Andropogon Bluestems, Beardgrasses:
Aquilegia: Columbines
Birds Attracted:
Hummingbirds
Cultivation:
Wild columbine likes rocky ledges in woodlands.
Ontario to Quebec and south to Georgia, west to
Tennessee and Minnesota.
Plant them in early spring or fall when
plants are dormant. They like moist, well[-drained soil, acidity of soil should be pH 6.0
to 7.0. Soil should be rich in organic matter. Some morning sun with shade overhead later
in the day. Wild columbine grows easily from fresh seed, flowering the second year. Self
sowing. Zones 3-8.
Aster
- Birds attracted: Cardinals, goldfinches, sparrows, chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, towhees, indigo buntings (seed). Ruffed grouse and wild turkeys will eat the leaves and seeds.
- Plant Distribution: Meadows, roadsides, damp areas from Newfoundland to Georgia, west to Wyoming and New Mexico.
- Cultivation: New England asters (Aster novae-angliae) are hardy and like moist areas. They like full sun well drained garden soil and will tolerate some light shade. Propagate by cuttings or division in Spring.
- Zones 3-8
Other species: White wood aster (A. divaricatus) 1.5 feet, Zones 4-8.
New York Aster (A. novi-belgii) 1 - 6 feet, Zones 3-8.
Carnegiea, SaguaroBirds Attracted: Dark-eyed juncos, blue jays, pine siskins, titmice, black-capped chickadees, cedar waxwings, goldfinches, purple finches, towhees, bobwhites, wood ducks, American woodcocks (seeds).
Northern orioles, chickadees, vireos, warblers, bushtits, (insects).
Grouse eat catkins, seeds and buds.
Plant Distribution: Uplands of Main and southwest to mountains of northern Georgia.
Cultivation: Betula lenta, Cherry Birch, Black Birch 40-50’ Fast growing, prefers moist well-drained
humus rich soil, full sun to light shade. Zones 4-6
River birch (Betula nigra) To 80’ Eastern US south to Fla west to Kansas, north to Minnesota. Zones 4-9.
Water birch (Betula occidentalis) Black Birch, 20-25’ tall. Canada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Idaho west to California. Likes streambanks. Zones 3-9.
Gray birch (B. populifolia) 30’ Zones 4-7
Paper or Canoe Birch (B papyrifera) 80’ Zones 2-7
Yellow Birch (B alleghaniensis) to 75’ Zones 3-6
Birds attracted: Gila woodpeckers, gilded flickers (excavate for nesting)
Nesting holes are used over again by elf owls, ferruginous owls, screech owls, American kestrels, fly catchers, cactus wrens, warblers, flickers.
Insect eating birds attracted include: gila woodpeckers, thrashers, mourning doves, wrens, white-winged doves, gilded flickers.
Mourning doves will nest in a crotch.
Plant Distribution: Dry desert mesas, rocky hills in SE California and southern Arizona, south to Sonora in Mexico.
Cultivation: Slow growing 2" per year. Buy nursery grown propagated seedlings…..
Zones 8-10
Celtis: HackberriesBirds attracted: Hummingbirds
Plant Distribution: moist thickets, roadsides from New Jersey to Florida and west to Iowa, Missouri and Texas.
Cultivation: Agressive vining do not grow on buildings. Prune vigorously. Zones 4-9
Chilopsis, Desert willow (Chilopsis linearis)Birds Attracted: 48 species including Eastern bluebird, cardinal, cedar waxwing, mockingbird, robin, flicker, thrasher, thrush, Townsend’s solitaire, white-winged dove, evening grosbeak, roadrunner, band-tailed pigeon, pileated woodpecker, northern oriole, red-bellied woodpecker, towhees, and titmice.
Verdins and white winged doves will nest in the foliage.
Plant Distribution: Wooded slopes and bottomlands, rocky hills, ridges, from Ontario and New England to Northern Georgia and west to Oklahoma, north to eastern North Dakota and southern Manitoba.
Cultivation: Deep rooted, Celtis occidentalis, Sugarberry, Nettletree thrives in rich moist situations but is well suited for most areas of North America. Zones 3-8
Western Hackberry (Celtis reticulata) Netleaf Hackberry, Sugarberry. River valleys, canyon slopes, dry ridges from western Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas west to southern California and north to eastern Washington State.
