Birds bring life, color, and song to any garden, and the plants you choose can play a big part in welcoming them. From seed-packed flowers to berry-rich shrubs, many beautiful plants also serve as vital food sources for birds. Whether you're aiming to attract hummingbirds, songbirds, or seed-loving species, this list highlights standout choices that do more than just look good. Here are 25 plants that offer habitat, nourishment, and long-lasting visual appeal while supporting your local ecosystem.
1. Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Purple coneflowers are native wildflowers known for their bold purple petals and raised cone centers. These flowers attract goldfinches and other songbirds, especially when seed heads are left standing after blooming. In addition to being bird-friendly, they are drought-tolerant and thrive in full sun. Their upright shape and long-lasting color also make them a beautiful focal point in garden beds. Pollinators like bees and butterflies also benefit from their nectar-rich blooms.
2. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
This cheerful yellow flower with a dark center is a magnet for birds like finches and sparrows. Black-eyed Susans are hardy and easy to grow, making them a favorite in bird-friendly landscapes. The seeds form in the cone center after blooming, providing a natural food source. These plants also resist pests and can bloom from summer into early fall. Their bright color and low maintenance make them perfect for sunny gardens.
3. Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)
Bee balm brings vibrant red, pink, or purple blooms to the garden and is highly attractive to hummingbirds. The tubular flowers are ideal for birds with long beaks. Besides its appeal to birds, bee balm supports bees and butterflies, offering rich nectar. It grows best in moist, well-drained soil and can spread over time to form lively clusters. Its strong scent also helps deter some pests.
4. Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Cardinal flower is prized for its tall spikes of bright red blooms, which draw in hummingbirds like a magnet. These flowers grow well in moist areas and along pond edges or rain gardens. They prefer partial shade but can tolerate sun with enough moisture. The plant's vivid color makes it a standout in late summer gardens. While short-lived, they readily reseed, ensuring future growth.
5. Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)
This native vine produces clusters of red or coral tubular flowers that birds, especially hummingbirds, love. Coral honeysuckle is non-invasive and much safer than its aggressive relatives. It blooms from spring to summer and can produce berries that attract songbirds later in the season. It grows well on trellises, fences, or arbors and thrives in full sun to light shade. Its long blooming period makes it a valuable asset to bird gardens.
6. Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)
Elderberry shrubs offer clusters of small white flowers followed by dark purple berries, which many birds eagerly devour. The berries are especially loved by robins, bluebirds, and cedar waxwings. These shrubs grow quickly and can reach substantial heights, offering both food and shelter. Elderberries thrive in moist, well-drained soil and full sun. Their flowers also attract beneficial pollinators before the berries form.
7. Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)
Serviceberry trees and shrubs produce sweet, edible berries that birds flock to in late spring. The fruit is rich in nutrients and enjoyed by species like thrushes and orioles. These plants also provide beautiful white flowers in spring and vibrant foliage in the fall. They are adaptable to many soil types and grow well in full sun or partial shade. Their multi-season interest makes them a garden favorite.
8. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Sunflowers are well known for their large, sunny blooms and for producing seeds that birds love. Once the flowers fade, seed heads remain full of nutritious seeds for finches, chickadees, and more. These annuals grow quickly and thrive in full sun with well-drained soil. They add height and drama to gardens and are easy to grow from seed. Birds may also use their sturdy stems for perching.
9. Zinnia (Zinnia elegans)
Zinnias are colorful, easy-to-grow annuals that attract both hummingbirds and seed-eating birds. While feeding on nectar, hummingbirds visit the bright flowers often during summer. After flowering, birds enjoy the seeds left in the dried flower heads. Zinnias bloom profusely in sunny spots and come in a wide range of colors. They also support pollinators like butterflies, making them a helpful addition to any garden.
10. Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Columbine is a spring-blooming native wildflower with nodding, red-and-yellow blooms. Its shape is perfect for hummingbirds, which are drawn to the sweet nectar deep within the flowers. These plants do well in part shade and woodland-style gardens. After blooming, they produce seed pods that birds can feed on. Columbine can self-sow, creating new plants in the garden without much work.
11. Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Though best known for helping monarch butterflies, butterfly weed also supports birds in the garden. It produces bright orange blooms that attract hummingbirds for nectar. Once the flowers fade, the plant forms seed pods filled with fluffy seeds birds sometimes use for nesting. It thrives in sunny, dry areas and is drought-tolerant. Its deep taproot helps it survive harsh conditions.
12. Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia uvaria)
This tall perennial stands out with its torch-like spikes of red, orange, and yellow flowers. Red hot poker is a favorite among hummingbirds due to its nectar-rich blooms. It grows best in full sun and well-drained soil. The bold flowers appear in late spring or summer, depending on the variety. Its strong vertical form adds striking texture to bird-friendly borders.
