About Us
About Us
Swallowtail Native Plants specializes in Ontario native wildflower and grass seeds for the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Lowlands ecoregion. This region extends from Toronto to Ottawa and is one of the most densely populated areas in Canada. Due to increasing development and habitat loss many of our pollinator species and wildlife populations are declining. Swallowtail Native Plants helps gardeners and restoration professionals create habitat and increase biodiversity. Through providing native seeds we hope to help restore ecosystems and our natural environment.
Our 13-acre property is in the heart of Toronto’s Greenbelt on the Oak Ridges Moraine. We locally source our seed so it will be adapted to the environmental conditions and seasonal weather patterns of our region. Our seed has high levels of genetic diversity which creates resilient plant populations.
Andrea D’Silva founded Swallowtail Native Plants in 2022. She uses her background in education, botany, and restoration ecology to teach people how to grow native plants from seed. She is particularly fond of keystone species such as asters and goldenrods. These plants support pollinators and insects, which in turn support birds and other wildlife.
At Swallowtail Native Plants we believe that a small handful of seeds has the power to connect people with nature and heal our land.
Locally Sourced in Ontario
Wild populations of plants growing in Durham, Ontario, serve as the source of our parent stock. As a result, our locally sourced seeds are genetically adapted to our local climate and environment. We collect a small percentage of seed from many different plants to maximize genetic diversity. Our collection protocols follow the guidelines set out by the Society of Ecological Restoration. If you require more specific information on our seed sourcing please contact us.
As our climate warms, plants will need to move north to experience environmental conditions they have adapted to. In light of climate change, our seeds will do best in the region of Ontario between Toronto, Ottawa and Algonquin Park.
We only ship within Ontario to ensure that plants grown from our seeds will thrive in their local ecosystem.
Field Grown Native Plant Seeds
We plant our wild collected seed in cultivated plots at our site. Growing our plants in field plots greatly reduces the impact of collection on wild populations. In addition, the plants in the plots provide us with a large quantity of seed and have high levels of genetic diversity.
Land Acknowledgement
Swallowtail Native Plants is located in the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee, Mississauga, Wendat, and Anishnaabeg nations. We offer respect and we commit to learning about and building relationships with our Indigenous neighbours.
Seed categories
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