ANISE HYSSOP 

(Agastache foeniculum)

Height: 2-4 ft

Light needs: Full sun/partial sun (grows thicker in full sun)

Moisture needs: Prefers well-drained soil

Bloom time: June until frost

This is a wonderful native perennial in the mint family, whose tubular flowers open in intervals, attracting bees, hummingbirds, butterflies and other insects with their abundant nectar. The flowers can bloom in a wide range of colors, from white to purple. The plants spread by rhizomes and can also self-seed in optimum conditions. Deer tend to avoid browsing on Anise Hyssop due to the licorice-like fragrance of the leaves.

CUTLEAF CONEFLOWER

(Rudbeckia laciniata)

Height: 3-10 ft; Space 2-4 ft

Light needs: Partial sun to shade (can tolerate full sun in wet soil)

Moisture needs: Average to moist soil 

Bloom time: July - October

This shade-tolerant, vigorous plant with bright yellow flowers is in the Aster family. It is beneficial to native bees, butterflies and birds, which enjoy the nectar and seeds that are offered. Often grown in rain gardens, due to its strong stems which withstand heavy rain and wind, this flower also offers the benefits of erosion control. Cutleaf Coneflower, also called Green-headed Coneflower, is best used in a large space at the back of the garden, where its towering stems can form a lovely backdrop. Rarely bothered by pests, disease or deer.

EASTERN GRAY GOLDENROD

(Solidago nemoralis)

Height: 18-36”, Space: 8-12”

Light needs: prefers full sun but will tolerate light shade

Moisture needs: Thrives in dry sand, clay, or gravel soils

Bloom time: August - October

This iconic flower of ‘back to school’ time is a member of the Aster family. It grows in difficult spots where little else thrives and is less aggressive than some other types of goldenrod. The yellow flowers are borne in a branched, nodding cluster up to 7” long. Eastern Gray goldenrod is very attractive to late pollinators such as butterflies and native bees. Deer-resistant, it also attracts predatory insects, which help control insect pests.

COMMON GOLDEN-ALEXANDERS

(Zizia aurea)

Height: 1-3 ft; Space: 18-24”

Light needs: Full sun/partial sun

Moisture needs: Average to wet soil (tolerates drought once established)

Bloom time: Flat-topped clusters of tiny yellow flowers bloom from early April into summer. 

Can rebloom lightly later in the season. This native perennial flower in the Carrot family is very easy to grow, often spreading by seed under ideal conditions. It is excellent for pollinator beds and is the host plant for Black Swallowtail butterflies. It also attracts native flies, bees, wasps, and butterflies, such as Azure butterflies, with its nectar. The leaves are semi-evergreen, and the plant tolerates black walnut compounds (juglone) and heavy clay soil. Plants may be browsed by deer but easily recover.

LITTLE BLUESTEM

(Schizachyrium scoparium)

Height: 24-30”; 12-18” wide

Light: Full sun

Moisture needs: Dry, average soil with good drainage (will tolerate a variety of soil types such as sandy, loamy or clay)

Bloom time: July to October

This native in the Grass family can grow on both acidic and alkaline soils and is established quickly on disturbed sites. It is an excellent choice for erosion control due to its dense, fibrous roots, which can grow several feet deep. Little Bluestem is a bunchgrass that attracts birds and butterflies and is the larval host to at least eight kinds of Skippers and the Common Wood Nymph. Fireflies find this a welcome place to lay their eggs and for their larvae to thrive, and adults rest on its long blades to watch for a mate. This plant is deer resistant and offers not only striking foliage in summer but also has autumn and winter interest due to the persistence of their tiny, white seed tufts.

WILD BERGAMOT

(Monarda fistulosa)

Height: 2-5 ft, Space: 18-24”

Light: Full sun or part shade (more resistant to powdery mildew when grown in sun)

Moisture needs: Thrives on moist, fertile soil. Also tolerant of a wide range of soil types. 

Bloom time: Mid-spring to October, dependent on conditions and care

This lovely perennial from the Mint family is widely known as Bee Balm. It may be found in various colors, such as white, pink, red, and purple. Bee balm is a favorite of hummingbirds, specialist bees, bumblebees, predatory moths, and hawk moths. Its nectar greatly attracts butterflies. This aromatic plant’s leaves create a shady microhabitat to which firefly larvae are partial. Given favorable conditions, it will spread aggressively by seeds and rhizomes but is easily divided. Much documentation can be found describing this plant’s culinary and medicinal historical uses.

GRAY DOGWOOD

(Swida racemosa)

Height: 4-15 ft; Space 3-8 ft 

Light: Full sun to partial shade

Moisture needs: Prefers moist soil but tolerates a wide variety of conditions

Bloom time: May - July

Gray Dogwood, a member of the Cornaceae family, is a thicket-forming native shrub (or small tree). It has much to offer, with white spring flowers for pollinators followed by white fruits on showy red stems. Spring flowers, summer fruit, and fall foliage bring much color and interest to the landscape. The thickets of branches offer shelter for nesting birds and good thermal cover for various types of wildlife. This plant can be naturalized in a woodland setting by suckering and spreading. It can also be propagated by live staking.

NORTHERN WITCH-HAZEL

(Hamamelis virginiana)

Height: 10-15 ft; Width: 15-20 ft (usually grows as a small tree or large shrub)

Light: Grows best in semi-shade

Moisture needs: Prefers rich, moist soil

Bloom time: Yellow, ribbon-like, fragrant flowers in late fall 

Northern Witch-Hazel, the most well-known member of the Witch-Hazel family, has a history of unique properties ranging from medicinal uses to the supposed ability to find water underground. Its yellow flowers and showy golden leaves are a delight to find in fall when little else is in bloom. They are pollinated by moths, gnats and late-season bees. The nut-like fruits are eaten by Ruffed Grouse, Northern Bobwhite and Wild Turkeys.

RED CHOKEBERRY

(Aronia arbutifolia)

Height: 5-8+ ft; Width: 4-8 ft

Light: Part to Full Sun

Moisture needs: Moist, well-drained or wet soil. Tolerates alkaline soil and occasional flooding

Bloom time: Late May to early June

This multi-stemmed, thicket-forming shrub is a member of the Rose family. It offers delicate white flowers in spring that draw in butterflies (including Hairstreaks) and various bees. The flowers are followed in fall by bright red berry fruits eaten by birds and other wildlife in mid to late winter. The berries can be used for jam or jelly. The deep red foliage in autumn is a highlight in the landscape. These bushes also provide benefits such as soil stabilization and erosion control. Young plants may need protection from deer browse.

EASTERN WHITE PINE

(Pinus strobus)

Height: up to 150 ft at maturity; Width: 40 ft

Light: Full sun, partial sun

Moisture needs: Moist, well-drained, acidic soil

White pines are the largest native conifer in eastern North America, with a lifespan approaching 200 years. They have long, soft, bluish-green needles in bundles of 5. They are relatively fast growers after their first few years. Although unsuitable for a small yard, Eastern White Pines make excellent wind-breaks and shade trees. White pine forests support a wide community of breeding birds. Songbirds such as nuthatches, chickadees, grosbeaks, blue jays, juncos, woodpeckers, and brown thrashers enjoy eating the seeds, as do small mammals and deer. Young trees must be fenced for protection from deer browse. 

SCARLET OAK

(Quercus coccinea)

Height: 40-75 ft at maturity; Width: 40-50 ft

Light: Full sun

Moisture needs: Prefers dry, sandy, acidic, well-drained soil

Scarlet Oak is a member of the Beech family, native to the Eastern U.S. It makes a lovely shade tree with an oval, pyramidal shape and beautiful scarlet-colored leaves in Autumn. Providing good shelter for nesting birds, this oak is a host plant for many caterpillar species and many species of butterflies, including the Red Admiral. Mammals may also nest in cavities of older specimens. The ½ - 1” acorns take two growing seasons to mature and are enjoyed by blue jays, wild turkeys, woodpeckers, and nuthatches. Since their long taproots make these trees challenging to transplant, choose a permanent spot wisely. 

SUGAR MAPLE

(Acer saccharum)

Height: May reach 50-120 ft; Width: 30-60 ft

Light: Full sun, part shade

Moisture needs: Moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Avoid compacted soil and exposure to road salt. 

This beloved native tree grows into a heavy shade tree with a dense, spreading crown. Sugar maples can reduce stormwater runoff, helping to eliminate erosion and pollution in nearby streams and rivers. Their leaves decompose to enrich forest soils. Many species of songbirds, woodpeckers, and cavity-nesting birds may find shelter, food, and cover in their branches.  Maples offer food to a wide variety of insects. Nesting birds can find many caterpillars among the branches to feed their young. The larvae of the Imperial Moth feed on the maple foliage. Red Admiral and Comma butterflies may eat excessive sap, which they find dripping from the tree. Mature trees can be tapped for their sap to create maple syrup, and everyone can enjoy the colorful, dramatic fall foliage. 

1. Plant: Create your bird-friendly habitat using the four elements of food, water, shelter, and nesting sites. Not sure what that looks like? Check out our guide, 4 Tips for a Bird-Friendly Habitat or start with our sample garden plans.

2. Register: Tell us about the Bird-Friendly Habitat at your home by completing the application (online or by mail). Enrollment requires a one-time $25 donation that provides a yard sign for you and sustaining support for the program.

3. Showcase: Shine a light on your efforts by posting your Bird-Friendly Habitat yard sign. It can spark neighborhood conversations that result in more people adding more healthy habitat.

4. Inspire: Share your story and spark action in others. Tag us on social media (@AudubonPA), join our Facebook Group (coming soon), or send us your story by email. A picture says a thousand words so be sure to include a few to share.