Calgary is home to a fascinating range of native plants, shrubs, and trees, each playing a role in our city’s diverse ecosystems.
Once you start paying attention, you’ll recognize familiar species, anticipate when your favourites flower, and track their changes throughout the seasons. It’s a rewarding way to deepen your connection to the natural world right here in the city.
To help you identify more plants when you’re out exploring, we’ve teamed up with the Alberta Wilderness Association, a passionate organization dedicated to protecting Alberta’s natural spaces and wildlife.
So the next time you’re out for a walk, see how many of these native species you can spot!
Note: Many plants go by multiple names, and we’ve used the ones most commonly recognized in Calgary. Now, let’s take a closer look at some of the native plants you might encounter on your next adventure.
Prickly Rose (Alberta Wild Rose)
Top of the list is Alberta’s provincial flower! The prickly rose’s vibrant pink blooms are a sure sign of summer, but the fall season is actually when it really shines. The leaves turn crimson, and the bright red berries, known as rose hips, stand out against the fading greenery. Rose hips are packed with vitamin C (even more than oranges!) and have been used for teas, jellies and syrups. But beware of the tiny hairs inside the seeds — they’re a known irritant!
Cinquefoil
There are many species of cinquefoil in Alberta, but all share the signature 5-petaled yellow flowers. The early cinquefoil is among the first plants to bloom in spring, while shrubby cinquefoil grows into medium-sized bushes. Their bright blooms add a splash of colour to open grasslands and roadsides throughout the warmer months. The sunny slopes of Bowmont Park offer an excellent habitat for these early bloomers.
Prairie Crocus
For many Calgarians, the first sight of spring is the arrival of prairie crocuses — easily spotted on Bowmont Park’s or Nose Hill Park’s south-facing slopes. These delicate purple flowers with golden centers can bloom as early as mid-March, braving the lingering winter chill. Despite their name, prairie crocuses aren’t true crocuses — they’re part of the buttercup family. Their fuzzy leaves and stems deter grazers, while their deep roots form symbiotic relationships with fungi in native prairie soils.
Did you know Bowmont is one of Calgary’s largest natural areas? Here are 7 Ways To Spend Time Outside In Bowmont Park.
Pasture Sage
A warm summer breeze carries the unmistakable scent of sage across Calgary’s grasslands. Pasture sage, also known as fringed sage, is a silvery-green plant often found in dry, open areas. If you gently rub its leaves, you’ll release an earthy aroma — a scent deeply tied to the prairies.
Saskatoon Berry (Juneberry, Serviceberry)
Saskatoons are a beloved prairie staple. Many Calgarians have fond childhood memories of picking these dark purple berries, sneaking a few handfuls for themselves before filling up buckets for pies and muffins. The sweet berries ripen in late June or July, and are also a favourite snack for wildlife, including bears. So if you’re hiking in berry season, keep an eye out and always carry bear spray as a precaution — you might not be the only one enjoying the harvest! You can find Saskatoons lining many of Calgary’s river pathways, including Weaselhead Flats.
Trembling Aspen
Few sights are as striking in the fall as a grove of golden trembling aspens. Their smooth white trunks contrast beautifully against Alberta’s bright blue skies. Their name comes from how their leaves “shimmer” in the wind — a result of flattened leaf stems that catch even the slightest breeze. Aspen can also photosynthesize through their bark, giving them an advantage in early spring. A great place to see these is just outside the city at Glenbow Ranch.
Buffalo Bean (Golden Bean)
A bright splash of yellow on the hillsides, buffalo beans are one of the prairie’s most cheerful wildflowers. Their pea-like blossoms attract pollinators, and if you look closely, you’ll see bumblebees diving into their petals. Despite their beauty, these plants are toxic, so admire them without touching!
To find blooming flowers like these and more throughout the spring and summer, read this blog to find awesome blossoms in Calgary.
Horsetail (Scouring Rushes)
Horsetails are ancient plants that date back to the Paleozoic era. Instead of seeds, they reproduce using spores and have a segmented, hollow stem. Their high silica content once made them useful for scrubbing pots — hence the name “scouring rush.” Look for them in damp, shaded areas, like the hillsides in Edworthy Park.
Silverberry (Wolf Willow)
In late spring, silverberry bushes fill the air with their intense, sweet fragrance. Their tiny yellow flowers may be small, but their perfume is anything but! Their silvery-gray leaves and berries give them a very distinctive look. People have even used the hard, striped seeds inside the berries as beads. Fish Creek has dense patches of silverberry lining many of the trails, especially east of Voitier’s Flats.
Rough Fescue
Alberta’s provincial grass is a vital part of our native prairie. Rough fescue grows in dense tufts and provides an important winter food source for grazing animals. You can find it in patches of intact grassland, including areas of Nose Hill Park.
Harebell (Bluebells)
A delicate yet resilient wildflower, harebells can be found blooming in Calgary’s parks from spring through fall. Their blue-purple bell-shaped flowers are often mistaken for creeping bellflower — a highly invasive species that threatens native plants. If you spot bellflowers, take a closer look before celebrating their beauty!
Prairie Smoke
One of the most unique wildflowers throughout Alberta, prairie smoke gets its name from the wispy, feathery seed heads that appear after flowering. When the sun is low on the horizon, the pinkish plumes resemble a thin veil of smoke drifting over the grasslands.
Bedstraw
You might not notice bedstraw at first glance, but if you take a moment to lean in, you’ll be rewarded with a lovely, subtle fragrance. This small, white-flowered plant was once used to stuff mattresses — hence its name. You’ll often find it growing in open woodlands and grassy clearings, including Griffith Woods.
Learn More About Plant History
Many of these plants have been used for generations by Indigenous communities and settlers for food, medicine, and cultural practices. While we’ve included some traditional settler uses, we encourage you to seek out Indigenous-led plant walks and resources to learn more about the deeper histories and relationships. Naapi’s Garden (@naapis_garden) is a great place to start!
Invasive Plants To Watch Out For
Not all plants belong in our native ecosystems. Some species, introduced through gardens and wildflower seed mixes, have become invasive, outcompeting native plants and reducing biodiversity. Two of the most common invasive species in Calgary are the Canada thistle and creeping bellflower. If you want to learn more about how to identify and remove invasive plants, check out the Alberta government’s invasive species resources.
Protecting Calgary’s Native Plants
Many of our favourite native plants rely on undisturbed habitats to thrive — especially prairie species. Unfortunately, habitat destruction due to activities like land development and industrial use threatens these ecosystems.
By paying attention to the plants around us, we gain a deeper appreciation for the land we call home. The Alberta Wilderness Association is working to protect Alberta’s wild spaces and advocate for stronger conservation measures. If you want to get involved, visit albertawilderness.ca to learn more!
