In the summer, edible red berries also dot this low-growing dogwood. For gardeners looking for a deer-resistant ground cover perfect for a shade garden, bunchberry can be the ideal solution.

However, while English ivy actually produces toxic berries, bunchberry fruit is nontoxic and edible so you don't have to worry about your kids or pets getting a hold of them.

Bunchberry's white flower develops around June or July, with four to six oval leaves. Pollinated Bunchberry produces edible red berries, making it a tasty snack for bears, hares and even humans.

Bunchberry, a small kind of dogwood that flourishes in moist woodlands across the country, is the overwhelming favourite to be named as Canada’s National Flower.