Zones 7-9
Cornus, DogwoodsBirds Attracted: Hummingbirds, verdins (nectar), White winged doves (seeds)
Distribution: Washes and streambeds in the desert from Southern Texas, Nevada, California, and
Northern Mexico.
Cultivation: Ornamentnal tree, adaptable to warm dry situations with moderately moist heavy soils. Zones 7-9
Plant Distributon: Cornus canadensis (Puddingberry, or Bunchberry) Deciduous creeping groundcover.Native to Canada and south to the mountains of Northern Claifornia, Idaho and Northern New Mexico.Birds attracted: Nesting sites, Berries eaten by 98 species of birds.
Birds Attracted: At least 39 species: robin, purple finch, grosbeak, cedar waxwing, blue jay, mockingbird, flicker, hermit thrush, fox sparrow. (apple like fruits). Nesting sites are liked by verdins, roadrunners, cardinals, and hummingbirds. Chickadees, warblers, and bushtits eat insects from the foliage. Distribution: Crataegus crus-galli (Cockspur Hawthorn) Quebec to Michigan and south to North
Carolina. Zones 4-6. C. douglasii ( Western Hawthorn, Western Black Hawthorn, Black Hawthorn) British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California east to the Rockies and some in Wyoming. Zones 4-6. They like rich humus and ample water.
Birds Attracted: Golden -crowned sparrow, robin, cedar waxwings, pine grosbeaks, snow buntings, and 35 other species. (berries) Plant Distribution: Artic south to Newfoundland, New England, New York, and Northern Michigan, Alberta and Northern California. Cultivation: Low straggling shrub or evergreen groundcover 10" tall. Great for rock gardens. They like colder areas, acid sandy soil and sun. Must have good drainage. Zones 2-6.
Birds Attracted: Hummingbirds Verdins and Orioles for Nectar.
Plant Distribution: Open country western Texas to southern California and into Mexico.
Cultivation: Fouquieria splendins (Coachwhip, Flaming sword). Attractive plants, liking warm desert gardens, dry soil and full sun. Zones 8-10.
Birds Attracted: Fruits are eaten by 49 species, flickers, mockingbird, gray catbird, brown thrasher, bluebirds, cedar waxwings and robins. Many birds like it for nesting. Plant Cultivation: Ilex decidua (Possum Haw) Moist soils from Illinois to Florida and Texas. Acidic well mulched, moist, well drained soil. Zones 5-9. Ilex opaca (American Holly) Found from Massachusetts to Central Florida, west to Missouri and Texas. Moist well drained soil in full sun to light shade, acid soil. Zones 6-9 Other species are Ilex verticillata (Winterberry), Zones 4-9. Ilex glabra (Inkberry or gallberry) Zones 5-9, and Ilex vomitoria (Yaupon holly) Zones 7-9.
Birds Attracted: 54 species of birds like the fruits, and are great for nesting, roosting and protection. Plant Cultivation: An important addition to the landscape. Jumiperus scopulorum (Western Red Cedar)
Well drained sunny spots and are very tolerant. Zones 3-6. Juniperus virginiana (Eastern Red Cedar) Zones 3-9.
J californica (California Juniper) Zones 8-10
Juniperus deppeana (Aligator Juniper) Zones 8-10. Juniperus occidentalis ( Sierra Juniper). Zones 5-10.
Birds Attracted: Blue grouse and Spruce grouse eat the needles and buds. Ruffed grouse, pine siskin, red breasted nuthatch, purple finch, red crossbill and goldfinch eat the seeds. Scarlet tanager likes to nest in it. Plant Distribution: swamps and wetlands Labrador to the Artic Circle, west to the Rocky Mountains and into Canada, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, west to Minnesota. Cultivation: Larix laricina (American Larch, Eastern Larch, Alaska Larch, Tamarack) Likes cold climates, hardy tree, deciduous, acidic soil. Zones 2-6.
