Attracting Birds & Butterflies

Attract native pollinators to your garden with these flowering plants…

Not only are they an enjoyment to watch but birds and butterflies play a very important role in pollination, distributing seeds and helping to control unwanted insect pests.   To begin attracting them to your yard and garden, you must provide sources of food, shelter and water.   Food can be provided in the form of nectar, seeds, nuts and berries.  When selecting plants, choose varieties with a long bloom time. Shelter can be given with various large trees or evergreen trees plus additional bird houses.  Water elements siuch as ponds, fountains and bird baths can create that necessary drinking source. 

ATTRACTING BIRDS

Trees

Acer rubrumRed Sunset Maple
Acer saccharium, Silver Maple
Acer saccharumSugar Maple
AmelanchierServiceberry
Betula nigra, Birch
Cornus, Dogwood
CrataegusHawthorn
Liquidambar styracifluaSweet Gum
Liriodendron tulipferaTulip Tree
Malus, Crabapple
NyssaBlack Gum, Sour Gum
Picea glauca, White Spruce
Picea pungens, Blue Spruce
Pinus strobus, Eastern White Pine
Quercus palustrisPin Oak
Quercus rubraRed Oak
Tsuga canadensis, Canadian Hemlock

Shrubs

Buddleia, Butterfly Bush
Cotoneaster, Cotoneaster
Ilex glabraInkberry
Lindera benzoinSpicebush
Myrica pensylvanicaNorthern Bayberry
Salix discolorPussy Willow

Perennials

Heuchera, Coral Bells
BuddleiaButterfly Bush
Lonicera, Honeysuckle
MonardaBee Balm
CoreopsisTickseed
Echinacea, Coneflower
OriganumOrnamental Oregano
ScabiosaPincushion Flower

Vines

Campsis radicans, Trumpet Vine
Lonicera, Honeysuckle

ATTRACTING BUTTERFLIES

Perennials

Asclepias family, Milkweed
Coreopsis
Tickseed
BuddleiaButterfly Bush
EchinaceaConeflower
Echinops ritro, Globe Thistle
Lavandula, Lavender
Leucanthemum, Shasta Daisy
Liatris, Gay Feather
Lupinus, Lupines
Monarda, Bee Balm
Origanum
, Ornamental Oregano
Phlox paniculata, Garden Phlox
Salvia, Meadow Sage
ScabiosaPincushion Flower
Sedum

Shrubs

AroniaChokeberry
Blueberry
CephalanthusButton Bush
Ilex, Holly, Inkberry
SambucusAmerican Elderberry
Viburnum, Viburnum

Herbs

Dill
Fennel
Lavender
Lovage
Marjoram
Parsley
Rue

Annuals & Bulbs

Alyssum
Cosmos
Cleome
Zinnia
Lantana

ATTRACTING HUMMINGBIRDS

Perennials

Aquilegia, Columbine
Asclepias tuberosa, Butterfly Weed
BuddleiaButterfly Bush
Crocosmia , Montbretia
Delphinium, Larkspur
Digitalis, Foxglove
Kniphofia, Red Hot Poker
Lobelia cardinalis, Cardinal Flower
Lupinus, Lupines
Monarda didyma, Bee Balm
Mimulus hybridus, Monkeyflower
Penstemon, Beardtongue
Salvia officinalis, Sage
Veronica, Speedwell

Annuals & Bulbs

Cuphea ‘Vermillionaire’ – Top Hummingbird Plant!
Cosmos
Tuberous begonia
Lantana
Canna
Gladiolus
Fuchsia
Iris
Dahlia
Impatiens
Four-o-clocks
Nicotiana
Nasturtium
Petunia
Cleome
Zinnia
Fuschia
Verbena

Vines

Bougainvillea
Campsis grandiflora, Trumpet Creeper
Ipomea, Cardinal Climber
Lonicera, Honeysuckle

Trees and Shrubs

Abelia grandiflora, Glossy Abelia
Azalea, Azalea
ChaenomelesFlowering Quince
CotoneasterCotoneaster
Hibiscus syriacusRose of Sharon
Ribes odoratum, Flowering Currant
SyringaLilac
Weigela floridaWeigela