Where to find native plants in Ontario

Plants and tags
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 these native plant retailers: 

Native plant sales and events: Spring 2026

The In the Zone team has compiled a list of spring 2026 events where you can buy or swap native plants. This list will be updated until the end of June as more events are announced. If you’d like to contribute an event to the list, please email us at [email protected].

Caledonia: Seed and Garden Show hosted by Haldimand Horticultural Society. Saturday, April 11, 2026. 9:30am – 2:30pm. Riverside Exhibition Centre, 151 Caithness St. East.

Cambridge: Spring Plant Sale and EcoMarket hosted by rare. Saturday May 9, 2026. 8:00am – 12:00pm. rare Charitable Research Reserve, Slit Barn, 768 Blair Rd.

Etobicoke: LEGS Annual Plant and Seed Exchange and Sale hosted by Lakeshore Environmental Gardening Society. Saturday, May 9th, 2026. 9:00am – 1:00pm. Assembly Hall Toronto, 1 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Dr.

Mississauga: Annual Plant Sale hosted by Cloverleaf Garden Club. Saturday, May 16, 2026. 8:30am-12:00pm. Carmen Corbasson Community Centre, 1399 Cawthra Rd.

Mississauga: Blooming Boulevards Native Plant Sale hosted by Blooming Boulevards. Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31, 2026. 9:00am-3:00pm. 1295 Mineola Gardens.

Mississauga: Spring Plant Sale 2026 hosted by Mississauga Master Gardeners. Saturday, May 23, 2026. 10:00am-2:00pm. Clarkson Community Church Parking Lot, 1880 Lakeshore Rd. W.

Nanticoke: Roots and Restoration Day hosted by Hobbitstee Wildlife Refuge and Haldimand Stewardship Council. Sunday, April 26, 2026. 1:00pm – 4:00pm. Hobbitstee Wildlife Refuge, 107 Brooklin Rd.

Oakville. Online 2026 Native Plant Sale hosted by Oakvillegreen Conservation. Order online by Thursday, April 30, 2026 for pickup on Sunday, May 9, 2026. Town of Oakville Municipal Greenhouses, 1100 Cornwall Rd.

Ohsweken. Spring Greenhouse Opening hosted by Kayanase Greenhouse. Saturday May 3, 2026. 2:00pm – 6:00pm. 993 1M0, Hwy 54.

Puslinch: Pollinator Festival 2026 hosted by Bee Sweet Nature Company. Saturday, June 13, 2026. 10:00am – 3:00pm. 4182 Side Rd. 20 S.

Scarborough: Malvern Resilient Roots! hosted by Neilson Park Community Garden. Saturday May 2, 2026. 1:00pm – 4:00pm. Neilson Park Community Garden, 1775 Neilson Rd.

St. Catharines: Natives for Nature: Annual Plant Sale hosted by The Green Herons. Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31, 2026. 11:00am-3:00pm. 1701 Gregory Rd.

Toronto: Native Plant Sale hosted by North American Native Plant Society. Saturday, May 9th, 2026. 10:00am – 2:00pm. Toronto Botanical Gardens 777 Lawrence Ave. E.

Toronto: Roncy Remarket hosted by Parkdale-High Park 4 Climate Action. Saturday, May 30, 2026. 10:00am-3:00pm. Roncesvalles United Church,214 Wright Ave.

 

Other resources to help you find native plants

Still not sure where to buy native plants in your area? Check these resources for native plant growers and retailers near you: 

If you’re unsure whether a plant is native to the Carolinian zone and will benefit your local ecosystem, check this WWF-Canada blog for questions you can ask retailers to help guide your purchasing decisions.

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.

Plant species list for southern Ontario (selection at individual stores will vary)

Plant species list for southern Quebec and eastern Ontario (selection at individual stores will vary)

Garden centres participating in spring 2025: