Right now I am loving the deciduous native azaleas. I live in the south which is the land of azaleas but have never been taken by them until I grew the natives. Native azalea can be fussy about placement, they certainly aren’t the easiest plant to grow, but if you have the correct growing conditions for them they are going to be stars in your garden. In a good spot they will flourish and be trouble free but in the wrong spot they will be a constant battle to keep going.

The fragrance alone makes them worthwhile. It’s pretty spectacular. They are fragrant. Very.

Native azaleas like water but the tricky part is that they don’t like wet feet and are susceptible to root rot. A dry area won’t do for them but a wet won’t either. This is why you see them growing high up on creek banks in the wild. Water, but good drainage. If your property is on the dry side, a dip or low area can usually work well. If your property is wet, a raised spot is good. They are naturally understory plants and need shade or dappled shade.

 

‘Tangerine Delight’ is a favorite of mine. Usually I am not a fan of orange but this one just glows. Blooms appear in mid spring with bright, show stopping flowers.  A hybrid of native species, she is a big girl at 10′. ‘Tangerine Delight’ is one of the easiest of the native varieties to grow and less fussy about water and sun so can be a great choice for starting a native azalea collection. And it’s fragrant. Boy is it fragrant.

 

‘Admiral Semmes’ is another large native azalea at 10′ – 12′. The flowers are sunny yellow and he is a prolific bloomer. The color is perfect for a woodland garden as it just shines and stands out in shady areas. This one is highly fragrant as well, your neighbors will know when the ‘Admiral Semmes’ is in flower.

 

‘Lisa’s Gold’ is another large variety at 10′ – 12′. Blooms are a deep yellow gold. While the deciduous azaleas all tend to be open, airy plants, ‘Lisa’s Gold’ is a bit more open than the others. It only adds to her charm. This lovely lady is also very fragrant.

If you have the spot, try a native azalea. You’ll be hooked. Once they bloom you will know what the fuss is all about.

This is the year I am letting my lawn go to the pollinators. I have seeded clover, blue eyed grass and a few other low growing wildflowers but am letting things come up as they will. I did not kill the lawn since I know there are plants I want in it, and it was fairly barren in the first place. I’ll spend the summer hand weeding once I find out what is there but that’s not an issue as I have a small lawn area. It’s going to be a learning curve to figure out what is a ‘weed’ and what is not. I admit that I am not good with annuals and perennials, I’m much better with trees and shrubs.

So now I am watching things emerge…so far in March:

A few patches of bluets have emerged. They occurred naturally.

 

Field pansies! Or Johny Jump Ups if you wish to call them that, but I call this color field pansy for some reason. A good little flower for bees.

 

 

Some mashed violets. I am not sure that I will let these stay, here they tend to form huge clumps and take over. For now I will enjoy them. I have no idea what the little white flower to the left is.

This weekend I managed to sow some seeds and it was all about pollinators and building the pollinator garden. I used the winter sowing in milk jugs system which works great for me, so hopefully I’ll have perennials to attract bees and butterflies to my habitat garden. All of these are very easy to grow from seed and will attract butterflies and bees to a backyard. Growing perennials from seed is great, it mean you can plant in mass without spending a lot of money.

A few thing I was able to get in are:

 

 Joe Pye Weed is a bit more difficult to get started but well worth the effort. It’s a pollinator magnet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attracting birds to gardens is easy if you plant for them. Small trees are part of the foundation of any landscape design and a yard can be both beautiful and wildlife friendly. When you have the choice between which trees to use, why not pick something that is going to create a backyard habitat and  bring life to your environment? These are a few small trees which have done well for me in my Georgia 7b landscape. They are native to the eastern, south and southeastern United States but may also preform well in the northeastern U.S.

The criteria for my list is:

1. Easy to grow
2. Low maintenance
3. Will tolerate drying out
4. Have ornamental value in a formal landscape design
5. Will tolerate acid soil
6. Easy to locate in local nurseries

Also see:
Attracting Birds to Gardens – Best Large Shade or Evergreen Trees
Attracting Birds to Gardens – Best Shrubs

 

Small Trees for Bird Gardens

 

Holly Ilex whatever – Holly is a great bird plant. The evergreen foliage provides coverage and nesting sites, the berries are gorgeous and provide food, plus holly is an excellent ornamental. It can be used as an evergreen specimen or planted for privacy hedges. Holly cultivars and species can be confusing as it has been crossed so many times and hybridized to death so look carefully at whatever you choose. Chinese holly cultivars are often useless for wildlife as they are sterile, meaning there will be no nectar for pollinators or berries for birds. Chinese holly isn’t nearly as attractive in my opinion. Also be aware that some hollies are self pollinating while others need a male and female plant to set berries.

American Holly Ilex opaca is commonly found in the nursery trade and grows to 20′. It is not as dense as some of the cultivars but the birds are particularly fond of the berries. Other native hollies are: Dahoon Holly Ilex cassine and Yaupon Holly Ilex vomitoria. With Yaupon holly, the commonly seen ‘Stokes Dwarf’ is male and will not produce berries. I haven’t quite figured out if this cultivar is sterile or not. I suspect it may be. Sterile in a habitat garden is not a good thing as it is not a food source, not even for pollinators. Native to the eastern United States (USDA Range Map).

 

Dogwood Cornus florida – A southern classic, what is a landscape without a dogwood? The large, showy flower bracts in spring are a welcomed site. Flowering dogwood is shade tolerant and may be grown as a small understory tree or planted in full sun. It will tolerate our clay soil but for long term is best planted in loamy, organic dirt as a stressed dogwood can be susceptible to several pests and diseases. Healthy specimens usually don’t have as many problems. There are white and pink varieties but be sure to speak with your nurseryman about which has the best disease resistance.

Flowers are insect pollinated, frequently by beetles and flies. Dogwood has a beautiful shape with horizontal, layers that form tiers. Summer foliage is a deciduous mid green and can be a lovely contrast against deeper greens of holly, conifers or magnolias. The fall color is worthwhile in an ornamental landscape as the leaves turn deep reds to purples.

Bright red berries appear in autumn which will be quickly eaten by backyard birds and wildlife. Some birds that will use the fruit as a food source are: Eastern Bluebird, northern cardinal,  dark-eyed junco, American robin, northern bobwhite, tufted titmouse, wild turkey, tree swallow and woodpeckers. Native to the southern, northeastern and eastern United States (USDA Range Map).

 

Hawthorn Crataegus  whatever – Washington Hawthorn Crataegus phaenopyrum, Parsley Hawthorn Crataegus marshallii or Mayhaw Crataegus C. aestivalis and C. opaca. I adore hawthorn. I grow all three mentioned and for a warning, these guys have thorns. Parsley hawthorn is the least thorny of the lot, and in my case the thorns aren’t a problem but don’t plant them in an area where small children play.

Hawthorn is a deciduous small tree which can grow from 15′ to 30′.  Pretty much everything about hawthorn is showy so it is a best pick for an ornamental landscape. It can tolerate heavy pruning so is suitable for formal designs as well. Spring flowers are fragrant and grow in lovely white clusters which will attract pollinators. The bright red berries are also showy and while some hawthorn berries are a bit large for songbirds, most are readily eaten. The fruit often persists through a couple of freezes and provide a winter food source.

Summer foliage is a glossy deep to mid green with small, delicate shape. Fall color is outstanding depending on the species you choose. Most are orange and red, however my parsley hawthorn turns a reliable bright yellow. Hawthorn is shade tolerant but prefers sun, has medium maintenance and water requirements.  Native to the southern, northeastern and eastern United States (USDA Range Map).

 

Sassafras Sassafras albidum – A bird garden needs sassafras. Not only is it fun to say, the birds love the berries and the fall color looks like a child designed it in bright pastel pink, purple, orange and yellow. Sassafras is an aromatic small tree which usually only grows to about  30-40′  but if grown as an understory tree can streatch out to 60′. It will tolerate shade and may be grown under larger canopy trees. Sassafras will tolerate clay soil and is drought tolerant, making it a great pick for southern landscapes. It also prefers our acid soils and will tend to develop chlorosis in alkaline soils.

