A collection of Hardy Decidous Flowering Shrubs listed here have the ability to survive adverse growing conditions. Flowering plants attract pollinators which is an important factor for food crop developement. These plants can grow in full sun, require little water, are drought resistant (once established) and can sustain cold temperatures of minus 34 degrees Celcius (29.9 F) or lower. With FireSmart in mind, coniferous and evergreen decidous plants are exluded because of their extreme flamability.
 Birch, Dwarf (Betula nana)
A shrub also known as Swamp Birch, Arctic Dwarf Birch, or Alpine Dwarf Birch with small flowers and brown catkins that appear in spring. Leaves are alternately arranged, simple, dark green coloured, round shaped with toothed margins. Dwarf Birch has an extensive root network and is useful for controlling erosion. Growth Specs: 4′ Height x 4′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 1-6. |
 Buffalo Berry, Canadian (Shepherdia canadensis)
A shrub commonly known as Soapberry. Dark green leaves are narrowly oval and oppositely arranged with silvery hairy undersides. Small yellow flowers bloom in early spring. This shrub is drought tolerant, wind tolerant, cold hardy, and can grow in nutrient poor soil. The fruit is edible to humans but may have a bitter, soapy taste and should not be eaten in large quantities. Growth Specs: 10′ Height x 1′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 1-6. |
 Cinquefoil, Shrubby (Potentilla fruticosa)
Potentilla, also called shrubby cinquefoil or bush cinquefoil, is one of the most popular landscape shrubs. It is valued for its long bloom time, exceptional hardiness, and carefree nature. Tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions, this sturdy plant stands up to drought, air pollution, and salt air, making it ideal for urban environments and beachfront locations. Growth Specs: 4′ Height x 4′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 2-6. |
 Currant, Black (Ribes nigrum)
European black currant is a small, woody shrub that is primarily grown for fruit production. It is a medium-sized shrub with greenish-yellow flowers that bloom in spring. The flowers give way to long, pendant clusters of berries, known as black currants, which ripen in June-July. Leaves are green and have 3-5 lobes. They are aromatic when crushed. Plants usually reach their fruit-bearing potential in 4-5 years. Growth Specs: 6′ Height x 6′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 4-6. |
 Currant, Red Imperial (Ribes rubrum)
A woody perennial shrub native to Europe that can thrive in full sun, well-drained soils with medium moisture. Clusters of 8 to 20 creamy-white flowers bloom from April to May. The heart-shaped leaves are 1 to 4 inches long with coarsely serrated margins. Red imperial currants are self-fertilizing plants that provide tasty fruit. The fruit is tart and is more often used for baked goods, jams, and jellies than for fresh eating. Growth Specs: 5′ Height x 5′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 4-7.
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 Forsythia (Forsythia spp.)
A hardy cultivar that features golden-yellow flowers in April. Tough, fast growing and deer resistant. Northern Gold was specifically bred in Canada to cope with the cold and is more hardy than other forsythias. Growth Specs: 8′ H x 8′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 4-9. |
 Lilac, Meyer (Syringa meyeri)
Commonly called Korean lilac is a compact, rounded, slow-growing shrub with small and pale lilac to violet-purple, fragrant flowers that bloom in small clusters 3-4″ long in spring. Meyer lilac is generally more attractive than many other species of lilacs due to its structure, floriferous bloom and mildew-resistant foliage. Growth Specs: 8′ Height x 8′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 4-8. |
 Lilac, Miss Kim (Syringa pubescens subsp. patula ‘Miss Kim’) A small, spreading, bushy, deciduous shrub with dark green, wavy-edged leaves. Purple buds opening to fragrant pale purple flowers, fading to near white with age. Perfect plant for borders and hedges. Growth Specs: 10′ Height x 10′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 4-8
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 Mapel, Douglas (Acer glabrum var. douglasii) A charming native shrub with moderate growth, the Douglas Maple also has brilliant fall colours. Twigs and buds are red in the winter, adding to its year-round beauty. This plant has excellent heat resistance. Growing size at maturity is up to 16 feet tall and wide. Growth Specs: 16′ Height x 16′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 3. |
 Mock Orange (Philadelphus lewisii)
A thick, narrow, upright shrub that which grows moderately fast with refreshing, fragrant white blooms that attract many pollinators. Growth Specs: 7′ Height x 7′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 3.