: Hummingbirds, Orioles drink nectar, A variety of birds eat the berries. Hermit thrush, catbird, thrasher, robin, pine grosbeak, white-throated sparrow, bobwhite, mockingbird, towhee, cedar waxwing, bluebird, chickadees, finches. Cardinals catbirds, mockingbirds and song sparrows nest in them.Birds Attracted
Arizona Honeysuckle (Lonicera arizonica) Found in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. Tolerate plant, easy to grow, likes a well-draining sunny spot. Zones 6-8
Lonicera involucrata (Bearberry Honeysuckle, Twinberry) Arizona New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, to California and Quebec and British Columbia. Very tolerant….Zones 4-10
Lonicera sempervirens (Coral Honeysuckle) Found from Massachussets, and NY south to Florida and west to Texas. Zones 4-9
Birds Attracted: Cedar waxing, robin, mockingbird, purple finch, Bobwhite, house finch, Red-headed woodpecker, flicker, catbird, grosbeaks. (fruit). Birds also like nesting in these. Plant Cultivation: Malus coronaria (Sweet Crabapple, Wild Crabapple) Moist well drained loamy soil, full sun to light shade. Zones 5-7. Other cultivars are: Oregon Crabapple (Malus fusca), zones 4-9, Malus ioensis (Wild Crab or Prairie Crabapple) Zones 4-7, Malus angustifolia, (Southern Wild Crabapple or American Crab, zones 4-9
Birds Attracted: 59 species like the fruit of these trees. Bluebird, cedar waxwing, Orchard oriole, cardinal, blue jay, rose breasted grosbeak, woodpecker, yellow billed cuckoo, northern oriole, wood thrush, Eastern Kingbird, mockingbird, scarlet tanager, red eyed vireo, yellow warbler, robin, catbird, titmouse, brown thrasher. Desert birds, Curve billed thrasher, flicker, phainopepla, gila woodpecker, and house finch. Nesting and cover is also useful. Plant Cultivation: Morus rubra (Red Mulberry) Fast growing ornamental. Plant away from locations where you like to sit and away from house because of staining by the berries. Zones 4-9. Morus microphylla (Texas Mulberry) Zones 7-9
86 species of birds like them, including yellow-rumped warbler, titmouse, flicker, robins, finches, vireo, tanager, woodpeckers, chickadee, bluebirds, meadowlarks, catbird, thrasher, bobwhite, thrush, jays swallows and towhees, waxwings, orioles, wrentits. Cultivation: Myrica californica (California Wax Myrtle, Pacific Wax Myrtle, Pacific Bayberry) Santa Monica Mountains to Washington State in canyons and slopes. Zones 7-9Birds Attracted:
Myrica cerifera (Wax Myrtle, Southern Bayberry, Soutnerhn Wax Myrtle, Candleberry) Cape May through New Jersey, to the Florida Keys and west through the Gulf States to Texas, north to Oaklahoma. Zones 6-9
Myrica pensylvanica (Bayberry, Northern Bayberry) Along the Atlantic coast from North Carolina to Main and west to Lake Erie. Zones 4-9
Smaller birds like it for shelter, ie finches, bushtits. Fruits are eaten by 39 species, inc flickers, woodpeckers, robins bluebirds, titmice, thrushes, mockingbirds, thashers, chickadees. Plant Cultivation: Parthenocissus quinquefolia From woodlands and roadsides in the Northeast south to Fla, Texas and Mexico. Moist well drained humus-rich soil. Zones 3-9Birds Attracted:
Parthenocissus tricuspidata ( Boston Ivy) Zones 4-8
Penstemons, Beardtongues
Birds Attracted: Polinators attracted like Hummingbirds.
Cultivation: Pensetmon centranthifolius (Scarlet Bugler) Dry chaparal in coastal California.
Zones 7-9
Penstemon corymbosus (Red Shrubby Penstemon) Foothills of Northern Ca. Slopes of coastal ranges. Zones 7-9
Penstemon barbatus (Common Beardtongue, Golden Beard Penstemon)
Picea, Spruces
Birds Attracted: White winged crossbills, chickadees, red breasted nuthatches, cedar waxwings, pine siskins, goldfinches, evening grosbeaks, like the seeds. Birds will nest in large ones like in a high rise condo. Grouse eat the needles.
Cultivation: Picea mariana (Black Spruce) widely distributed, Alaska to Labrador, south to British Columbia, Minesota and Northern New Jersey. Likes cool climate, moist or boggy soil in full sun, acidic soil. Zones 1-6. Picea pungens (Colorado Spruce) Zones 3-7, Picea rubens, (Yellow Spruce) Zones 3-6, Picea englemannii (Engelmann Spruce), Zones 3-7, Picea glauca (White Spruce) zones 2-7, Picea Sitchensis (Sitka Spruce) Zones 2-6.
Pinus, Pines
Birds Attracted: Red Crossbill, Clarks’ nitcracker, white-headed woodpecker (seeds, 50% of their diet) Chickadees, grosbeaks, nuthatches, Jays, juncos, siskins, meadowlarks, woodpeckers, brown creepers, brown thrashers, and pine warblers eat seeds. Pine needles are eaten by grouse. Robins and mourning doves, purple finches, and magnolia warblers use them for nesting. And roosting.
Cultivation: Pinus strobus (Eastern white pine) Eastern North America. Widely planted, prefers fertile, well-drained, slightly acid soil in full sun. Zones 3-8
Pinus contorta (shore pine, scrub pine) Zones 5-8
Pinus edulis (Pinon Pine, Nut Pine, colrado Pinon) Zones 5-8 Northern colorado, Western Oklahoma, Western Texas, Western Wyoming, Central Arizona to lower California. State tree of New Mexico. Drought resistant, slow growth.
Pinus ponderosa (Western Yellow Pine) Nebraska to Texas to coastal California, the whole west coast, to northern Mexico. Zones 3-8.
Pinus Flexilis (Limber Pine) Zones 4-7
Pinus taeda (Loblolly Pine Zones 7-9
Platanus, Sycamores, Planetrees
Birds Attracted: Orioles, Cedar Waxwings, chickadees, goldfinches, pine siskins, house finches, purple finches, mallard ducks. (seeds) Acorn woodpeckers and orioles use for nesting. Hummingbirds use the down for nesting, Flickers, Chickadees, titmice, bluebirds, treeswallows, screech owls use old woodpecker holes in sycamores.
Cultivation Platanus occidentalis (American Sycamore, American Planetree) Eastern US from New York to Massachusetts, south to Northern Florida, West to eastern Texas, and Midwestern States. Zones 5-9
Platanus racemosa (California Sycamore, Western Sycamore) Zones 7-10
Platanus wrightii (Arizona Sycamore) Zones 7-10
Populus, Poplars, Aspens, Cottonwoods
Birds Attracted: Goldfinches, Grosbeaks, Great Blue Herons, Grouse, California Quail, northern shrikes, (seeds and winter buds) Nesting in cavities is popular.
Cultivation: Populus deltoides (Eastern Cottonwood) New England south to the Atlantic coast, west to Texas , north to Minnesota and central Canada. Fast Growing, wet soil, full sunfemale trees produce seed. Zones 3-9
Populus fremontii (Fremont cottonwood, Valley cottonwood)
Western tree.Zones 6-10.
Populus tremuloides (Quaking Aspen) Zones 2-6
Prunus, Cherries, Plums
Birds Attracted: 84 species of birds eat the fruits. Grosbeaks, waxwings, finches, blackbirds, tanager, jays, orioles, pigeons, grouse, Townsend’s solitare, robins, bluebird, woodpeckers, catbird, sparrows, mockingbirds, flickers, thrushes, cardinals.
Cultivation: Prunus Pensylvanica (Pin Cherry, Bird Cherry, Fire Cherry, Wild Red Cherry) Canada, from British Columbia to Newfoundland South to Georgia, and west to Colorado. Zones 3-7.
Prunus Virginiana (Chokecherry) Saskatchewan to Newfoundland and south to North Carolina, west to Missouri and Kansas. Zones 3-7
Other species: P. americana (American Plum) 20-30 ft. Zones 3-9
besseyi (Western Sand Cherry) 3-5 ft. Zones 3-6
P. nigra (Canada Plum) 25-30 ft. Zones 3-6
serotina (Black Cherry) 50-100 ft. Zones 4-9
Quercus, Oaks
Birds Attracted: Birds that like acorns are: Acorn woodpecker, chickadees, titmice, cardinals, flickers, ruffed grouse, blue jays, meadowlarks, white breasted nuthatches, mourning doves, hermit thrushes, wood ducks, mallards, bob whites, quail, grosbeaks, and other woodpeckers. Some birds eat the insects attracted to them and Rosebreasted grosbeaks eat the male flowers. Scarlet Tanagers sometimes nest in Oak trees.
Cultivation: Quercus emoryi (Black Oak, Blackjack Oak, Emory Oak)
1-2 ft growth per year. Native in Western Texas, Southern New Mexico, Arizona and northern Mexico. Zones 7-9.
Quercus gambelii (Gambel Oak, Utah Oak, Rocky Mountain Oak) Texas, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Mexico. Zones 6-9.
