Bluejoint vs Twinflower - TreeTime.ca

Bluejoint vs Twinflower

Linnaea borealis

Calamagrostis canadensis

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Twinflower
Bluejoint

Twinflower is a native, trailing evergreen ground cover known for its delicate flowers that grow in nodding pairs. These pale pink blooms are described as being sweetly fragrant, attracting native bees and other pollinators.

Growing in cool, moist, acidic soils, the trailing stems form roots as they spread and start to form mats across the forest floor. Due to its woody stem, it is technically classified as a shrub and often referred to as a subshrub or dwarf shrub. This species is well-suited for naturalization, restoration, and conservation projects.

Twinflower (Linneae borealis) was named in honour of Carl Linnaeus, who adopted it as his personal emblem.

Bluejoint is a native perennial grass that forms tall, dense colonies. It is one of the most abundant grasses found in Canada and the United States. The extensive shallow root system and spreading rhizomes help stabilise soils, especially in wet meadows, marshes, and along streambanks.

It is a cool-season grass, growing most actively in spring and fall and slowing during the heat of summer. Seeds from its purple-tinged spikes feed birds and small mammals, and the plant itself provides forage for wildlife and livestock, though it does not tolerate heavy grazing. Its tall, dense growth also offers nesting habitat for wetland birds. With these combined values, Bluejoint is well-suited for naturalisation, riparian plantings, and habitat restoration projects.

Twinflower Quick Facts

Bluejoint Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.1 m (0.4 ft)
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: creeping or trailing, ground cover
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Spreading: stolons - medium, seeds - low
Spreading: rhizomes - high, seeds - high


Fall colour: reddish tinge
Flowers: Pink, bell-shaped, fragrant pairs
Bloom time: summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: northern twinflower, pink bells
Other Names: bluejoint grass, bluejoint reedgrass, canada blue joint, canada reedgrass, marsh reedgrass