13. Holly (Ilex opaca)
American holly is a native evergreen that produces bright red berries in fall and winter. These berries provide important winter food for many bird species, including cedar waxwings and robins. Its dense branches also offer shelter and nesting spots. Holly prefers full sun to partial shade and moist, acidic soil. Make sure to plant both male and female plants to ensure berry production.
14. Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
Winterberry is a deciduous holly known for its vibrant red berries that persist into winter. Birds like bluebirds and mockingbirds rely on these berries during colder months. The plant loses its leaves in fall, which makes the berries stand out beautifully. It grows well in wet soils and can tolerate partial shade. Like other hollies, both male and female plants are needed for fruiting.
15. Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
Flowering dogwood is a small tree that offers four-season interest and valuable food for birds. In spring, it produces white or pink flowers, followed by red fruits that birds enjoy. The tree also provides shade and nesting sites for many species. It prefers well-drained soil and partial shade. In autumn, its leaves turn red, adding even more beauty to your landscape.
16. Crabapple Tree (Malus spp.)
Crabapple trees are popular for their lovely spring blossoms and persistent fruit. The small apples stay on the tree into winter, giving birds like waxwings and thrushes a steady food source. These trees also support insects that birds feed to their young. They thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. Choose disease-resistant varieties to keep maintenance low.
17. Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum)
Joe-Pye weed is a tall native perennial with soft pink to purple flower clusters. It attracts butterflies and hummingbirds during bloom and seed-eating birds afterward. This plant thrives in moist soil and full sun or partial shade. It adds height and texture to borders and naturalized plantings. Its late-summer flowers are a reliable nectar source.
18. Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
Goldenrod blooms in late summer and fall with bright yellow flowers that attract a wide range of pollinators. Birds visit goldenrod to eat insects and later feed on its seeds. It is often misunderstood as a cause of allergies, but it is not a major allergen. Goldenrod thrives in full sun and dry soil. It’s a key plant for supporting wildlife into fall.
19. Blueberry Bush (Vaccinium spp.)
Blueberries are not just for people, many birds love these sweet fruits too. Thrushes, catbirds, and bluebirds all feed on ripe berries. These shrubs also offer white flowers in spring and bright red foliage in fall. They grow best in acidic, well-drained soil and full sun. Blueberries are a great choice for edible landscaping that benefits wildlife.
20. Blanket Flower (Gaillardia pulchella)
Blanket flower produces daisy-like blooms in red, orange, and yellow shades. Birds like finches enjoy feeding on the seeds after flowering. It blooms all summer and thrives in poor, sandy soil. This tough perennial is drought-tolerant and low maintenance. Its long bloom time makes it valuable for both birds and pollinators.
21. Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum)
Viburnum shrubs provide dense cover, spring flowers, and berries that birds love. Arrowwood viburnum, in particular, offers blue-black fruit that attracts cardinals and other songbirds. These shrubs are adaptable to many soil types and grow well in sun or part shade. They also support beneficial insects and pollinators. Their thick branches offer great nesting sites.
22. Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans)
Trumpet vine is a vigorous climber with large orange to red flowers that are ideal for hummingbirds. It grows quickly and can cover fences, trellises, or arbors. Birds feed on nectar and later nest in the dense growth. While beautiful, it can be aggressive, so plant it where it has room to spread. Prune it regularly to manage its size.
23. Aster (Symphyotrichum spp.)
Asters bloom in late summer and fall, offering nectar when few other flowers are available. Birds like finches eat the seeds after flowering. These perennials do well in full sun and provide splashes of purple, blue, or white. They also support many species of pollinators. Their clumping growth habit adds fullness to garden borders.
24. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Yarrow grows in clusters of tiny flowers that attract pollinators and seed-eating birds. It blooms in summer and prefers full sun and well-drained soil. After flowering, its seed heads provide food for small birds. Yarrow is also known for its fern-like foliage and drought resistance. It spreads easily and can fill bare spots in the garden.
25. Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
Beautyberry is a shrub known for its bright purple berries that cluster tightly along branches. These berries attract many birds in fall, including mockingbirds and robins. The plant has a graceful shape and soft green leaves that turn yellow in autumn. It grows well in full sun or part shade. Beautyberry is also deer-resistant and fairly low maintenance.
A Garden That Gives Back
By choosing plants that nourish birds and beautify your space, you're helping support local wildlife in a meaningful way. Each plant on this list plays a unique role in feeding, sheltering, or attracting birds through the seasons. Whether you're starting small or rethinking your whole yard, even a few of these selections can make a big difference. With the right mix, your garden becomes more than just a pretty view; it becomes part of the ecosystem. Let your outdoor space be a place where both people and birds can thrive.