2019 native plants for birds - wordpress.com...2019 native plants for birds creating habitat for...

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2019 Native Plants for Birds Creating Habitat for Wildlife The Native Plants for Birds project purposely selects 12 bird-friendly plants native to the Northeast to promote each year. We encourage growers to grow them and gardeners to plant them. By planting these natives you will join a collective action helping meet birds’ needs within the places that people live. THINK OF YOUR YARD AS A WILDLIFE PRESERVE ! Native Plants for Birds is a joint project between Habitat Gardening in Central NY (hgcny.org) and Onondaga Audubon (OnondagaAudubon.org). Please visit our websites for more information. Gardening for wildlife tips Have plants in bloom from early spring to late fall. Choose at least 3 species that bloom each season, providing food throughout the growing season. Tolerate leaf damage. Native insects are beneficial; nibbled leaves means your yard is functioning ecologically. Eliminate pesticides. Even 'organic' pesticides can harm wildlife. Be vigilant. Remove exotic invasive plants. Native "weeds" on the other hand are probably beneficial. Stop cleaning up. Dead wood, fallen leaves and spent perennials host many organisms; it's best to leave them in your ecological landscape. Leave brush piles and a layer of leaves. Leave snags if they don't pose a hazard. Over 85 bird species rely on dead tree snags to nest, feed or seek cover. Provide water sources for wildlife. This includes birdbaths, ponds, water features and puddling areas for butterflies. Before buying plants, make sure they are suitable for the sun, shade, water availability and soil type in your space. Reduce or eliminate lawn. Lawn provides little benefit to birds and other wildlife. Be Patient. Native plants may not establish as quickly as traditional perennials. During the first year, plants establish their root systems rather than above-ground biomass. Plant in layers. Think from the tree canopy down to the ground cover. Eastern Bluebird on Winterberry Photo: Rick Bunting Cedar Waxwing on Eastern Red Cedar Photo: Rick Bunting 2017 Bird-Friendly Plants Little blue stem Schizachyrium scoparium Black cohosh Actaea racemosa Swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata White turtlehead Chelone glabra Boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum Bergamot Monarda fistulosa NE Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae Purple-flowering Raspberry Rubus odoratus Pagoda dogwood Cornus alternifolia Northern red oak Quercus rubra 2018 Bird-Friendly Plants Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans Anise hyssop Agastache foeniculum Black Chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa White wood aster Aster divaricatus Sweet birch Betula lenta Silky dogwood Cornus amomum Winterberry Ilex verticillata Blazing star Liatris spicata Trumpet coral honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens Cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata Black elderberry Sambucus canadensis Bluestem goldenrod Solidago caesia The selected plants from 2017-2019 will be available by pre-order at our Spring Plant Sale in May. Please see our websites. Whether you have a container garden, a small yard or many acres, you can help protect birds and other wildlife. We can all contribute to a network of pocket habitats and refuges that provides food, water, cover and nesting sites for birds right in our own yards. It all starts with native plants. Inside you will find some native plants beneficial to birds and pollinators to add to your landscape, as well as tips to help support wildlife. All of these plants are available at select local nurseries.

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Page 1: 2019 Native Plants for Birds - WordPress.com...2019 Native Plants for Birds Creating Habitat for Wildlife The Native Plants for Birds project purposely selects 12 bird-friendly plants

2019

Native Plants for Birds Creating Habitat for Wildlife

The Native Plants for Birds project purposely selects 12 bird-friendly plants native to the Northeast to promote each year. We encourage growers to grow them and gardeners to plant them. By planting these natives you will join a collective action helping meet birds’ needs within the places that people live.

THINK OF YOUR YARD AS A WILDLIFE PRESERVE !

Native Plants for Birds is a joint project between Habitat Gardening in Central NY (hgcny.org) and Onondaga Audubon (OnondagaAudubon.org). Please visit our websites for more information.

Gardening for

wildlife tips

Have plants in bloom from early spring to late fall. Choose at least 3 species that bloom each season, providing food throughout the growing season. Tolerate leaf damage. Native insects are beneficial; nibbled leaves means your yard is functioning ecologically. Eliminate pesticides. Even 'organic' pesticides can harm wildlife. Be vigilant. Remove exotic invasive plants. Native "weeds" on the other hand are probably beneficial. Stop cleaning up. Dead wood, fallen leaves and spent perennials host many organisms; it's best to leave them in your ecological landscape. Leave brush piles and a layer of leaves. Leave snags if they don't pose a hazard. Over 85 bird species rely on dead tree snags to nest, feed or seek cover. Provide water sources for wildlife. This includes birdbaths, ponds, water features and puddling areas for butterflies. Before buying plants, make sure they are suitable for the sun, shade, water availability and soil type in your space. Reduce or eliminate lawn. Lawn provides little benefit to birds and other wildlife. Be Patient. Native plants may not establish as quickly as traditional perennials. During the first year, plants establish their root systems rather than above-ground biomass.