Sassafras has a reputation for being difficult to transplant but you can indeed plant it successfully. The issue which  makes it difficult is that this tree has a large taproot. The taproot makes it hard to dig up but container grown plants sold in nurseries should survive just like any other tree. Water it well when young. Left to its own devices, sassafras will form multi trunk thickets. You can prune back suckers or let it form a colony depending upon your placement. It is also a host plant for Spicebush butterfly, Tiger swallow-tail,  Pale Swallowtail and Palamedes butterflies.

Trees are male and female so finding both sexes can be a problem, but it can be done. Blue black berries appear in fall and the birds love them. Native to the southern, northeastern and eastern United States (USDA Range Map).

 

Serviceberry Amelanchier arborea or Amelanchier x grandiflora. There are a few native serviceberries out there, it can get confusing. Some are shrub forms and others may be small trees but wherever you are in the United States there is sure to be on native to your zone. I am going to go with Amelanchier arborea as it is relatively easy to find in nurseries. This is a tree that I am glad to see being used more often in an ornamental landscape. It’s beautiful all year, is wildlife friendly and non invasive. Serviceberry is a great native plant alternative to awful Callery Bradford pear.

Serviceberry Amelanchier arborea is a small tree reaching 15′ – 25′. This plant tends to sucker so you if you wish it to tree form, you need to prune the base for the first few years. It can be grown in sun or part shade and prefers medium, well drained soils. Small white flowers appear in spring which is attractive in a landscape design while being attractive to pollinators. The summer foliage is lovely with small tooth, obovate leaves. In fall the color is brilliant reds, yellows and orange.

With fall comes edible small, round berries the birds will quickly devour. The berries taste somewhat like blueberries. They are attractive and are a light green when they first appear, then turns to red and finally a deep blue black color when ripe. One thing to note about serviceberry is that you will need two non clones for pollination and for the plant to set berries. One specimen of two cultivars is the easiest solution. ‘Autumn Brilliance’, ‘Princess Diana’ should be easy to find at local garden shops. Native to the southern, northeastern and eastern United States (USDA Range Map).

 

Southern Wax Myrtle Myrica cerifera – Technically a shrub but much under used in my opinion. Wax myrtle is under used for good reason – people do not realize its ornamental value. When you see this plant at a nursery or landscape supply it is presented as a busy, unruly looking shrub and not so attractive. However it can be formed into a lovely single trunk tree or multi seemed tree if you wish. Then the crown may be pruned and shaped however you like. On its own it will form a rounded crown which looks great on a single trunk tree. As a tree it is beautiful, aromatic and unique. The narrow foliage is unusual and  brings texture to a landscape design. Use it!

The biggest problem with forming wax myrtle into a tree is buying one at a nursery and then having to prune most of the plant to shape it. Beginner gardeners won’t want to do this, but don’t worry, wax myrtle can take it. I had to prune 3/4 of the container wax myrtles I purchased to get them to shape into multi trunk trees and they quickly filled back in.

Southern wax myrtle Myrica cerifera is a vigorous grower and tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions. It may be grown in sun to part shade and the water requirements are medium. In damp areas it will sucker and form a thicket. if you have an out of the way spot you want a thicket and need some privacy, wax myrtle may be a good choice. Suckering is easy to manage where you don’t want it.

Plants are male and female with dark blue berries forming along the stems.  The flowers and berries are both insignificant yet an important food source for pollinators and songbirds. The yellow rumped warbler, ruby-crowned kinglet, white-eyed vireo, and palm warbler will all eat wax myrtle berries. This will attract a wider variety of birds to your backyard an these species do not regularly visit feeders. Native to the southeastern and eastern United States (USDA Range Map).

 

I had written a post on Attracting Birds to Southern Gardens – Native Shrubs and this is Part II, Attracting Birds to Southern Gardens – Large Native Trees. Trees are the foundation of any garden design and I am an advocate of creating wildlife friendly residential and commercial landscapes. These trees will provide both. They have preformed well in my Georgia 7b habitat and may be used in formal landscapes or more naturalized spaces.