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 Ninebark, Amber Jubilee (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Jefam’) An upright, showy shrub with spring foliage that turns to lime green and purple with maturity in fall. White flowers followed by massive seed clusters. Growth Specs: 6′ Height x 6′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 2
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 Ninebark, Dart’s Gold (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Dart’s Gold’) Compact, mounded shrub which features striking yellow foliage that turns lime green to a golden hue with a bronze tint in fall. Dense clusters of white flowers. Growth Specs: 8′ Height x 6′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 3.
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 Ninebark, Diabolo (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diabolo’) Referenced to its ornamental attractive exfoliating bark, ‘Diabolo’ is a purple-leaved ninebark cultivar. It is an upright, spreading shrub with long weeping branches that can reach the ground if not pruned. Growth Specs: 10′ Height x 6′ Width at maturity. Growth Specs: 10′ Height x 6′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 3
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 Ninebark, Tiny Wine (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘SMPOTW’) A compact, upright shrub with showy white flowers. Red foliage in spring turns to deep reddish-purple in fall. Growth Specs: 4′ Height x 4′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 2
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 Rose, Blanc de Coubert (Rosa x rugosa ‘Blanc de Coubert’) A super hardy and fragrant Rugosa Rose variety with large scarlet hips grown on fast growing own root. Growth Specs: 5′ Height x 5′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 3.
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 Rose, Carefree Beauty (Rosa x ‘BUCbi’ CAREFREE BEAUTY) An upright, bushy, compact, shrub rose hybridized by the late Griffith Buck of Iowa State University. It features large, fragrant, pink, semi-double blooms in small clusters. Blooms profusely from late spring to frost. Glossy, dark green foliage. Growth Specs: 5′ Height x 4′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 3.
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 Rose, Foxi Pavement (Rosa ‘UHLater’) An own root variety also known as Buffalo Gal, this is a tenacious, adaptable shrub rose. Its blossoms appear repeatedly in intensely fragrant clusters of deep lavender pink. Growth Specs: 4′ Height x 4′ Width at maturity. Cold Hardiness: 3.
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 Rose, Hansa Rugosa (Rosa rugosa ‘Hansa’) Extremely fragrant, tough, long blooming shrub rose that produces large red hips in fall. Can be invasive by suckering. Growth Specs: 8′ Height x 6′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 3
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 Rose, Red Leaf (Rosa glauca) Rosa glauca is a broadleaf deciduous perennial shrub with blue and purple foliage. In fall, spring and summer pink flowers emerge followed by red fruit. Attracts bees making it an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Growth Specs: 8′ Height x 6′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 3.
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 Rose, Nearly Wild (Rosa ‘Nearly Wild’) An extremely heat resistant, long blooming compact rose shrub. Its an own root variety with single petals that doesn’t need dead-heading. Growth Specs: 4′ Height x 4′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 3.
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 Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia) A multi-stemmed shrub or small tree. Features showy, 5-petaled, white flowers in compact clusters which appear in early spring before the leaves. Flowers give way to small, round, edible berries which ripen to dark purplish-black in June and resemble blueberries in size, colour and taste. Growth Specs: 18′ Height x 6′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 3.
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 Spirea, Bridal Wreath (Spirea x vanhoutii) A vase-shaped, showy shrub as known as Vanhoutte spirea or bridalwreath. Its branches arch gracefully toward the ground and which is particularly noted for its showy spring bloom. Growth Specs: 8′ Height x 10′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 3.
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 Willow, Dwarf Arctic (Salix purpurea ‘Nana’) A fast growing multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a more or less rounded form. It’s hardy and beautiful with fine foliage and purple branches. Growth Specs: 5′ Height x 6′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 3.
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| “Growth specs at maturity” indication merely serves as a guide, not a scientific fact. The development of plants always depends on the environment, i.e. how much water they get. More water usually yields more growth. |
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