Berries for Birds

A garden full of berries are irresistible to birds.Choosing the correct berry producing shrubs and trees are like having a "living bird feeder." The birds that normally are insect eaters will switch their diet in the winter to eat berries. Some of the common insect eating birds such as robins, bluebirds, waxwings, chickadees, etc., will not find those insects in the harsh winters, so the berries will help them survive those cold months.

Issai Beautyberry

The Beautyberry is a graceful deciduous shrub that produces pink flowers in the Spring, followed by beautiful purple berries in late Summer.

Holly

The red berries of the Holly are a favorite of the bluebirds. You will need to plant a male holly to pollinize the female plants. I purchased 3 female and planted a male about 20 feet from them.

Autumn Jazz Arrowwood Viburnum

I was very fortunate to purchase 5 Arrowwood Viburnum at clearance this Fall. They look a little scraggly now with losing their leaves, they were very healthy looking when I bought them for only $5 a piece. The Viburnums provide fruit, flowers, cover, and beautiful fall colors. Some will grow 10-12 feet high and also as wide. The ones I have on order for the birds are: American Cranberry High Bush, Blue Muffin, and Nannyberry. They produce an abundant amount of fruit.

Centurion Crabapple

Another of my wonderful sale finds were these crabapples at $4 a piece this Fall. I was thrilled they were healthy and so cheap. I planted 3 other crabapples "Prairiefire," at only a small discounted price this Fall, but I was still happy to get them  and hopefully they survive the winter.

Winterberries

Ilex Verticillata "Black Alder"

These winterberries are a native holly. You also need a male to pollenize the females. The berry-laden plants are prized by craft enthusiasts for floral arrangements, wreaths, etc. But they are more important for their berries which stay on into late winter for food. 40 known bird species, small mammals and even deer are known to eat this fruit. The dense branches will also provide shelter. These can grow 10 feet high, a showstopper in winter against the white snow with their bright red berries.