While there are several important species/genus I have left out these were selected for realistic Georgia sized yards. Here the majority of properties are small space gardens or properties which allow for only a few canopy sized trees. You can still attract several different species of birds if you choose a few carefully.

The criteria for my list is:

1. Easy to grow
2. Low maintenance
3. Will tolerate drying out
4. Have ornamental value in a formal landscape design
5. Will tolerate acid soil
6. They are easy to locate in local nurseries

Also see:
Attracting Birds to Gardens – Native Shrubs
Attracting Birds to Gardens – Best Small Trees

Large Trees for Bird Gardens – Shade, Canopy and Evergreen

 

Black Gum Nyssa sylvatica – If you have room for a single shade tree, let it be black gum. It is a beautiful tree which grows 30′ – 60′. Black gum has a deep tap root and won’t tear up lawns, sidewalks or driveways, isn’t messy, is drought tolerant and low maintenance. It prefers an acid, medium to moist soil but will still handle periods of drying out.  Black Gum Nyssa sylvatica has no serious insect or disease problems although some susceptibility to leaf spots.

Spring flowing is not showy but will attract pollinators. They love Nyssa. The summer foliage is a glossy medium green and the fall color stunning. Cultivars such as ‘Wildfire’ have more dependable color. In the autumn, the berries of Black Gum Nyssa sylvatica is an important food source for migrating birds. I have read that over 90 species of birds will eat the fruit. So one tree, 90 species, not messy and great color? Win win and win again. Native to the southern, northeastern and eastern United States (USDA Range Map).

 

Common Hackberry Celtis occidentalis or Sugar Hackberry Celtis laevigata,  Nettle tree. Hackberry isn’t the prettiest tree mentioned here but worth adding since the fruit is attractive to songbirds, game birds and wildlife. It is also tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions and one tough tree so may be planted in dry or difficult spots. It can be used as a street tree but be aware that when the berries fall, it can be messy on sidewalks.

Hackberry is a large deciduous tree at 40′ – 60′. Spring flowers are non showy but attractive to pollinators. For landscape value, hackberry will tolerate urban conditions including pollution and can be used in dry or wet spots. It is prone to nipple gall which does the tree no harm but does not look great as a front yard specimen. Witches broom is another problem that can disfigure the branch ends which again, does not harm the tree but can look unsightly. Still, birds will be attracted to the fruit and if you have an out of they way area or a spot where growing is difficult, hackberry is a good choice.

 

Eastern Hemlock Tsuga canadensis (Canadian Hemlock) – What a beautiful evergreen tree. Not much compares to the long, sweeping branches and small, deep green needles of Eastern Hemlock. It is easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in part to full shade.  A trick with hemlock is to water, water and water it when young to make sure it survives. At 40′ – 70′ it needs space as this is not a tree to limb up and nothing is going to grow under it anyway. Hemlock is intolerant of drought and should be watered during dry spells, but I have seen gorgeous mature specimens which received no supplemental water  in dry shade. Here in the south if planted in sun there is a risk of needle scorch. Hemlock is valuable in an ornamental garden and makes a wonderful privacy hedge in large spaces or may be used as a specimen tree.

Woolly adelgid (an aphid) has been a problem for Canadian Eastern Hemlock Tsuga canadensis and it can be fatal. However it is manageable and has not seemed to affected isolated trees in more residential areas. Before planting, read Save Our Hemlocks.

The sweeping branches provide shelter for wildlife in winter and important nesting sites for birds in summer. The seeds are eaten by both birds and mammals. Native to the southern, northeastern and eastern United States (USDA Range Map).

 

Eastern Red Cedar Juniperus virginiana – This is a big, shade intolerant evergreen at 30-65’ tall. It is great for difficult sites, is pH adaptable and easily transplanted. Eastern Red Cedar tolerates a wide range of soils and growing conditions, from water areas to dry rocky slope. It has the best drought resistance of any conifer native to the eastern U. S and is a good choice for windbreaks, slope erosion control or as a specimen tree.

Red cedar attractive in an ornamental landscape with dark blue-green, scale-like needles. The base of the trunk often  a fluted shape and gray to reddish brown bark of mature trees exfoliates in thin strips. It can be limbed up to provide space under the canopy. Eastern Red Cedar Juniperus virginiana has no serious insect or disease problems although apple rust is common in some areas. Further north bagworms may be an issue but has not been the case for me in the southeast.

For wildlife Eastern Red Cedar is a valuable tree. The year round shelter it provides is important for many bird species, both for nesting and roosting. Robins, sparrows, mockingbirds and many other species use it as nesting sites. It is estimated that 90 species of birds consume the berries and it is a favorite of cedar waxwings. In a wildlife garden or backyard habitat, Eastern Red Cedar is one of the best evergreens you can plant.

Eastern Red Cedar Juniperus virginiana can be dioecious – male flowers on one plant, and female flowers on another plant, meaning a tree can be either male or female. They may also be monotonous, meaning an individual tree may  have separate male and female flowers on the same plant. Only female flowers will produce berries.  Native to the southern, northeastern and eastern United States (USDA Range Map).

 

Live Oak Quercus virginiana – At 60′-80′ tall and 40′-80′ wide, live oak is not for the small space garden. It is a good choice for a backyard habitat as the acorns are food for birds and other wildlife, and branches a favorite nesting spot. If you have the room, plant one id only for it’s beauty. It is a gorgeous tree and a classic in a southern landscape. A live oak may not produce acorns for 50 years but it is a true heritage tree and you will be planting something for the future. Acorns are produced in abundance every other year, with lighter crops in alternating years. They aren’t picky about soil but adequate water is essential when they are young. As it matures it will become drought tolerant. Foliage is a deep, shiny green and semi evergreen and in warmer climates. Native to the southeastern United States (USDA Range Map).

White Oak Quercus alba – A oak deciduous oak which produces acorns every year providing an annual food source for birds and backyard wildlife.  A lovely, easily grown shade tree at 50′-80′ tall with an equal spread. White oak can tolerate medium to dry soils and is a good choice for difficult spots, including as a street tree. Leaves are deciduous and the fallen foliage provides great foraging areas for ground feeding birds so don’t rake them all up! They will also help feed the tree as they decompose. Fall color is sporadic and can range from a flat brown to beautiful reds.

 

Southern Magnolia Magnolia grandiflora – There are a wide range of southern magnolia cultivars for different sized landscape designs and spaces. Compact varieties such as the well known ‘Little Gem’ can be as small as 10′ wide to 20′ tall. Larger varieties can reach 80′. Magnolia is a hardy southern tree which grows well in our climate and the fragrant, saucer sized flowers a classic sight. Blooming begins in late spring to early summer with sporadic flowers until November. Flowers give way to red, cone shaped fruit which will be eaten by garden songbirds.

Southern Magnolia is an evergreen tree which usually features deep green, shiny leaves with a brown or rusty underside. Although an evergreen tree, it will be semi evergreen during harsh winters.It creates an excellent nesting spot for birds in summertime and in wintertime, provides roosting and weather protection.  It isn’t terribly picky about placement but will grow best in a moist, loamy soil in sun or part shade. Southern Magnolia is a water seeker, so don’t plant it next to your water line and risk roots going through underground pipes. Be aware that magnolia trees shed and you do not want to place them in a high traffic area but instead in a spot where the falling foliage will not be a bother. Leave the fallen leaves and tree litter for ground feeding birds – you will attract thrush, towhees and thrashers to name a few. Native to the southern United States (USDA Range Map).

 

Sweetbay Magnolia Magnolia virginiana – 50 – 90′ tall. An evergreen to semi evergreen tree which can grow from 10′-35′ tall and have an equal spread. Sweetbay will tolerate shade but prefers a sunny location. It tends to have a more open form than southern magnolia. Foliage is a shiny medium green with a lighter underside. Large showy flowers bloom May – June and have a slightly lemony scent. Bright red seed pods appear in fall which will be eaten by birds. Sweetbay provides coverage, nesting sites and a food source for backyard birds. Native to the southern, northeastern and eastern United States (USDA Range Map).