Birds and Butterflies
For many people the major goal of a landscape is to attract birds and butterflies. Fortunately, birdscaping, as it's often called, is not difficult. Creating an inviting sanctuary is a matter of providing for the basic needs of not only food and water, but also places for nesting, for shelter from the elements, and for protection from enemies--places to hide from cats, hawks and other predators.
The homepage, Planting for Wildlife, gives suggestions that apply to birds and butterflies as well as other forms of wildlife. This section, then, will list favored plants--especially for the area in which the nursery is located. Often these are appropriate elsewhere as well, or similar plants adapted to a different region can serve the same purpose. A good place to start is with Native Plants, plants that have evolved with the birds and butterflies and are adapted to the area. Think too, about the varying needs of butterfly larvae and adult butterflies. Nectar feeders, including hummingbirds and orioles as well as butterflies,like tubular blossoms. Birds with heavy bills like crossbills or jays crack large seeds or nuts. Sparrows, finches, warblers, eat fine seeds, fruits, and insects. Some birds are ground feeders, some probe bark, others catch their food in flight. Meeting these diverse styles of feeding will also provide for much of the other requirements of shelter, protection and nesting sites. Because most of these plants serve more than one purpose, only particular attributes are mentioned. Descriptions can be found in the Catalog. Abies sp. - Firs--Seeds, Butterfly foodAcer sp. - Maples--
Adult ButterfliesAesculus sp. - Horsechestnut---Butterfly larvaeAlnus sp. - Alders--Seed conesArbutus sp. - Madronne, Strawberry Tree--BerriesARctostaphylos sp. - Bearberry, Manzanita--Berries, NectarAronia sp. - Chokeberry--BerriesBetula sp. - Birch--Butterfly larvae, Seed sourceCalluna, Erica, Daboecia - Heathers--NectarCalocedrus decurrens - Incense Cedar--Seeds, Adult ButterfliesCeanothus sp. - Wild Lilac--NectarChoisya ternata - Mexican Orange--Adult ButterfliesClethra sp. - Summersweet--Nectar Cornus kousa chinensis - Chinese Dogwood--Fruits, NectarCornus stolonifera - Redtwig--Berries, NectarChrysothamnus sp. - Rabbitbrush--Seeds, NectarCotoneaster sp. - Cotoneaster--Berries, NectarGaultheria shallon - Salal--Berries, NectarHolodiscus discolor - Ocean Spray--Seeds, NectarLonicera involucrata - Twinberry--Berries, NectarMalus fusca (Pyrus fusca) - Pacific Crabapple--Fruits, NectarMahonia sp. - Oregon Grape--Berries, NectarMyrica californica - Wax Myrtle--BerriesOemleria cerasiformis - Osoberry--Fruits, NectarPhiladelphus lewisii - Mock Orange--Seeds, NectarPhysocarpus capitatus--SeedsPicea sp. - Spruce--SeedsPinus sp. - Pines--Seeds, Adult ButterfliesPopulus trichocarpa- Black Cottowood--Seeds, Adult ButterfliesPopulus tremuloides - Quaking Aspen--Food for ButterfliesPrunus emarginata - Bitter Cherry--Ruits, NectarPrunus virginiana - Chokecherry - Fruits, NectarSeeds, Adult ButterfliesPseudotsuga menziesii - Douglas Fir--Seeds, Adult ButterfliesQuercus sp. - Oaks--Nuts, NectarRhododendron sp. - Rhododendron--NectarRhus sp. - Sumac--FruitsRibes sp. - Wild Currants--Fruits, NectarRosa sp. - Wildroses--Hips, NectarRubus sp. - Thinbleberry, Salmonberry--Fruits, NectarSalix sp. - Willows--NectarSambucus sp. - Elderberry--Berries, Nectar,/li>Sorbus sp. - Mountain Ash--Berries, NectarSpirea sp. - Wild Spireas--NectarSymphorocarpus alba - Snowberry--Fruits, NectarThuja plicata - Western Red-Cedar--Seeds. Adult ButterfliesTilia sp. - Linden--Seeds, NectarTsuga sp. - Hemlock--SeedsVaccinium sp. - Huckleberry--Fruits, Nectar
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