10 Native Plants to Grow for Wild Birds

Naturally attract more birds to your garden by growing these native plants!

Goldfinches, chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches are just a few native birds that stick around Maine all year round. These birds often feast on insects during the warmer months but, when cold weather hits, they rely more heavily on seed- and fruit-bearing plants for food. Here are a few native plants that you can grow to support these birds throughout the year and make your garden more wildlife-friendly!

1. Blueberries (Vaccinium spp.)

Although blueberries are mostly grown as edible crops, blueberries can also be added to wildlife gardens to attract robins, orioles, bluebirds, and other wildlife. Maine has two types of native blueberries: highbush blueberries and lowbush blueberries. Highbush blueberries are larger shrubs that are commonly used as foundation or specimen plants, while low-growing lowbush blueberries can be cultivated as groundcovers or border plants in sunny flower beds.

2. Asters (Aster spp.)

Birds like waxwings are especially drawn to fruit-bearing ornamentals, but finches and many other birds favor seed-bearing plants. Asters are especially good for attracting these seed-eating birds, and they’re a top treat for goldfinches, cardinals, and nuthatches. Big-leaf aster is a great choice for shady gardens, while growers with sunny flowerbeds may want to try other types of native asters, like New England aster or calico aster.

3. Viburnums (Viburnum spp.)

Maine has several types of native viburnums, including wild raisin, arrow wood, and highbush cranberry, which all provide year-round interest to gardens. These plants typically bloom from spring to summer and then produce colorful berries and leaves in fall. If birds don’t eat all the berries at once, viburnum berries can last through winter and provide much-needed support for waxwings and other birds when other food sources are scarce.

4. Wild Roses (Rosa spp.)

Some of the most common roses found in Maine are invasive plants, but that doesn’t mean that Maine doesn’t have a few native roses! Virginia rose, swamp rose, and pasture rose are just a few rose species that are native to the area and these plants all produce edible rosehips, which attract birds like thrushes and blackbirds. If you’re interested in wild foods, you can harvest rosehips and use them to make teas and jams too.

5. Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)

Like asters, goldenrod plants bloom in fall and provide nectar and pollen for late season pollinators when they need it most. But after goldenrod flowers fade, these plants produce protein-packed seeds, which finches and other seed-eating birds can’t resist. Maine has 19 native species of goldenrod, including the uniquely colored silverrod that produces creamy white blooms. Mix and match some of your favorites or grow goldenrod with asters for lots of garden color!

6. Coneflowers (Rudbeckia spp.)

Purple coneflower is not native to Maine, but Maine does have a few native coneflowers, including the cut-leaf coneflower and the black-eyed coneflower (also known as black-eyed Susan). These plants are easy to grow from seed and they can be kept in cutting gardens if you enjoy making your homemade bouquets. However, coneflowers also produce tons of seeds in fall, which reliably attract finches, cardinals, and siskins.

7. Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)

Also known as black alder, winterberry is an adaptable plant that can tolerate different soil types and thrive in sun or shade. Growers often cultivate water-loving winterberry in rain gardens, but these plants are right at home in wildlife habitats too. Beyond providing berries for birds in winter, winterberry flowers also attract pollinators and they serve as host plants for a variety of insects.

8. Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa)

Bee balm or wild bergamot is mostly grown for pollinators, but these plants also produce thistle-like seeds in fall if you don’t deadhead their spent flowers. Finches and sparrows favor bee balm seeds, but hummingbirds will also visit bee balm flowers in summer. Interestingly, bee balm leaves and flowers are edible and they have an oregano-like flavor that can be used as a dried spice or tea!

9. Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium spp.)

Rain gardens are the perfect place for Joe Pye weed, but these plants can also be grown in standard flower beds as long as you give them plenty of room and lots of water. When mature, Joe Pye weed can stretch up to 8 feet tall and plants can be difficult to transplant once they’re established. However, Joe Pye weed has lots to recommend it: it’s easy to grow, it attracts pollinators, and its autumn seedheads are adored by goldfinches, juncos, chickadees, and titmice.

10. Staghorn Sumac (Rhus hirta)

Staghorn sumac is often dismissed as a weed, but this plant can be a valuable addition to wildlife gardens too. While hollow and pithy sumac stems make ideal nesting spots for solitary bees, sumac berries act as magnets for finches, catbirds, and even piliated woodpeckers! Sumac berries are also edible and their tart flavor can be used to make a lemonade-like drink.

Other Ways to Attract Birds

Growing native plants that yield berries, seeds, and nuts is one of the best ways to attract birds to your garden. But if you want to make your space even more appealing to wildlife, try these tips.

Keep feeders clean. If you decide to use bird feeders to attract wild birds, make sure to clean feeders at least once every two weeks. For best results, clean feeders with a gentle soap or diluted bleach and avoid using harsh chemicals.
Add a water feature. Birds are more likely to stick around your garden if you put out a bird bath filled with fresh water. Just remember to clean bird baths regularly and add a heater in winter so the water doesn’t freeze.
Grow evergreens. Native evergreens provide nesting spots and safe shelter for birds. If you don’t have evergreens around, add a bird house or two and a baffle to keep predators away from nesting birds!
Consider bird safety. Bird netting and fake spider webs used for Halloween décor can prove hazardous for wild birds. For bird safety, keep these items out of your garden and consider adding decals to your windows to prevent bird strikes.
Avoid pesticides. Many birds eat insects as well as berries, nuts, and seeds. Protect birds from pesticide exposure by choosing organic pest control techniques whenever possible.

Whether you love birdwatching or you just want to provide habitat for songbirds, growing native plants that birds love is one of the best ways to invite wildlife into your yard. If you’d like to see some of these bird-friendly plants before adding them to your garden, stop by the Native Gardens of Blue Hill for a visit. You can find many of the plants we’ve covered today growing in the NGBH gardens!

Sources:

· Native Gardens of Blue Hill: Plant Database

· Cornell Lab: How to Clean Your Bird Feeder

· Richard M. DeGraaf: Trees, Shrubs, and Vines for Attracting Birds