TIPS & PLANT SUGGESTIONS TO ATTRACT THESE ENTERTAINING & BENEFICIAL CREATURES
Not only are birds, bees, & butterflies fun to watch, they help sustain our ecosystem! With a decrease in populations of many native bird & pollinator species, there’s never been a better time to help provide them with essential habitat requirements.
HELPFUL PRE-PLANTING TIPS
Give them food! Supply flowers for pollinators to collect pollen and drink nectar, and fruit and seed bearing plants for birds to feed on. Use native plants when possible as our native wildlife (birds, insects, etc..) has co-evolved with these plants over the years. Native plants also offer far more food and utilization for our native wildlife.
Mass plantings of flowers are more effective for attracting pollinators rather than solitary plantings. Pollinators do not like to travel on “open roads” to get from flower to flower…it makes them very vulnerable to predators!
Create a border on the edge of your yard using various trees and shrubs that meet the needs of native songbirds throughout the year. Adding a few evergreens such as spruce, holly or juniper into this border will help the birds keep cover during winter months.
Choose plants with various blooming/fruiting times to provide wildlife with year-round food.
FRUIT & SEED BEARING PLANTS FOR BACKYARD SONGBIRDS
BLACKEYED SUSAN (Rudbeckia)
CONEFLOWER, PURPLE (Echinacea purpurea)
DOGWOOD (Cornus)
EASTERN RED CEDAR (Juniperus virginiana)
GRAPE, WILD (Vitis)
HOLLY, WINTERBERRY (Ilex verticillata)
MULLBERRY (Morus)
NORTHERN BAYBERRY (Myrica pensylvanica)
RASPBERRY (Rubus)
SERVICEBERRY (Amelanchier)
SPRUCE (Picea)
SUMAC, STAGHORN (Rhus typhina)
SUNFLOWER (Helianthus)
VIBURNUM (Viburnum)
VIRGINIA CREEPER (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
NECTAR PLANTS FOR HUMMINGBIRDS
BEEBALM (Monarda)
BLEEDING HEART (Dicentra)
BUCKEYE, BOTTLEBRUSH (Aesculus parviflora)
BUTTERFLY BUSH (Buddleja)
MILK WEED (Asclepias tuberosa)
CARDINAL FLOWER (Lobelia cardinalis)
CATMINT (Nepeta)
COLUMBINE (Aquilegia)
CROCOSMIA (Crocosmia)
FOXGLOVE (Digitalis)
FUCHSIA (Fuchsia)
HONEYSUCKLE VINE (Lonicera)
HYSSOP (Agastache)
LANTANA (Lantana camera)
LARKSPUR (Delphinium)
LUPINE (Lupinus)
RED HOT POKER (Kniphofia)
SAGE, PERENNIAL (Salvia)
SNAPDRAGON (Antirrhinum)
SPIDER PLANT (Cleome)
TRUMPET VINE (Campsis radicans)
WEIGELA (Weigela)
NECTAR & POLLEN PLANTS FOR BEES
BEE BALM (Monarda)
BLANKETFLOWER (Gaillardia)
BLUE MIST SHRUB (Caryopteris x clandonensis)
BORAGE (Borago officinalis)
CATMINT (Nepeta)
CONEFLOWER, PURPLE (Echinacea purpurea)
COSMOS (Cosmos)
FRUIT TREES: APPLE, PLUM, CHERRY (Malus, Prunus)
GOLDENROD (Solidago)
GRAPE HYACINTH (Muscari armeniacum)
HYACINTH (Hyacinthus)
LANTANA (Lantana camara)
LAVENDER (Lavandula)
LOCUST, BLACK (Robinia pseudoacacia)
MILKWEED (Asclepias tuberosa)
ONION, ORNAMENTAL (Allium)
PINEAPPLE SAGE (Salvia elegans)
REDBUD (Cercis canadensis)
RUSSIAN SAGE (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
SEDUM, LIVE-FOREVER (Sedum purpureum)
TULIP POPLAR (Liriodendron tulipifera)
VERBENA, TALL (Verbena bonariensis)
ZINNIA (Zinnia)
NECTAR PLANTS FOR BUTTERFLIES
BEEBALM (Monarda)
BLACK EYED SUSAN (Rudbeckia)
BLANKETFLOWER (Gaillardia)
BLUE-MIST SHRUB (Caryopteris x clandonensis)
BUTTERFLY BUSH (Buddleja)
CARDNIAL FLOWER (Lobelia cardinalis)
CONEFLOWER (Echinacea)
DAISY, SHASTA (Chrysanthemum)
DAYLILY (Hemerocallis)
FALSE INDIGO (Baptisia australis)
GOLDENROD (Solidago)
HELIOTROPE (Heliotropium)
HYSSOP (Agastache)
LAVENDER (Lavandula)
MAGNOLIA (Magnolia)
MILKWEED (Asclepias tuberosa)
ONION, ORNAMENTAL (Allium)
PENTAS (Pentas)
PETUNIA (Petunia)
PHLOX (Phlox)
RUSSIAN SAGE (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
ST. JOHN’S WORT (Hypericum)
TICKSEED (Coreopsis)
VERBENA (Verbena)
ZINNIA (Zinnia)
OTHER TIPS
Make sure there is a water source nearby for bathing & drinking at all times of the year, birdbaths are a great source for this. To provide water for pollinators such as bees and butterflies, place pebbles or small rocks for landing in a shallow dish of water, preventing them from drowning.
Provide shelter such as bushy plants, nesting boxes or even a brush pile. Utilized as cover for wildlife during the winter months, wait to cut ornamental grasses back until early spring. Eliminate the use of harsh chemical applications to these plants. Otherwise, there can be harmful effects on the surrounding wildlife.