List of Canadian plants by family E facts for kids

Welcome to the amazing world of Canadian plants! Canada is a huge country with many different places, from snowy mountains to vast forests and open prairies. Because of this, it's home to a incredible variety of plants. Scientists group plants into "families" based on how they are related, kind of like how your family has a last name. This helps us understand them better.

This article will introduce you to some plant families found in Canada, focusing on those whose scientific names start with the letter 'E'. You'll learn about some cool plants that live in Canada, from common berries to unique mosses.

Families: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I J K | L | M | N | O | P Q | R | S | T | U V W | X Y Z

Elaeagnaceae: The Oleaster Family

What Are They?

The Elaeagnaceae family includes shrubs and small trees. Many of these plants have a special ability. They can take nitrogen from the air and turn it into food. This helps them grow well even in poor soil. Their leaves often have a silvery or scaly look.

Cool Plants in This Family

• The Elaeagnus commutata, also known as American silverberry, is a shrub with shiny, silver-colored leaves. It produces small, edible, silvery berries. These berries are a food source for wildlife.
• Shepherdia argentea is called silver buffaloberry. It's known for its bright red berries. These berries are tart but can be eaten.
• Shepherdia canadensis is the Canada buffaloberry. It also has red berries. Both buffaloberry types are important for animals.

Equisetaceae: The Horsetail Family

What Are They?

The Equisetaceae family is very old. It includes plants called horsetails and scouring-rushes. These plants don't have flowers or seeds. Instead, they reproduce using spores, like ferns. They have hollow, jointed stems. Some types feel rough, like sandpaper.

Cool Plants in This Family

• The Equisetum arvense is a very common plant. It often grows in fields and along roadsides. It has two types of stems. One is brown and appears in spring. The other is green and looks like a tiny pine tree.
• Equisetum fluviatile loves wet places. You can often find it growing in shallow water or muddy areas. Its stems are smooth and green.
• Equisetum hyemale is known as rough horsetail or scouring-rush. Its stems are tough and were once used for scrubbing pots.
• Equisetum sylvaticum is the woodland horsetail. It has delicate, branched stems. It often grows in shady, damp forests.
• Equisetum telmateia is the giant horsetail. It's one of the largest horsetails. It can grow quite tall in the right conditions.

Ericaceae: The Heath Family

What Are They?

The Ericaceae family is a large group of plants. It includes many shrubs and small trees. You might know some of them, like blueberries and cranberries! These plants often like acidic soil. They are common in forests, bogs, and mountainous areas.

Cool Plants in This Family

• Andromeda polifolia is called bog rosemary. It's a small shrub with narrow leaves. It grows in wet, boggy places.
• The Arbutus menziesii is a beautiful tree. It has smooth, reddish bark that peels off. It's found on the west coast of Canada.
• Arctostaphylos uva-ursi is known as bearberry. It's a low-growing plant with small, red berries. Bears love to eat these berries!
• Chamaedaphne calyculata is leatherleaf. It's a small evergreen shrub. It has tough, leathery leaves.
• Epigaea repens is trailing arbutus. It's a lovely plant with fragrant pink flowers. It grows close to the ground.
• Gaultheria shallon is a common shrub on the west coast. It has shiny, dark green leaves and edible dark berries.
• Gaylussacia baccata is the black huckleberry. It produces small, tasty black berries.
• Kalmia angustifolia is sheep laurel. It's a pretty shrub with pink flowers.
• Ledum groenlandicum is common Labrador-tea. It's a fragrant shrub. Its leaves were traditionally used to make tea.
• Phyllodoce empetriformis is a beautiful mountain plant. It has small, pink, bell-shaped flowers.
• Rhododendron canadense is a lovely rhododendron. It has bright pink-purple flowers that bloom in spring.
• Vaccinium angustifolium is the late lowbush blueberry. These are the delicious blueberries you might eat!
• Vaccinium corymbosum is another type of blueberry. It grows taller than the lowbush variety.
• Vaccinium macrocarpon is the large cranberry. These are the cranberries used for juice and sauces.
• Vaccinium oxycoccos is the small cranberry. It's a smaller version of the cranberry.
• Vaccinium parvifolium produces bright red berries. These berries are also edible.
• Vaccinium uliginosum is the alpine blueberry. It grows in cooler, higher places.
• Vaccinium vitis-idaea is the mountain cranberry. It's a hardy plant that grows in northern areas.

Eriocaulaceae: The Pipewort Family

What Are They?

The Eriocaulaceae family includes plants often called pipeworts. These are usually small, grass-like plants. They grow in wet, marshy areas or shallow water. They often have tiny, white, button-like flowers on slender stalks.

Cool Plants in This Family

• Eriocaulon aquaticum is the seven-angle pipewort. It's a common species in eastern Canada. It grows partly submerged in water.
• Eriocaulon parkeri is Parker's pipewort. It's a rarer species. It also prefers wet habitats.

Euphorbiaceae: The Spurge Family

What Are They?

The Euphorbiaceae family is very diverse. It includes many different kinds of plants, from herbs to trees. Many plants in this family produce a milky sap. This sap can sometimes be irritating.

Cool Plants in This Family

• Acalypha rhomboidea is common copperleaf. It's an annual plant. It often grows in disturbed areas.
• Chamaesyce glyptosperma is corrugate-seed broomspurge. It's a small, low-growing plant. It has tiny seeds with interesting patterns.
• Euphorbia corollata is the flowering spurge. It has white, petal-like structures that look like flowers. These are actually modified leaves.