by H.N Wells
The wild rose, or Rosa acicularis, was designated as the floral symbol of Alberta in 1930. As the story goes, the editor of an Edmonton newspaper suggested that an emblem be selected. The actual decision was made by the Department of Education, having allowed schoolchildren from across the province to vote on the matter. Since then, the wild rose has appeared across the province in many forms – including on license plates and driver’s licenses. Our province, as you may know, is affectionally nicknamed “Wild Rose Country.”
However, Alberta isn’t the only province with an official flower – each region has its own unique plant. Our neighbours in British Columbia chose the pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii), and to the east, Saskatchewan has chosen the western red lily (Lilium philadelphicum). Manitoba’s flower should be well-known to most Albertans – their floral emblem is the prairie crocus (Anemone patens, syn. Pulsatilla patens), one of the first flowers to bloom on the prairies during the spring.
Further north, the official flowers of the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut are the fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium), the mountain avens (Dryas octopetala), and purple saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia), respectively.
In the Maritimes, Newfoundland and Labrador claims the purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea); Nova Scotia uses the mayflower (Epigaea repens); Prince Edward Island claims the lady’s slipper (Cypripedium acaule); and New Brunswick has the purple violet (Viola cucullata).
The white trillum (Trillium grandiflorum) was named as Ontario’s official flower in 1937. From 1963 to 1999, the white garden lily had been selected as Québec’s official flower. However, that particular lily is not a native plant, and so in 1999 was swapped out for the blue flag iris (Iris versicolor).
If you’d like to learn more about Canada’s unique floral history, be sure to check out government and city websites, local greenhouses, and, of course, try to spot them while you’re out exploring our beautiful natural landscapes.
