Tuesday, September 15, 2015

South Florida Plants to Attract Birds

Hi friends!  Returned from a way too long hiatus...soooo nice to be back!
Now let's get dirty peeps!
Thought it would be great time to get some beautiful plants in the ground that will attract birds to your garden.  Fall is just about here and the northern birds that winter here in South Florida are starting to fly into town.  Now is a perfect time to get your garden spruced up for the out of town visitors.

Birds are easy to keep happy...water, food and shelter.
Water is easy...any type of bird bath will do.  Just make sure the water gets changed out frequently.  Also, the use of mosquito dunks and/or water wigglers is a great way to keep those critters from laying eggs.

Food is a bit more detailed...berries, fruit, flowers, nectar, seeds and/or bugs are usually the main sources.  The best resources for birds is always the most natural but you can always supplement with bird feeders.  Sidebar: buy the best quality seed you can afford, there really is a difference.

Shelter is of course really complicated since birds are all over the map as to what type of nests they build and where.  Many people add bird houses to their garden though my experience is they usually end up building their own.
If you plant the trees the birds will come.

Here is a small list of trees and shrubs that I find are a good starting point for many South Floridian gardens.


Beautyberry (callicarpa americana) - bulbul, mockingbird, cardinal, catbird & brown thrasher
Blue porterweed (stachytarpheta fruiticosa) - cardinal & sparrows
Citrus - orioles, hummingbird, catbird, warblers, mockingbird, brown thrasher, cedar waxwing, finches & grosbeaks
Cocoplum (chrysobalanus icaco) - the fruit eating birds, catbird & mockingbird
Common hibiscus (hibiscus rosa sinensis) - hummingbird, spot-breasted oriole, painted bunting & northern oriole
Cordia (cordia globosa) - mockingbird & cardinal
Dahoon holly (ilex cassine) - mockingbird, cardinal & cedar waxwing
Elderberry (sambucus canadensis) - fruit eating birds
Fiddlewood (citharexylum fruticosum) - mockingbird, catbird & cardinal
Firebush (hamelia patens) - hummingbird, oriole, mockingbird, warblers, cardinal & other fruit eating birds
Firethorn (pyracantha coccinea) - mockingbird, cardinal, blue jay, catbird, cedar waxwing & woodpecker
Jamaican caper (capparis cynophallophora) - fruit eating birds, cardinal, doves, mockingbird, oriole & blue jay.
Live oak (quercus virginiana) - woodpeckers, vireos, warblers, blue jays, grackles & owls.
Loquat (eriobotrya japonica) - bulbul, mockingbird, cardinal & woodpecker
Marlberry (ardisia escallonioides) - mockingbird, catbird & cardinal
Mulberry (morus rubra) - the fruit eating birds
Necklace pod (sophora tomentosa) - hummingbird & warblers
Orange jasmine (murraya paniculata) - mockingbird, catbird & cardinal
Pigeon plum (coccoloba diversifolia) - mockingbird, catbird, robin & woodpecker
Powderpuff (calliandra haemetocephala) - hummingbird
Red & purple firespike (odontonema strictum) - hummingbird & oriole
Sabal palm (sabal palmetto) - red-winged blackbird, mockingbird, grackle, blue jay & robin
Scarlet milkweed (asclepias curassavica) - hummingbird, mockingbird & catbird
Sea grape (coccoloba uvifera) - mockingbird, catbird, blue jay & woodpecker
Shrimp plant (beloperone guttata) - bulbul, hummingbird, spot-breasted oriole & buntings
Simpson stopper (myrcianthes frangrans) - mockingbird, catbird & cardinal
Slash pine (pinus elliotti var. densa) - doves, blue jay, warblers, owls & woodpeckers
Southern sumac (rhus copailina) - mockingbird, catbird, cardinal & sparrows
Tetrazygia/West Indian lilac (tetrazygia bicolor) - mockingbird, blue jay & cardinal
Turk's cap (malvaviscus arboreus) - hummingbird & painted bunting
Virginia creeper vine (parthenocissus quinquefolia) - catbird, flicker, great-crested flycatcher, mockingbird, robin, brown thrasher & warblers
Waxmyrtle (myrica cerifera) - cardinal, catbird, vireo & warblers
Wild coffee (psychotria spp) - cardinal, blue jay & catbird
Wild grape vine (vitis spp) - fruit eating birds
Wild tamarind (lysiloma latisiliqua) - warblers, gnat catchers & flycatchers
Willow bustic (sideroxylon salicifolium) - fruit eating birds, cardinal, mockingbird, blue jay & warblers

I'm sure to have missed a few good ones so I will be sure to add them as come in.
Ok, now that you have your list...get out there and start planting some wonderful species for our winged friends to enjoy (butterflies too)!

Happy Gardening & Many Best Wishes,
Sheri
xoxo

1 comment:

  1. Good to see you back. Thanks for that great list of bird attracting trees/shrubs for our gardens here in FL.

    FlowerLady

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