The Results are in: 2019-2020 Ontario Native Plant Demand Survey

Native Plant Demand Survey Results Sept 1st, 2020
Ontario Plant Restoration Alliance & Hamilton Naturalists Club
• 115 Responses
• 62% Personal Use/Hobbyist
• 30% NAMPS Members
• 40% Use over 75% native species in their projects
• 75% Are not specifically required to use native plants
• Organizations Represented:
Trent University, Alderville Black Oak Savanna, Land of the Dancing Deer Six Nations
UBC Botanical Garden, Toronto Forestry Dept., York University, City of Toronto
ReLeaf Chatham-Kent, Blooming Boulevards, Ontario Ministry of Transportation (southwest region), Conservation Halton, Credit Valley, Fanshawe College, LiteRoof Ontario, NANPS, Long Point Region Conservation Authority, Pollination Guelph

In the past year , respondents collectively created
✓ 68 acres of wetland with native plants
✓ 492 acres of forest with native plants
✓ 404 acres of grasslands with native plants
✓ 121 acres of urban parks with native plants
✓ 17 acres of home gardens with native plants
✓ 13 acres of infrastructure corridor with native plants

• Use of native plants is projected to increase by 53% over the next three years
  
• Estimated 250, 000 native trees required for the ne xt three years.
  
• Estimate 160, 000 native wildflower seedlings and pots are required over the next three years
  
• Estimated 210 kg of native wildflower seed required over the nest three years

***Large-scale demand may be driven by perceived supply, MTO has indicated native plants could be considered in any part of the 165000km of roadside in Ontario, should there be a stable, predictable supply to specify on individual project contracts (combined personal communication and individual response from MTO representatives)

• Between 55% of trees used in the past year came from a known Ontario seed source
• Between 70% of all woody plants/vines are requested in a 4” to 2gallon pot format
• 50% of respondents purchase native plants through special events
• 45% of respondents purchase native plants from a wholesale producer
• 35% of respondents grow their own plants from wild seed, exchange plants with friends.
•  25%  purchase native plants from a retailer 
•  Over 60% of people reported that limited access to native plants is their greatest barrier to planting more native plants in their projects
• 45% of people find that native plantings fail due to competition form invasive plants, or mismatched species with site conditions.

• The most common issues with stock quality reported were
✓ Small Size
✓ Poor Root System
✓ Stock Handling (Damage)

• Plants specifically requested or reported being hard to Plants specifically requested or reported being hard to find:
Spice Bush
Bayberry
Cucumber Magnolia
Red Cedar
Witch Hazel
Sumacs
Leatherwood
Black Spruce
Shagbark Hickory
Hackberry Hop Hornbeam
Hop Tree
Flowering Dogwood
Birch
Butternut
Running Strawberry
Milkweeds
Elderberry
Paw-Paw
Tulip Tree
Blue Cohosh
Lupine
Bergamot
Hyssop
Lupine
Sunflower
Hepatica
Hairy Beardtongue
Birds Foot Violet
Yellow Pimpernel
Golden Alexander
Bellwort
Wood Phlox
Ground Nut
Anemone
Blue Bells
Bunchberry
Snowberry
Grey Goldenrod
Bloodroot
Cardinal Flower
Ironweed
Early Buttercup
Cup Plant
Early Saxifrage
Twinleaf
Green Dragon
Spikenard
Yellow Mandarin
Hoary Puccoon