Plant seeds and fruit provide a source of food for many species of birds; consequently, by planting the appropriate flowers, bushes, vines and trees in your yard you increase your chances of attracting birds to your yard.
A list of desirable plants that will attract wildlife to your yard is given below. It is desirable to plant native species as they are more likely to do well in this climate and foreign species are not introduced into the environment to compete with native species.
The value of the recommended flowers, other than the nectar producers for hummingbirds, are the seeds that are utilized by the finches. The trees, shrubs and vines provide either seeds or fruits.
| Hummingbirds | Other Birds | |
| Flowers | All Red Tubular Flowers Cardinal Flower Butter & Eggs Queen Anne’s Lace Beebalm Columbine Hibiscus Larkspur Penstemon Red Honeysuckle Gaillardia |
Annuals Bachelor Button (Centauria cynus) Cosmos (Cosmos sp.) Portulaca (esp. P. grandiflora) Cockscomb (Celosia plumose) Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) Verbena (Verbena hybrids) Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) MarigoldPerennialsAsters ( all species) Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia, sp.) Coreopsis (Coreopsis, all species) Globe thistle (Echinops, all species) Grasses (Cortedaria, Miscanthus) Heliopsis (all species) Pinks (Dianthus, all species) Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) Scabiosa (Scabiosa caucasica) Stonecrop (Sedum spectabile) Sunflower (Helianthus, all species) |
| Shrubs | Red Buckeye | Blackberry and raspberry Blueberry (Vaccinium, all species) Boxwood (Buxus, all species) Carolina Buckthorn (Rhamnus caroliniana) Gooseberry (Ribes, all species) Elderberry (Sambucus, all species) Firethorn (Pyracantha, all species) Holly (American, Deciduous, Yupon) Rose (Rosa, esp. old fashioned) Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) Spice bush (Lindera benzoin) Viburnum Arrow-wood – V. dentatum Swamp Haw – V. nudum Black Haw – V. prunifolium |
| Trees | MimosaBlack Locust | Pawpaw Sassafras Tulip Popular Sweet Gum Black Cherry Dogwood (Cornus, all species) Red Mulberry Black Gum Box Elder |
| Vines | Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans) Cypress Vine (Ipomoea quamoclit) |
Pepper Vine (Ampelopsis arborea) Grape (Vitis, all species) Rattan Vine ( Berchemia scandens) |