HABITAT GARDENING FOR BIRDS

I have blogged previously about hummingbirds and now it's time for birds in general. Birds need food and shelter and you just might have the right size garden to provide that for them. So why not! Birds will flock to your garden, build a nest and more importantly eat all of the unwanted critters from your garden.

Below is a list of California native plants to attract these beautiful birds...

Trees

• Acacia farnesiana - Huisache
• Acer macrophyllum - Big-Leaf Maple
• Alnus species - Alder
• Arbutus menziesii - Pacific Madrone
• Cercis orbiculata - Western Redbud
• Fraxinus velutina - Arizona Ash
• Juniperus species - Juniper
• Pinus species - Pine
• Platanus racemosa - California Sycamore (right picture)
• Prunus virginiana - Chokecherry
• Quercus species - Oak
• Sambucus nigra - Mexican elderberry
• Washingtonia filifera - California Fan Palm

Shrubs

• Amorpha fruticosa - Desert Indigo
• Arctostaphylos species - Manzanita
• Artemisia species - Sagebrush
• Baccharis species - Coyote Brush
• Ceanothus species - Wild Lilac
• Cornus species - Dogwood
• Encelia species - Brittle Brush
• Eriogonum species - Buckwheat
• Forestiera pubescens - Desert Olive
• Heteromeles arbutifolia - Toyon
• Mahonia species - Mahonia
• Malosma laurina - Laurel Sumac
• Myrica californica - Wax Myrtle
• Rhamnus species - Coffeeberry
• Rhus species - Sumac
• Ribes species - Gooseberries
• Rosa species - Rose (right picture)
  
• Salvia species - Sage

Wildflowers, Vines and Groundcovers

• Achillea species - Yarrow
• Eschscholzia californica - California Poppy
• Helianthus species - Sunflowers
• Lonicera species - Honeysuckle
• Lupinus species - Lupines
• Parthenocissus vitacea - Thicket Creeper
• Solanum species - Blue Witches
• Symphoricarpos species - Snowberries
• Vitis species - Wild Grape (right picture)

Cacti and Succulents

• Agave species - Agave (right picture)
  
• Echinocereus triglochidiatus - Hedgehog Cactus
• Ferocactus cylindraceus - California Barrel Cactus
• Mammillaria species - Fishhook Cacti
• Opuntia species - Prickly Pear
• Yucca species - Yucca
  

Note: Where it states species, indicates that there are a variety of species of that plant that would work.

As always it is very beneficial to do your homework on each plant to understand the specific needs of each plant.