Native Plants

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Saturday - June 12, 2010

From: Southampton, NY
Region: Northeast
Topic: Wildlife Gardens
Title: Native plants to attract migrating birds
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

Can you suggest native plants that would attract migrating birds? I have a very sunny location, with very sandy soil. Thanks in advance for your answer.

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty Plants would like to suggest a very useful article, Landscaping to Attract Birds, from the Baltimore Bird Club. This article suggests several categories of food plants—conifers, grasses and legumes, nectar-producing plants, summer-fruiting plants, fall-fruiting plants and winter-fruiting plants. Birds use plants for shelter as well as for food. Here are some suggested New York native plants for these categories that grow well in sandy soils.

CONIFERS: Pines, spruces, firs, junipers, etc., are useful as shelter as well as for their sap, buds and seeds.

Chamaecyparis thyoides (Atlantic white cedar)

Pinus strobus (eastern white pine)

GRASSES AND LEGUMES:

Ammophila breviligulata (American beachgrass)

Elymus canadensis (Canada wildrye)

Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem)

Chamaecrista fasciculata (partridge pea)

Lupinus perennis (sundial lupine)

NECTAR-PRODUCING:

Campsis radicans (trumpet creeper)

Lonicera sempervirens (trumpet honeysuckle)