Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

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)

SUMMER-FRUITING:

Morus rubra (red mulberry)

Prunus virginiana (chokecherry)

FALL-FRUITING:

Cornus florida (flowering dogwood)

Ilex verticillata (common winterberry)

WINTER-FRUITING:

Rhus copallinum (winged sumac)

NUTS AND ACORNS

Carya ovata (shagbark hickory)

Quercus muehlenbergii (chinkapin oak)

You can find more plants to fit the above categories on our New York Recommended page.

Here are photos from our Image Gallery:


Chamaecyparis thyoides

Pinus strobus

Ammophila breviligulata

Elymus canadensis

Schizachyrium scoparium

Chamaecrista fasciculata

Lupinus perennis

Campsis radicans

Lonicera sempervirens

Morus rubra

Prunus virginiana

Cornus florida

Ilex verticillata

Rhus copallinum

Carya ovata

Quercus muehlenbergii

 

 

More Wildlife Gardens Questions

Evergreens for a deer corridor in MI
April 16, 2012 - I am growing three rows of evergreens for a wildlife, deer travel corridor, and am looking for which trees grow well together and are shade tolerant of each other when planted at the same time, or at ...
view the full question and answer

Native plants, wildlife hosts for small yard in New Jeersey
October 12, 2005 - I live in New Jersey & am in the process of changing my yard over to native plants. My yard is very small & I currently have a Kousa dogwood tree that I want to replace with something native. I need...
view the full question and answer

Native plants to attract butterflies
October 18, 2007 - I'm a Texas A&M Wildlife and Ecology student working with a landowner in Bastrop County, Texas. As part of their Habitat Management Plan, they are hoping to enhance butterfly habitat on their proper...
view the full question and answer

Wildflower meadow for Arkansas
September 16, 2007 - We want to create a 1/2-1 acre wildflower style "meadow" using native plants that we can naturalize. I found information for our area (Central Arkansas) on this website that is helpful, but I am als...
view the full question and answer

Importance of native plants for wildlife.
March 04, 2008 - I just read Donald Tellamy's new book,Bringing Nature Home. He documents how native plants provide more nourishment for wildlife than introduced plants. The definition of native plants that I use is ...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.