[va-bird] Re: Shrubs for Birds
- From: canyon.eagle@xxxxxxxxxxx
- To: va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 03 Feb 2004 11:05:04 -0500
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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