A walk for Labour Day

Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat and nearby trails 

What to expect:

Monarch butterflies, a gleaming view of Toronto’s skyline, and a stroll on the beach can turn this walk into a delightful flower hunt for plants. Some of these plants are not easily spotted elsewhere in the province.

From mid-August to well into September, you can count on seeing at least 20 different wildflowers. Likely, you’ll spot New York Ironweed, Forget-me-nots, Coneflower, Butterfly Weed, Cup Plant, and massive bushes of Hairy Willow-herb.

Main paths are traffic free, paved and suitable for strollers, kids on little bikes, or rollerblades. Trails leading to the beach are unpaved but easily navigated. Ample free parking.     

Wildflowers (Late Summer):

Photo 1: Hairy Willow-herb, Evening-Primrose Family (Epilobium hirsutum, Onagraceae) 

Photo 2: New York Ironweed, Daisy Family (Veronia Noveboracensis; Compositae)

• During a visit in 2006, I was told this native plant is now rare in Ontario. This plant apparently “suggests” (Peterson) another flower you will see in the area, the common Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium Maculatum). It’s also a member of the Daisy Family. I feel the taller and sturdier looking NY Ironweed with its deep purple flower is the prettier sibling. You be the judge.

Photo 3: Smaller Forget-me-not (Myosotis laxa; Boraginaceae)

• You’ll see its tiny blue petals with yellow centres (2-5 mm wide) floating on the edge of ponds near the Etobicoke Stormwater Management Facility. This is just off the main parking lot off Marine Parade Dr. The Smaller Forget-me-not is a native plant with much smaller flowers than the common Forget-me-not or the variety we see in spring gardens. If you’re interested in a detailed comparison between this native plants and its alien sibs, check: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/plantid2/descriptions/myo.html. This website also tells us that “some Pacific Northwest Native Americans used the small flowered forget-me-not as a ‘love charm’" and in other cultures, the flower was used to treat dog or snake bites.

When to go:

Humber Bay Park East, trails along Mimico Creek, and the Butterfly Habitat offer opportunity to observe wildflowers from spring until late fall. If interested in observing the flowers mentioned here, plan to do this walk in August or early September.   

How to get there:

On Lakeshore W., take Marine Parade Dr. to the parking lot for Humber Bay Park East along the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto's west-end.

Background:

Officially opened in fall 2002, the Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat (HBBH) is an award-winning ecological restoration project maintained by Toronto’s Parks and Recreation. On any given day in late August, you’ll observe native flowers, shrubs, trees, grasses and sedges, many in full flower and all of them known to support a range of native butterflies throughout their life cycles. Every Wednesday night, starting around 6:30 p.m. a group of volunteers come together to tend the gardens. For more information, visit http://www.toronto.ca/parks/hbbh.htm.