In the Zone plant tags make it easier to find native plants at local nurseries and garden centres in southern Ontario.
What you plant matters. Native plants are the gold standard for attracting pollinators, restoring wildlife habitat, and building healthy natural landscapes that are more resilient to climate change.
It can be difficult to tell which plants are truly local and native. That’s why In the Zone has partnered with growers across southern Ontario to label their native plants, making it easier for you to select plants that benefit the environment. When you see the In the Zone tag, you can be assured that the plant is native to the Carolinian Zone in southern Ontario and grown from seed collected ethically from source-identified populations.
The In the Zone tag indicates that the plants are:
- Native to the Carolinian Zone
- Sourced from a local, known original wild population
- Grown from seeds collected ethically (harvested in a way that does not harm wild populations)
- Genetically diverse (not propagated clones)
- Wild-type plants (not cultivars/nativars)
- Grown without neonicotinoids and glyphosate; other pesticide use is limited
Native plant growers
Look for the In the Zone plant tag at select native plant nurseries.
Native plants at Loblaw garden centres
WWF-Canada is pleased to continue its partnership with Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw) to source native plants for select garden centres across southern and eastern Ontario and southern Quebec.
Each spring, participating garden centres carry a variety of native plants, including shade-and sun-loving species as well as grasses and sedges, all of which grow easily in local conditions. They’ve been carefully selected and grown by the following Ontario native plant growers and will make excellent habitat for pollinators and other wildlife in your garden:
By choosing plants with the special In the Zone tag (southern Ontario only) and/or WWF panda logo on the plant species tag (all participating garden centres), you’re assured to get the best plants possible to help local wildlife thrive.
*The plant lists and map below will be updated in April 2025 in time for the spring 2025 gardening season. Please check back then or sign up to receive email updates from In the Zone.*
Plant species list for southern Ontario (spring 2024)
Plant species list for southern Quebec and eastern Ontario (spring 2024)
Garden centres that participated in spring 2024: