Gardening for Wildlife

Gardening for wildlife is an activity the entire family can enjoy. Many frees, shrubs, and flowers provide song-posts, nesting-places, and food, either directly throughout their seeds, nuts, or fruit, or indirectly through the insects they attract. The following is a list of plants which help attract wildlife, particularly birds, to your garden.

Flowering Trees:

Name                                                     Wildlife Value                                                      Culture

Crabapple                                             Small fruits in Summer/Fall                             Sun

Kousa Dogwood                                 Red fruit; Summer cover                                    Sun

Sweetgum                                            Seeds of ‘Gumballs’                                           Sun tolerates moist 

                                                                                                                                                soil

Serviceberry                                          Purple fruits in Summer/Fall                             Sun

Redbud                                                 Legume-like seed pods in Summer               Part Shade

Flowering Dogwood                           Red fruit in Summer/Fall                                    Part Shade

Fruit Trees                                            Fruit (usually in Summer or Fall)                      Sun

Southern Magnolia                              Red fruit in seed pos; shelter                           Sun

Washington Hawthorn                       Red berries; nesting material                           Sun

 

Evergreen Trees / Shade Trees:

 

Name                                                     Wildlife Value                                                      Culture

Hemlocks                                             Nesting Place                                                      Sun to part shade

Leyland Cypress                                 Nesting Place                                                      Sun

Blue Atlas Cedar                                 Nesting Place                                                      Sun

Oaks                                                      Acorns; nesting place                                         Sun

Mountain Ash                                       Red berries in fall                                                Sun

Pines                                                     Shelter; nesting place                                        Sun to part shade

 

Shrubs:

Name                                       Wildlife Value                                     Culture

Yew                                   Red berries in Fall/Winter; shelter              Part shade

Holly                                  Red berries in Fall/Winter; shelter              Part shade

Cotoneaster                      Red berries in Fall; Summer cover              Sun

Barberry                            Red berries in Fall/Winter; nesting place    Sun

Oakleaf Hydrangea           Seed from flowers; nesting material           Sun to part shade

Bayberry                           Gray waxy berries in Fall/Winter                 Sun to part shade

Nandina                            Red berries in Fall; shelter                          Sun

Mahonia                            Blue-gray berries in Summer                       Sun

Junipers                            Blue-gray berries in Fall; shelter                 Sun

Hinoki Cypress                  Shelter                                                        Sun

Butterfly Bush                   Flowers attract butterflies                          Sun

Burning Bush                    Nesting place; shelter                                 Sun

Blue Mist Shrub                 Flowers attract butterflies                          Sun

Red Twig Dogwood           Summer cover; white fruit                          Sun to part shade; in

                                                                                                            summer tolerates moist soil

Mock Orange                     Flowers attract butterflies                          Sun

Summersweet                   Flowers attract butterflies                          Sun to part shade; in

                                                                                                            summer tolerates moist soil
 

Judd Viburnum                  Summer cover; black fruit in Fall                 Sun to part shade; in

                                                                                                            summer tolerates moist soil
 

Koreanspice Viburnum      Summer cover; black fruit in Fall                 Sun to part shade; in

                                                                                                            summer tolerates moist soil

Cranberry Viburnum          Red fruit in Fall/Winter                                Sun to part shade

Weiglia                              Flowers attract Hummingbirds                    Sun

Witchhazel                        Summer cover                                             Sun to part shade

Forsythia                           Nesting place                                              Sun

 

Remember:

Birds prefer a mixture of massed plantings and open spaces. A water supply for drinking and bathing is a must. Inviting birds and other wildlife to your garden will provide natural insect control, pleasant bird-song, discovery of wildlife habit and personalities, and an opportunity to get closer to nature.

 

Gardening for Wildlife: a great educational experience for the entire family!

<- Back to Tips & Info