Plants newly discovered in Nova Scotia

It has been almost one year since Nova Scotia Plants was first released. We are still working on an app that can be downloaded to iOS devices. Perhaps it is time to highlight a few of the plants newly discovered in Nova Scotia, since 1998.

With a renewed search effort, botanists are bound to find new plants. Given that there are more eyes on the ground and the mobile technology we have available, it is no surprise.

Here are three shrubs that are thriving without cultivation. One of them has recently been discovered populating the wild tangle below the MacKay bridge in Halifax, near the approaches to Seaview Park. It is about to become highly noticeable, although all summer it remained aloof in its obscurity.
Euonymus europaeus is planted for its beautiful crimson fall foliage. Intensified by humidity, the fall foliage ranges from crimson to magenta. Not to be outdone by the leaves, the square red fruit may be split open to reveal orange pulp. But be warned, the fruit ispoisonous and not to be consumed. Discovered this month in Halifax, it is also known to be naturalising in Antigonish and Coldbrook.

Maleberry or Lyonia ligistrina, does not produce such colourful fruit. Its beautiful white flowers resemble those of blueberry, but the fruit is a dry capsule which splits open to release seed. Like blueberry, it too belongs to the heath family. Unlike blueberry, it is very rare, limited to Yarmouth Co. as far as we know.

Finally, we now have another Eleagnus species, Autumn Olive, found only in Nictaux and at Avonport. With Russian Olive, these species are planted as ornamentals and both produce edible fruit. However, these shrubs have the tendency to become invasive. Their recent occurrences may be due to highway building activities.

I have mentioned only three of nearly 100 plants newly discovered here.

Euonymus europaeus, burning bush, photo by Sean Blaney
Burning bush, contributed


Maleberry, Lyonia photo by Martin Thomas


Autumn Olive, photo credited to the Pennsylvania State Dept. of Conservation and Nat. Res.