Native Plants
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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
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.
rate this answer
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:
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:
More Wildlife Gardens Questions
Monardas in section Cheilyctis not visited by hummingbirds.
February 03, 2011 - This is a correction. In your plant database, Monarda punctata is said to attract hummingbirds, but all peer reviewed research suggests it, and other members of Monarda in section Cheily...
view the full question and answer
Native Bird Feeding in Belton, TX
July 04, 2011 - We recently bought a bird feeder and a huge bucket of non-native bird seed (I'm not sure if the whole seed mix is non-native, but I believe most of the mix is). The birds go through the whole bird fe...
view the full question and answer
Fertilizing oaks to produce more acorns
March 04, 2009 - What type of fertilizer would I use on oak trees to possibly increase growth and acorn production ? I have some flooded oak timber that is home to migrating ducks but there is little for them to eat.
view the full question and answer
Bee Plants for Victoria Texas
March 09, 2013 - I live in Victoria south Texas and want to plant bee beneficial native wildflowers, could you provide advice or contact
view the full question and answer
Looking for grasses for slope around retention pond in Florida
August 02, 2011 - I live in St. Petersburg, FL on a large retention pond. Most of my neighbors on the pond have seawalls. I do not nor do my neighbors to my left and right. I am interested in colorful grasses to put...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |