Calling The Birds With Colorful Fruits
Most showy as a specimen shrub is the Linden Viburnum (V. dilatatum) from Asia. Like V. opulus its vivid red berries generally remain untouched until late winter. Both species have horticultural varieties with yellow instead of red fruit... a desirable addition to the garden. It has not been reported whether the birds show any preference.
For the landscape gardener who must contend with shady situations, the native Viburnums offer a variety of plant material long known to be consumed by birds. First to be eaten are the blue-black berries of Arrowwood (V. dentatum). Maple-leaved Viburnum (V. acerifolium) holds its berries into the early winter. Nannyberry and Black Haw produce blueblack berries half an inch in length which have been used for preserves since Colonial times. The birds generally finish them off before winter sets in.
Wythe Rod often shows green, red, and mature black berries in the same bunch. It is the species most tolerant of wet ground. The fruits of the Japanese Seibold Viburnum are very similar but barely have time to ripen in early fall, before a feathered host swarms into the plants and quickly devours every fruit. This is the tallest species, growing up to 30 feet, and is one of the choicest specimens in an exceptionally attractive genus of shrubs.
Low-growing shrubs are just as important in the garden as the taller varieties already mentioned. Coralberry, also known as Indian Current, and Snowberry serve well in this capacity. For late winter use nothing is better than Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergi). On steep slopes Cotoneaster horizontalis provides an evergreen ground cover with abundant small, red fruits.
Vines for walls may be used to cover walls and trellises. Among the most attractive wall vines both for its scarlet fall foliage and its blue berries is Virginia Creeper, choice of Thrushes, Purple Finch, Grosbeaks, and Woodpeckers. If space permits their use, one of several good varieties of grapes may be used to provide another source of bird food, often used by migrating fall Warblers.
There are many other shrubs both native and exotic which might be mentioned.
Now is the time to make your plans. Select shrubs in accordance with the three needs of birds: food, cover, and nestingsites, and with a four-season availability in mind. Most of the trees and shrubs can be planted this spring if orders are placed immediately. Get started now, and as the years pass you can count on having increasingly more birds in your garden.
