PLANTS FOR ATTRACTING BIRDS TO THE GARDEN

ANNUALS & PERENNIALS  |  SHRUBS & CLIMBERS  |  TREES

Gardeners are always looking for ways and means to attract birds to the garden. Planting food plants certainly helps the cause enormously. Creating suitable habitats with shelter, protection, nesting sights and water also plays a significant role in making birds feel at home in suburban environments.

These are just a few of the many bird attracting plants that assist the cause:

Agapanthus praecox subsp orientalis * LILY OF THE NILE	Aloe vanbalenii * VAN BALEN’S ALOE	Amaranthus MAROG
E D I N	E I N	E S
Anigozanthus KANGAROO PAW	Chasmanthe floribunda CHASMANTHE	Delphinium elatum DELPHINIUM
E N	D I N	E D N
Fragaria x ananassa STRAWBERRY	Kniphofia uvaria * RED HOT POKER	Lobelia cardinalis CARDINAL FLOWER
E F	E D I N	D N
Penstemon PENSTEMON	Strelitzia reginae CRANE FLOWER	Tagetes erecta MARIGOLD
E N	E I N S	E S
Verbena x hybrida VERVAIN	Watsonia WATSONIA	* GRASSES
E N	D I N B

NOTES:
* Most grasses, both annual and perennial will attract seed eating birds to the garden. They just need to be left uncut to flower and seed.
* Agaapanthus praecox subsp orientalis – all hybrids and cultivars will attract birds to the garden.
* All aloes are nectar rich and attract birds whilst in bloom, usually in winter.
* Kniphofia uvaria and all other species and cultivars will attract birds to the garden.

KEY:
BULB:  Plants that have underground, fleshy storage structures.
DECIDUOUS:  Plants that shed or lose foliage annually at the end of their growing season.
EVERGREEN:  Plants that retain their green leaves throughout the year.
FRUIT:  Plants which bear fruit that attract birds to the garden.
INDIGENOUS:  Plants that originate or occur naturally in a place; native.
NECTAR-RICH:  Plants which flowers are rich in nectar and attract birds and insects.
SEED: Plants which seeds attract birds to the garden.

Alberta magna NATAL FLAME	Aloe arborescens KRANTZ ALOE	Callistemon citrinus ‘Endeavour’ AUSTRALIAN BOTTLE BRUSH
E I N	E I N	E N
Dovyalis caffra KEI APPLE	Erica cerinthoides * RED HAIRY HEATH	Erythrina humeana DWARF CORAL TREE
E D I F	E I N	D I N
Feijoa sellowiana PINEAPPLE GUAVA	Fuchsia *  FUSCHI or BALLERINAS	Hamelia patens FIRE BUSH
E N F	E D N	E N
Leonotis leonurus * WILD DAGGA or LION’S TAIL	Leucospermum cordifolium * PIN CUSHION	Maytenus procumbens DUNE KOKO TREE
E I N	E I N	E I F
Metarungia longistrobus SUNBIRD BUSH	Ochna serrulata SMALL LEAFED PLANE	Odontonema stricta HUMMING BIRD BUSH
E I N	E I F	E N
Phygelius aequalis * WILD FUSCHIA	Protea repens * SUGAR BUSH	Rhoicissus rhomboidea GLOSSY FOREST GRAPE
E D I N	E I N	E I C F
Russelia equisetiformis CORAL SHRUB	Tecoma capensis * CAPE HONEY SUCKLE	Telopea speciosissima WARATAH
E N	E I N	E N

NOTES: *

Erica cerinthoides – all indigenous Ericas (heaths) attract birds to the garden.

*  Fuchsia – all species and hybrids attract birds to the garden.
* Leonotis leonurus – all leonotis attract nectar feeders to the garden.
* Leucospermum cordifolium – plus all other species and hybrids will attract birds to the garden.
* Protea repens plus most other species and hybrids will attract birds to the garden.

KEY:
BULB:  Plants that have underground, fleshy storage structures.
CLIMBER:  Plants or vines that climb and creep. They need support of some kind in your garden.  Great for walls, fences, pergolas and trellis’.
DECIDUOUS:  Plants that shed or lose foliage annually at the end of their growing season.
EVERGREEN:  Plants that retain their green leaves throughout the year.
FRUIT:  Plants which bear fruit that attract birds to the garden.
INDIGENOUS:  Plants that originate or occur naturally in a place; native.
NECTAR-RICH:  Plants which flowers are rich in nectar and attract birds and insects.
SEED:  Plants which seeds attract birds to the garden.

Aloe barberae TREE ALOE	Antidesma venosum TASSEL BERRY	Apodytes dimidiata WHITE PEAR
E I N	E D I F	E I F
Bersama luscens GLOSSY WHITE ASH	Bridelia micrantha MITZEERIE	Carica papaya PAW PAW or PAPAYA
E I F	D I F	E F
Celtis africana WHITE STINKWOOD	Ekebergia capensis CAPE ASH	Erythrina caffra INLAND CORAL TREE
D I F	E I F	D I N
Erythrina lysistemon CORAL TREE	Ficus carica EATING FIG	Ficus natalensis * NATAL FIG
D I N	D F	E D F
Ficus sur CAPE WILD FIG	Ficus trichopoda HIPPOPOTAMUS FIG	Grewia occidentalis CROSS-BERRY
D I F	E I F	E I F
Greyia sutherlandii NATAL BOTTLEBRUSH	Halleria lucida WILD TREE FUSCHIA	Harpephyllum caffrum WILD PLUM
D I N	E N I F	E I F
Kigelia pinnata SAUSAGE TREE	Kiggelaria afrcicana WILD PEACH	Mimusops caffra COASTAL RED MILKWOOD
D I N	E I F	E I F
Pappea capensis DOPPRUIM or BUSHVELD CHERRY	Protorhus longifolia RED BEECH	Rhamnus prinoides DOGWOOD
E I F	E I F	E I F
Schotia brachypetala WEEPING BOER BEAN	Sclerocarya birrea subsp caffra MARULA	Stenocarpus sinuatus FIREWHEEL TREE
E I N	D I F	E N
Strelitzia nicolai WILD BANANA	Syzygium paniculatum AUSTRALIAN BRUSH CHERRY	Vachellia karoo * SWEET THORN
E I N S	E F	D S

NOTES:

* Ficus natalensis – all wild figs are amongst the finest bird attracting plants, but they need huge gardens to grow in and their roots can cause damage to property.
* Vachellia karoo – all the trees previously known as Acacias or thorn trees produce seeds that attract certain bird species.

KEY:
BULB:  Plants that have underground, fleshy storage structures.
DECIDUOUS:  Plants that shed or lose foliage annually at the end of their growing season.
EVERGREEN:  Plants that retain their green leaves throughout the year.
FRUIT:  Plants which bear fruit that attract birds to the garden.
INDIGENOUS:  Plants that originate or occur naturally in a place; native.
NECTAR-RICH:  Plants which flowers are rich in nectar and attract birds and insects.
SEED:  Plants which seeds attract birds to the garden.

Whilst every care and caution has been taken in compiling these lists in terms of correctness and accuracy, Blackwood’s, nor any of their employees can be held liable or responsible if any of the recommendations are found to be incorrect in any way whatsoever. They are merely a guide to help gardeners and staff in finding solutions to gardening problems. All plants listed may not be available for sale at times. They do however all grow in the greater Pietermaritzburg area and surrounding districts and are to be found growing successfully in gardens.