methods available
Recommendations: As with most invasive plants it is best to remove and replace. To contain remove seedlings annually as they appear. Widespread dispersion by birds limits effectiveness. Replacement with North American natives such as Spice bush (Lindera benzoin) – hardy to CDA zone 5 or Viburnum – hardy to CDA zone 3

Scientific Name: Rhamnus frangula L.

Common Name: Glossy Buckthorn

Family: RHAMNACEAE (Buckthorn)

Type of Plant: RBC site consider this plant a deciduous tree but many sites consider it a flowering deciduous shrub

Usage: Ornamental

Identifying Characteristics:
Stems & roots: Most often grow in large shrub habit with a few to several stems shooting up from base; shrubs spreading, loosely branched crowns; Bark grey – brown with prominent, lighter-coloured lenticels (pores in the stem of a woody plant allowing exchange of gases between the plant and the exterior)*. Unusual winter appearance with naked, hairy terminal buds & appealing curved twigs with closely-spaced, prominent leaf scars giving the twigs a bumpy outline against a white snowy backdrop. Tree habit reaches 6-9m high and 26cm diameter

Leaves: Thin, glossy, ovate or elliptic leaves, 3.8-7.6cm long; upper leaf surface shiny; lower surface hairy or smooth with margins that are not toothed – a distinguishing feature from the similar common buckthorn

Flowers: Yellow-green, 4 petals develop in clusters of 2-6 near base of petioles. Plant are dioecious (male & female sex organs on separate plants). Fruits small, black berries 0.6cm in diameter appear singly or in small groups in leaf axils. Fruit is poisonous except to European Starling – primary agent responsible for the spread

Habitat: Prefers range of wetland areas such as marshes and bogs but can grow in upland habitats such as forest, wood edges & old fields. In Ontario, primarily near larger populations

Invasive Potential: Invasive locally in Southern & Eastern Ontario. Rapid spread & ability to invade native wetland areas suggest this will become a serious threat in the future. Detrimental effects include: outcompeting native plants for nutrients, light & moisture; degrading wildlife habitat, serving as host to pests such as crown rust fungus

Control:
Mechanical: Remove isolated plants early before seed production, prescribed burns if permitted by law (may need to do this for several years);
Chemical Control: Best during fall season to lessen risk of affecting non-target plants;
Biological Control: No current biological control methods
Recommendations: As with most invasive plants it is best to remove and replace. As with the Glossy Buckthorn, replacement with same North American natives such as Spice bush (Lindera benzoin) – hardy to CDA zone 5 or Viburnum – hardy to CDA zone 3 is recommended

Resources:
* Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Botany definition
Invasive Plants of the US: Plant Conservation Alliance’s Alien Plant Working Group: Environment of Canada: Royal Botanical Gardens: Ontario Food & Agriculture: Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs: Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters: Invading Species: Ducks Unlimited; Talk About Wildlife; Alberta:

Shoreline Restoration

April 8, 2022

The ribbon of land between the lake and cottage has undergone monumental changes since lake development began. Many cottage owners removed the natural vegetation at the shoreline in an attempt to urbanize the area. We now understand that this has disturbed the natural environment for wildlife as well as reducing the water quality of the lakes with serious repercussions for human health.

Shoreline protection and an understanding of how it affects waterways is critical for a variety of wildlife species including spawning fish, turtles and nesting waterfowl as well as terrestrial song birds and small mammals. A dense strip of native vegetation is an important buffer filtering snow and water runoff and preventing soil erosion and providing a continuous wildlife corridor.

Experts agree that preserving and restoring cottage shorelines with native vegetation is the best solution for water quality and long-term shoreline stability. This would be the way nature kept shorelines stable and our lakes and streams clean long before the impacts of human development. Native plants are those that occur naturally in a region in which they evolved. They are the ecological basis upon which life depends, including mammals, birds and people. Without them and the insects that co-evolved with them, local birds cannot survive. Native wildlife of all kinds is reduced when the land along the shoreline is paved, turfed, ornamented and exposed. Clear-cutting vegetation, creating steep slopes or mowing to the water’s edge come with consequences.

Sourcing native plants is a lot easier than it used to be. A list of native plant nurseries and resources is provided at the end of the document. The use of fertilizers encourages weeds to the detriment of native plants. Pesticides are detrimental to all living things including humans, aquatic and terrestrial life.

We have created a document that attempts to bring together in one place a description of many common native species that will grow in the Highlands (Zone4), including those that are likely to be available from area nurseries. This revised document also includes the native insects and wildlife that are attracted to native flora as well as some edible and medicinal information about the plants.

This document can be used to help property owners identify the native plants that are already growing on their land so they can ‘preserve’ them and secondly to help property owners choose which natives to purchase and plant in order to ‘restore’ their property.

Download PDF Version Here

Beware of Invasive Species

March 22, 2022

There is perhaps a tendency to mistakenly think of plants as being “rooted in place”. However, their ever increasing ability to travel through direct and indirect human assistance to new habitats both near and far can be a blessing or a curse…depending upon just how successful they are in relocating and the resulting threat that success creates in displacing natural vegetation.

A plant that succeeds at the expense of natural or cultivated vegetation soon becomes identified as an “Invasive Species”. Invasive species are plants that are alien to their new habitat and have biological characteristics such as strong root and reproductive systems and vigorous growth habit that allow them to outcompete and eventually threaten the viability of native or cultivated plants. This can result in reduced biodiversity and alteration of natural habitats that then impact negatively on both native flora and fauna. Native species can be deemed invasive if changing environmental circumstances allow them to overtake other native species within their habitat such as the case with the Manitoba maple which in many areas of Canada is now considered an undesirable “weed tree”.

Invasive species tend to be most problematic in areas that have been “disturbed” through human activity. They become very difficult to control or eradicate through natural means and when the threat to native plant and animal populations, successful cultivation of cash crops or human enjoyment of natural areas is heightened, they become the focus of programs aimed at eradication or at least limiting their spread to other areas.

It is the responsibility of all gardeners to be aware of the “invasive status” of any plant they bring into their gardens and to ensure they do not inadvertently contribute to increasing the level of threat these invasive species bring to the health of our natural species and habitats.

The following three invasive species are ones that I personally have struggled with in our home property in Southern Ontario (GTA) and cottage property in Central Ontario (Haliburton). They require constant vigilance in monitoring for new invasions and continuing efforts to control existing infestations. Left unattended they would quickly overrun both our gardens and the natural woodlands and meadows surrounding our properties. We do not use herbicides, but with large infestations that threaten natural areas this option may have to be carefully considered and the risks weighed in order to minimize the damage and contain the spread of these species. Researchers are also looking at biological ways to contain these invasive species and hopefully in the near future we will be able to address the spread of invasive species with less risk to the environment.

Garlic Mustard

Scientific Name: Alliaria petiolata
Family Name: Mustard Family (Cruciferae)
Type of Plant: Herbaceous Biennial; Non-native plant introduced by early colonists as a cooking/medicinal herb
Habitat/Culture: Woodlands, forest edges and trails, roadside ditches; highly adaptable in terms of light, soil and moisture requirements
Level of Threat: High

Description – Identifying Characteristics:

Height: up to one meter tall

Spread: 10 – 15 cm.

Stem: Tall with little branching; smooth or with a few simple hairs.

Leaves: First year plants produce dark green rosettes of a few to many leaves; leaves vary in shape from first year obovate (kidney) shaped with broad, rounded tip to second year upper leaves that are narrower and ovate with an acute apex and more deeply serrated, margins arranged alternately

Roots: Shallow fibrous root system that typically has a characteristic s-shaped bend that helps the plant “grab” the soil. Mature plants are however easily uprooted with hand pulling.

Flowers: Small, white, flowers with 4 petals, 3-6mm long and wide; grow predominately at the end of the stem in late spring to early summer. Leaves and flowers have garlic-like smell.

Propagation: Prolific seed producer. Short pedicels bear narrow seedpods that readily dry out in mid-late summer and burst open releasing small black seeds. One plant may produce up to 800 seeds that can remain viable in the soil for up to five years.

Control: Infestations spread rapidly. Control requires early detection and eradication generally through hand pulling. Once established, focus on containment and prevention of further spreading by pulling or cutting before seeds are produced. Careful disposal of pulled plants required due to hardiness of seeds.

Bind Weed

Scientific Name: Convolvulus sepium (Hedge Bindweed) C. arvensis (Field Bindweed)
Family Name: Morning Glory Family (Convolvulaceae)
Type of Plant: Vigorous perennial vine. Readily adaptable to disturbed soil areas
Habitat/Culture: Forest edges and trails, abandoned fields, roadside ditches, gardens, lawns
Level of Threat: Low – Medium

Description – Identifying Characteristics:

Height/Spread: Vines grow quickly up to 5 meters; can form dense, tangled mats.

Stem: Long slender, trailing, twining or creeping smooth stems with extensive branching.

Leaves: Arrowhead-shaped (hastate) alternate leaves with prominent lobes at leaf base; 2- 10 cm long, with smooth margins.

Roots: Deep, extensive root and rhizome system. Also capable of rooting from each stem nodule.

Flowers: Resemble miniature white, trumpet shaped ornamental morning glory blooms. Generally appear singly in axils of leaves; flower stalk has two small leaf bracts.

Propagation: Introduced to new area by seeds spread by birds, water, manure or as commercial seed contaminants. Seeds have a hard, impermeable seed coat, and can remain dormant in the soil for over 20 years. Once established spreads rapidly through vigorous roots and rhizomes that can regenerate if top removed.

Control: Very difficult to eradicate. Small new infestations may be controlled through repeated removal of top growth and deep cultivation that depletes root system. Larger established infestations require crop rotation and consideration of careful, repeated application of selected herbicides to destroy root.

Dog Strangling Vine

Scientific Name: Vincetoxicum nigrum (L.)
Family Name: Milkweed Family (Asclepiadaceae) (this can confuse Monarch butterflies that require true Milkweed plants for egg laying and survive of larvae)
Type of Plant: Aggressive perennial twining vine that readily adapts to disturbed soil. Tolerates variety of soil and moisture conditions.
Habitat/Culture: Forest edges and trails, fields, fencerows, roadsides, ravines
Level of Threat: Medium – High

Description – Identifying Characteristics:

Height/Spread: Vines grow up to 2 metres.

Stem: Long, herbaceous or woody twining stems that quickly scramble over ground, rocks, and vegetation forming impenetrable masses that “strangle” out other species.

Leaves: Ovate shaped leaves with rounded base and sharply pointed apex. Leaves are opposite (2 per node) with small hairs present on smooth margins and heavy veining on underside.

Roots: Vigorous fleshy, fibrous rootstalk or rhizome becomes more woody with age.

Flowers: Small pink, red-brown to dark maroon/purple flowers that begin in late May and end mid-July.

Propagation: Reproduce by seed and by massive underground root system (rhizomes). Seed is extremely viable once it germinates and the rhizomes can also propagate many new plants. Fruit pods resemble long narrow milkweed pods and release large numbers of parachute seed from mid-August to early-November.

Control: Very difficult to eradicate. Requires vigilant mowing and if possible removal of entire root system. Large aggressive infestations may require carefully considered and controlled use of herbicide Arsenal (preferably by professionals).

Resources
Chambers B, Legasy K, Bentley, C. 1996. Forest Plants of Central Ontario, Lone Pine Publishing, Edmonton, Alberta.
Invasive Species Canadian Wildlife Federation http://www.cwf-fcf.org/en/resources/encyclopedias/invasive-species/
Canadian Wildlife Services – Invasive plants and their biology, impact and control options http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/publications/inv/11_e.cfm
Fydon, Andrew. Andy’s Northern Ontario Wildflowers Invasive Plants of Ontario http://www.ontariowildflower.com/invasive_plants.htm#top
Royal Botanical Gardens Invasive Plants http://www.rbg.ca/cbcn/en/projects/invasives/invade1.html
Invasive Plants List http://www.rbg.ca/cbcn/en/projects/invasives/i_list.html
The Ontario Woodlot Association – Invasive Exotic Species in Your Woodlot, S & W Report/FallWinter 2001, Vol. 22 http://www.ont-woodlot-assoc.org/sw_invasive_ex otic.html
Garlic Mustard Wisconsin Family Forests 2009 – Garlic Mustard Identification and Control http://www.in-sitevideo.com/wff/garlicmustard.html
Michigan State University Extension – About Garlic Mustard http://www.ipm.msu.edu/garlicAbout.htm

Bindweed
Garden Wise Online, – Invasive Bindweed – July 2008 http://www.gardenwiseonline.ca/gw/ask-pros/2008/07/18/invasive-bindweed
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs – Field Bindweed Fact Sheet http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/01-007.htm

Dog Strangling Vine
Fydon, Andrew. Andy’s Northern Ontario Wildflowers Invasive Plants of Ontario http://ontariowildflowers.com/main/species.php?id=200
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs –Dog Strangling Vine – An Invasive Species Creeping into Agricultural Fields http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/field/news/croptalk/2006/ct_0306a7.htm
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs – Ontario Weeds – Dog Strangling Vine http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/ontweeds/dogstrangling_vine.htm
Routh, John. Task Force Vice-Chair, Living in Toronto – Have you seen this plant? Dog strangling Vine. http://www.toronto.ca/don/dsv/index.htm