Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2000 18:30:19 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Peter Osenton Subject: Re: A question about bird friendly native plants MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Chris, and others, Jim has some good suggestions of natives to plant. I wanted to add a few others that birds like to feed on as well. SHRUBS: Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum) - - white flowers & dark blue/black fruits. Bayberry (Myrica sp.) - - relished by Yellow-rumped Warblers. Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) - - bright red fruits in early fall. Plant generally needs damp/wet site. Also serves as the larval food plant for the Spicebush Swallowtail. TREES: Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) - - Upland site. White flowers in May, fruits usually in mid summer. Also serves as the larval food plant for the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail & Red-spotted Purple. Blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica) - - Prefers a damp site. Blue fruits in late summer/early fall & striking scarlet leaves when leaves turn color. Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) - - Upland dry site. Yellowish flowers in spring, bluish fruits in early fall and colorful crimson leaves when turns in the fall. Also is used by the Spicebush Swallowtail as a larval food plant. Also, if you have any "edge" along a hedgerow or woods adjoining your property, leave the Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), Bullbrier (Smilax glauca & other species) and Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron[Rhus] radicans). These are all very good foods for birds, especially the creeper and poison ivy. Peter C. Osenton, Wildlife Biologist USGS,Biological Resources Division Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Laurel, MD 20708 USA Jim Stasz To: MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM Sent by: Maryland cc: Birds & Birding Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] A question about 02/25/2000 04:01 PM Please respond to Maryland Birds & Birding Hi Folks! A couple recommendations: Shadbush a.k.a. Serviceberry [ genus Amelanchier]. Shrub to small tree usually with white flowers in spring and berries in late Summer. There are several native species. American Holly: Ilex opaca. Only female trees produce berries and they are insect pollinated, so a male tree has to be nearby. Jim Stasz North Beach MD jlstasz@aol.com ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================