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