Berries for Birds

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Birds feast year round at this hedgerow that features a varied mix of native shrubs and trees designed to provide a continuous source of berries and other food and shelter throughout all seasons.

Downy hawthorn, Crateagus mollis, in full bloom, attracts pollinators in spring.

Seen from the hayfield, the bird berry hedge makes a loose, undulating form, unlike most clipped hedges.

Arrowwood, Viburnum dentatum, in bloom.

The ripe white fruits of gray dogwood, Cornus racemosa, contrast with their bright red twigs.

These wild plums, Prunus americanus, offer more substantial fruit for mammals, including humans.

Silky dogwood, Cornus amomum, with ripe blue fruits

These wild raisin, Viburnum cassinoides, berries turn pink, then ripen almost black,

Viburnum cassinoides, wild raisin, make a colorful spectacle, as individual berries ripen at different rates.

Colorful fall foliage attracts both birds and people

Ripe wild raisin berries

Similar to closely related wild raisin, berries of possum haw, Viburnum nudum 'Winterthur' ripen at varying rates, providing a variety of colorful berry clusters.

Loads of berries await neotropical migrants.

The bright red berries of Viburnum trilobum 'Wentworth' usually survive the winter and may provide a feast for returning neotropical migrants.

American cranberry bushes, Viburnum trilobum, full of ripe berries, are one of the most attractive features of this hedgerow.

Many different species of shrubs provide lots of interesting fall colors.