Did you know that each province has its own provincial flower? Do you know what the provincial flower is of the province you live in? As spring arrives across Canada, learn more about each province’s flower and give the activity a try!
British Columbia
In 1956, the Pacific Dogwood became British Columbia’s provincial flower. These white flowers blossom in April and May each spring on the Pacific Dogwood tree that grows throughout British Columbia.
Alberta
Alberta designated the Wild Rose as the provincial flower in 1930. Pale pink in color, the Wild Rose grows in the wild and can be found in locations such as the countryside, in parks, and in the mountains.
Saskatchewan
The provincial flower of Saskatchewan is the Western Red Lily. Chosen in 1941 as the provincial flower, the Western Red Lily has bright red blossoms which stand out when contrasted against a green background.
Manitoba
Manitoba’s provincial flower, adopted in 1906, is the Prairie Crocus. The Prairie Crocus is mauve - a pale purple - in color. Interest in Manitoba’s provincial flower was first generated by the Manitoba Horticultural Society.
Ontario
The White Trillium has been Ontario's provincial flower since 1937. The White Trillium is also known as the wake-robin and white lily.
The interest in Ontario to select a provincial flower grew from a movement during the First World War to choose a national flower that could be planted on the graves of Canadian servicemen overseas. The White Trillium has been referenced as early as 1760 in a British botanical work.
Quebec
The Iris versicolor, also commonly known as the blue flag, has been the provincial flower of Quebec since November 1999. From 1963 to 1999, the white garden lily was Quebec’s floral emblem.
The blue flag is an indigenous spring flower and grows on half of the province’s area.
New Brunswick
The province of New Brunswick’s flower is the Purple Violet and flowers from May to July.
It was adopted as the “...floral emblem in 1936, at the request of the provincial Women’s Institute, the Lieutenant Governor, and New Brunswick schoolchildren.” Purple violet flowers have been used in jams and syrups and may “...have properties to soothe the digestive tract and suppress a cough.”
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Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia adopted its provincial flower, the Trailing Arbutus or Mayflower, in 1901. The history behind the name of this flower is from the arrival of the pilgrims to Massachusetts who, when they arrived at Plymouth Rock, saw it as spring’s first flower. In Nova Scotia, the mayflower has been used as far back as 1825 when it was used as a decorative motif on the Nova Scotian and, also in the 19th century, was on the Nova Scotia militia’s buttons as well as on postage stamps.
Prince Edward Island
The Lady’s Slipper has been Prince Edward Island’s provincial flower since April 1947. The name of this flower, which is an orchid, comes from the shape of the petals which look like a lady’s slipper.
Newfoundland and Labrador
In 1954, the Newfoundland government chose the Pitcher Plant as the province’s floral emblem. However, prior to this, Queen Victoria picked the flower to be engraved on a newly minted Newfoundland penny, and it was used on the province’s coins until 1938.
Yukon
Selected in 1957, the Fireweed is the flower of Yukon. Because it is a hardy flower, it grows well in northern and colder climates such as Yukon’s. Fireweed is one of the first flowers to appear or grow after a forest fire.
Northwest Territories
Adopted in 1957, the Mountain Avens is the floral emblem of the Northwest Territories. This flower is suited to growing on rocky ground in the Eastern and Central Arctic.
Nunavut
The Legislative Assembly of Nunavut adopted the Purple Saxifrage as the floral emblem in 2000. The purple saxifrage can be found as one of the three flowers on Nunavut’s coat of arms. One of the first flowers to blossom in the spring, it can provide a nice contrast to the snow that may still be around when the purple saxifrage flowers.
From coast to coast, Canada has been blessed with an abundance of flowers. Each province’s flower, created by God, is unique in its color, shape, and size and also adapted to its climate and growing conditions. As you enjoy learning about the flowers of each province, you and your children may also want to learn about each province’s coat of arms, bird, tree, mammal, and more.
This article has been written by homeschooling staff writers of The Canadian Schoolhouse (TCS). Enjoy more of our content from TCS contributors and staff writers by visiting our themes page that has a new theme topic added every month!
"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).