Bunchberry/Dwarf Dogwood (Cornus Canadensis):
15cm high, 50 cm wide
Part or Full Shade
Moist Environment
Low, trailing shrub with terminal whorl of leaves
Mixed coastal forest habitat
Edible red fruit, sweet but pulpy
Red-Flowering Currant:
1 m high, 75 cm wide
Full or Part Sun
Drought Tolerant (water occasionally)
Shrub
Dry open woods or rocky slope habitat
Edible blue-black berries, eaten raw, but not highly regarded for flavour
Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi):
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30 cm high, 40 cm wide
Full or Part Sun
Drought tolerant
Groundcovering evergreen shrub
Pioneer species and sunny habitat
Edible berries
Licorice Fern Polypodium glycyrrhiza:
30 cm high, 30 cm wide
Full or Part Shade
Moist Environment
Evergreen fern, dries out in summer
Prefers to grow on moss on trees so plant against driftwood or other plants
Tastes like licorice, safe to eat
Lingonberry / Mountain-Cranberry:
20 cm high, 30 cm wide
Full Sun or Part Shade
Moist Environment
Ground-covering dwarf shrub
Pioneer species in a variety of habitats, including bogs
Juicy berries (raw, cooked, or served with oolichan fish oil)
Nodding Onion:
50 cm high, 20 cm wide
Full or Part Sun
Drought Tolerant (water occasionally)
Herbaceous perennial lily with pink flowers hanging over in a cluster
Sunny open habitat
Edible bulb, leaves and flowers (raw, cooked, or dried)
Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea):
40 cm high, 25 cm wide
Full or Part Sun
Drought Tolerant (water occasionally)
Perennial herb with clusters of small flower heads, with spreading rhizomes
From rocky to meadow habitat at low to subalpine elevations
Medicinal uses include rubbing to soften hands or in a mixture to treat influenza
Salal (Gaultheria):
20 cm high, 30 cm wide
Full/Part Sun or Shade
Drought Tolerant and Wet Tolerant
Evergreen shrub
Lower canopy habitat
Tasty ‘berries’ (raw or dried), chewable leaves, & you can make a cone cup from a leaf
Snowberry:
1 m high, 75 cm wide
Full or Part Sun
Average Tolerance
Shrub, forest understory plant
Produces white berries (toxicity is debated)
Wild Strawberry (coastal, alpine, woodland varieties):
20 cm high, 30 cm wide
Full or Part Sun
Average Tolerance
Trailing perennial herb connected by hairy runners with evergreen leaves in 3 leaflets
Sun-loving pioneer species of open habitat
Edible berries (raw is best) and medicinal uses for leaves (tea, poultice, tonic, etc.)
Swordfern:
75 cm high, 75 cm wide
Part Sun or Shade
Drought Tolerant
Evergreen fern
Hardy and prefers shade
Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens):
15 cm tall, 50 cm wide
Part Shade
Moist Environment
Groundcover, reddish fall evergreen leaves
Flowers pink May through August with scarlet fruit
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium):
40 cm high, 20 cm wide
Full Sun
Drought Tolerant
Perennial aromatic herb with fern-like leaves and clusters of small flowers
Dry to moist open habitats, quite common and widespread at lower elevations
Many indigenous uses as medicine for sore throat, childbirth, colds, headache, etc.
*All images taken from Metro Vancouver’s Grow Green Guide or Google Images