Native Nut and Fruit-Bearing Plants for Birds and Mammals

Planting fruit- and nut-bearing shrubs in your yard is one of the most effective ways to create a haven for birds and mammals. These native shrubs provide essential food sources, including berries, seeds, and nuts, that support wildlife throughout the year, especially during migration and winter months when resources are scarce. In addition to their nutritional benefits, these shrubs offer shelter, nesting sites, and protection from predators, making them invaluable for fostering biodiversity. By incorporating these species into your landscape, you not only enhance its beauty but also create a thriving ecosystem right in your backyard.

American Hazelnut (Corylus americana): Offers nuts for woodpeckers, jays, and squirrels, while its dense foliage provides cover for nesting birds.

Beaked Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta): Produces small nuts eaten by grouse, turkeys, and blue jays; excellent for woodland bird habitats.

Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago): Provides berries in late fall that feed robins, cedar waxwings, and other fruit-loving birds.

Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum trilobum): Red berries persist into winter, offering vital cold-season food for cardinals and waxwings.

Maple-Leaved Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium): Berries attract migrating birds like thrushes and vireos, while its thickets provide nesting sites.

Wild Raisin (Viburnum nudum): Its dark berries are a favorite of songbirds, including thrushes and grosbeaks.

Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum): Blue-black berries feed wood thrushes, catbirds, and other birds in late summer and fall.

Black Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis): Clusters of small berries are devoured by robins, mockingbirds, and other songbirds.

Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa): Bright red berries are popular with grosbeaks, thrushes, and woodpeckers.

Serviceberries (Amelanchier spp.): Early summer fruits are loved by orioles, bluebirds, and cedar waxwings.

Dogwoods (Cornus spp.): White or blue berries nourish warblers, woodpeckers, and cardinals, and their branches offer shelter.

Wild Red Raspberry (Rubus idaeus var. strigosus): Raspberries attract thrushes, towhees, and catbirds, while the thickets provide nesting cover.

Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis): Black raspberries feed robins and waxwings and are ideal for supporting ground-nesting birds.

Purple-Flowering Raspberry (Rubus odoratus): Provides edible fruit for birds and dense foliage for nesting.

Alleghany Blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis): Berries are a summer treat for thrushes, sparrows, and cedar waxwings.

Black Currant (Ribes nigrum): Produces berries relished by finches and sparrows.

Yellow Currant (Ribes aureum): Golden berries support a variety of berry-eating birds like thrashers and waxwings.

Red Currant (Ribes rubrum): Bright red berries attract robins, thrushes, and other songbirds.

Wild Smooth Rose (Rosa blanda): Rose hips offer winter food for waxwings and finches, while the thorny stems protect nests.

Pasture Rose (Rosa carolina): Produces hips consumed by birds during fall and winter and provides cover.

Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris): Supports wetland birds with its nutritious hips and thicket-like growth.

Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa): Berries are eaten by robins, bluebirds, and other fall migratory birds.

Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana): Fruits are essential food for orioles, tanagers, and grosbeaks in late summer.

Canada Plum (Prunus nigra): Plums feed birds like grosbeaks and orioles, while the tree offers excellent shelter.

American Plum (Prunus americana): Its fruit attracts a variety of songbirds, including mockingbirds and jays.

Learn more about these species under our Native Plant Inventory Page. Contact us to confirm availability and size of stock for desired species.