FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Re: Shrubs for Birds

[canyon.eagle@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Hello VAbirders,

Dave and those interested....

FWIW, a few comments and additions to Craig's excellent list.....


>Winterberry holly, Ilex verticillata
>
>Blackhaw and possumhaw viburnums, V. prunifolium and V. nudum,

These did very well in my garden, provided good cover and good fruit, and 
are among my favorite shrubs.

>Inkberry holly, Ilex glabra, is easy to find in its many horticultural
>cultivars. It is a small to moderate sized evergreen that remains
>densely branched if given good sun light. Female plants may bear the
>black berries that some birds will eat; most available cultivars seem to
>be male.

Agree.  Good light is important, mine were too shaded and struggled.
////////////////////////////////

I have also had good luck with Black Chokeberry, Aronia melanocarpa (? 
pretty sure on that botanical name, but has been awhile since I 
checked).  Good grower, good cover, good berries.

BTW, smallish evergreen native shrubs have been tough to come by, so 
instead, I grow vines through my shrubs.  Native vines that are evergreen 
or relatively evergreen that I use are Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera 
sempervirens) and Carolina Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens.)  I also grow 
both native and non-native Clematis through my shrubs.  Even though they 
are deciduous they make a fine tangle for the birds to hunker down in 
during the colder months.  The shrubs don't seem to suffer from the vines.

Note, I haven't had any problems with non-native Clematis being 
invasive.  However, I have had a problem with a native Clematis, Clematis 
virginiana.  It needs a lot of room to grow.  It took over my shrubs and 
then threatened to swallow my Redbud tree, so I removed it.  The same is 
true for Trumpet Vine, Campsis radicans.  It is native, but needs a LOT of 
room, so is not suitable for a small garden.  It is capable of swallowing 
your house if you let it.

Here are links to both the Va. Native Plant Society's and the Md. Native 
Plant Society's webpages.  They list names of sources for native 
plants.  I've had minimal success in obtaining native shrubs from the local 
"mainstream" nurseries in my area.  Native plant society plant sales are a 
good source of plants, as are mail order nursuries.  However, mail order is 
limited to smaller size plants.  If you want larger size plants, you might 
visit some of the mail order places when traveling through their 
areas.  Many of them have larger-sized plants for sale on site.

http://www.vnps.org/references.htm

http://www.mdflora.org/

Hope this helps.

BTW, I still have a Button Bush available that I propagated in Spring, 
'02.  Free to a good home, come the warm weather.

Lori Markoff
Vienna
Fairfax County
canyon.eagle@xxxxxxxxxxx


> >>> Dave Hewitt <dhewitt@xxxxxxxx> 02/02/04 05:55PM >>>
>I realize this may be a bit off subject for this list, but quick
>searching on the web resulted in more information/confusion than answers.
>
>I am looking for recommendations on 1-3 types of small native
>shrubs/bushes to plant in a backyard designed around a number of bird 
>feeders. The primary goal is to provide cover for smaller birds like 
>sparrows, juncos, cardinals, etc. Anyone with a green thumb have any good 
>ideas?
>
>Dave Hewitt
>Williamsburg, James City County, VA
>
>---------------------------------------------
>Dave Hewitt
>Fisheries Science/Crustacean Ecology
>Virginia Institute of Marine Science
>College of William and Mary
>P.O. Box 1346
>Gloucester Point, VA  23062
>804.684.7643
>dhewitt@xxxxxxxx


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