Plant in layers. Think from the tree canopy down to the ground cover.

Eastern Bluebird on Winterberry

Photo: Rick Bunting

Cedar Waxwing on Eastern Red Cedar Photo: Rick Bunting

2017 Bird-Friendly Plants Little blue stem Schizachyrium scoparium Black cohosh Actaea racemosa Swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata White turtlehead Chelone glabra Boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum Bergamot Monarda fistulosa NE Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae Purple-flowering Raspberry Rubus odoratus Pagoda dogwood Cornus alternifolia Northern red oak Quercus rubra

2018 Bird-Friendly Plants Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans Anise hyssop Agastache foeniculum Black Chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa White wood aster Aster divaricatus Sweet birch Betula lenta Silky dogwood Cornus amomum Winterberry Ilex verticillata Blazing star Liatris spicata Trumpet coral honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens Cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata Black elderberry Sambucus canadensis Bluestem goldenrod Solidago caesia The selected plants from 2017-2019 will be available by pre-order at our Spring Plant Sale in May. Please see our websites.

Whether you have a container garden, a small yard or many acres, you can help protect birds and other wildlife. We can all contribute to a network of pocket habitats and refuges that provides food, water, cover and nesting sites for birds right in our own yards. It all starts with native plants.

Inside you will find some native plants beneficial to birds and pollinators to add to your landscape, as well as tips to help support wildlife. All of these plants are available at select local nurseries.

Page 2: 2019 Native Plants for Birds - WordPress.com...2019 Native Plants for Birds Creating Habitat for Wildlife The Native Plants for Birds project purposely selects 12 bird-friendly plants

Native Plants for Birds - The 2019 Birdy Dozen Switchgrass Panicum virgatum Warm season grass that grows in clumps. Height: 3-6' Blooms: Jul-Aug Light: Full to part sun Soil: Dry-Wet Value: S, C, NS

Prairie Dropseed Sporobolus heterolepsis Slow growing, clump forming, fine textured grass. Good for borders. Height: 1-2' Blooms: Jun-Aug Light: Sun Soil: Dry Value: S, C, NS

Wild Columbine Aquilegia canadensis Showy flower - nectar for hummingbirds. Spreads by seeds. Height: 0.5-3' Blooms: Apr-Jul Light: Sun-Part sun Soil: Dry-Moist Value: N, S

Woodland Sunflower Helianthus divericatus Dry open woods; gives color to shady understory. Height: 1-6.5 Blooms: Jul-Sept Light: Part Sun Soil: Dry-Moist Value: S, C, CP

Rough Goldenrod Solidago rugosa Forms clumps, likes well drained soil. Height: 2-6' Blooms: Aug-Nov Light: Sun-Part Sun Soil: Moist-Wet Value: S, C, CP

New York Ironweed Vernonia noveboracensis Brilliant flowers, tall upright form. Spreads. Height: 3.5-8 Blooms: Aug-Oct Light: Sun-Part Sun Soil: Moist-Wet Value: S, CP, C

Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia High climbing or trailing vine. Fruit has high wildlife value. Can be used as ground cover. Spread: 3-35' Blooms: Jun-Aug Light: Sun-Part Shade-Shade Soil: Dry-Moist-Wet Value: C, F, CP

American Chokecherry Prunus virginiana Fast growing. Important summer wildlife food. Height: 20-30 Spread: 20-35 Blooms: May-Jun Light: Sun-Part Sun Soil: Moist Value: C, F, CP, NS

Pussy Willow Salix discolor Fast growing, can be cut back. Important spring food source. Height: 12-20 Blooms: Mar Light: Sun Soil: Wet Value: C, F, CP, NS

Spicebush Lindera benzoin Fast growing, drought, cold and heat resistant shrub. Aromatic Height: 6-16 Blooms: Mar-May Light: Part Sun-Shade Soil: Moist-Wet Value: C, F, CP, NS

Eastern Red Cedar Juniperus virginiana Evergreen. Berries eaten by over 50 species of birds. Height: 50-75' Spread: 35-50' Bloom: Mar-Apr Light: Sun-Part Sun Soil: Dry-Moist Value: S, C, F, CP, NS

Downy Serviceberry Amelanchier arborea Used by 35 species of birds. Important early summer food. Height: 15-25' Bloom: Mar-May Light: Sun-Shade Soil: Dry-Moist Value: F, CP, C, NS

The Native Plant Shopping Guide at www.hgcny.org lists local growers who have agreed to supply these plants. Please support these growers. Each May we host a Spring Native Plant Sale. Please visit our websites (hgcny.org and OnondagaAudubon.org) for more information.

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