Quercus kelloggii (California Black Oak, Kellogg Oak)Southern California to southwest Oregon and Sierra Nevada mountians. Zones 5-8
Querus borealis (Northern Red Oak) SE Canada Eastern US to Kansas and Minnesota, south to Georgia. Zones 3-9
Querus Virginiana ( Southern Live Oak ) Southern US, likes sandy soils, coastal dunes and inland. Best in warmer parts of Zones 8-9.
Querus alba (White Oak) Woodlands of Maine to Quebec, south to Florida, west to Eastern Texas and Minnesota. Zones 4-9
Rhododendron, Azaleas
Birds Attracted: Waterfowl use it for food and shelter. Nesting- Rose Breasted Grosbeak. Hummingbirds use them for the nectar in flowers. Warblers search them for insects. Grouse eat the buds.
Cultivation: Rhododendron calendulaceum (Flame Azalea) Moist woodlands from SW Pennsylvania and southern Ohio to the moutains in Georgia and Alabama. They like moist, well drained soil with lots of humus. There are many cultivars, both wild and cultivated.
Rhus, Sumac
Birds Attracted: 98 species of birds use these. Some include flickers, Woodpeckers, chickadees, robins, bluebirds, tanagers, golden-crowned sparrow, bobwhite, wild turkey, phoebe, thrushes, towhe and many others.
Cultivation: Rhus typhina (Staghorn Sumac) Native from southern Ontario, east to Nova Scotia, south to South Carolina, West to Tennessee and Iowa, and north to Minnesota. Zones 3-8
Rhus glabra (Smooth Sumac) Native from eastern Saskatchewan east to Southern Ontario and Maine, south to Florida and west to Central Texas. Also from British Columbia south to Mexico border. Zones 3-9
Rosa, Roses
Birds Attracted: Cover for indigo buntings, cardinals, towhees, and sparrows among others.
42 species eat the fruits, including cedar waxwings, wood thrush, cardinal, robin, bluebird, mockingbird, grosbeaks, ruffed grouse, bobwhite, sharp tailed grouse, American goldfinch, vireo, and chickadees. A great winter food source.
Cultivation: Rosa nutkana (Nootka Rose) Alaska to northern California, Oregon, Utah, and Colorado. Zones 4-6
Rosa virginiana (Virginia Rose) Native throughout eastern North America. Zones 4-7
Rosa arkansana (Arkansas Rose) Zones 2-5
Rosa Carolina (Carolina or American wild rose) zones 5-8
Rosa laevigata (Cherokee rose) 20 ft. Zones 8-9
Many cultivated roses produce great rosehip fruits for birds….some of the best and easiest care roses are the Shrub roses.
Rubus, Brambles
Birds Attracted: 149 species are drawn to these plants for food source.
Cultivation: Rubus allegheniensis (Common Blackberry) North central North America from Nova Scotia to North Carolina and Missouri. Zones 4-7
Rubus leucodermis (Western Raspberry) Native to British Columbia California east to Montana and Utah. Zones 5-6
Rubus parviflorus (Thimbleberry or white flowering raspberry) Zones 4-7
Rubus spectabilis (Salmonberry) Prostrate to 5’. Zones 6-7
Rudbeckia, Coneflowers
Birds Attracted: finches, chickadees, cardinals, sparrows, nuthatches, towhees and titmice. (seeds)
Cultivation: There are many varieties available. Rudbeckia fulgida (Orange coneflower) Zones 3-9
Rudbeckia nitida (Shining coneflower) zones 4-9
Rudbeckia laciniata (Ragged Coneflower) Zones 3-9
Rudbeckia maxima Zones 3-9
Rudbeckia triloba (Three-lobed coneflower) zones 3-10
Sambucus, Elderberries
Birds Attracted: As many as 120 species of birds eat the fruit. Robins, bluebirds, grosbeaks, brown towhee, white crowned sparrow, woodpeckers, flickers, phainopepla, blue jay, vireo, thrasher, catbird, mockingbird, cedar waxwings, nuthatch, titmice, doves and finches. Many use for nesting too.
Cultivation: Sambucus caerulea (Blue elderberry) Montana to Colorado and New Mexico and west to California north to British Columbia. Zones 6-9
Sorbus, Mountain Ashes
Tsuga, Hemlocks
Vaccinium, Blueberries
Viburnum,
Vitis, Grapes
Yucca,
Zauschneria, Wild Fuchias
Updated 04/19/05
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