Raspberry

Red Raspberry (Rubus idaeus)

Size: 3-4′ canes usually in large swath of growth

Fruiting: July-August

Birds: late-Summer feeding of young such as red-headed woodpecker, robin, thrasher, and catbird.

Red Raspberry plants are broadly distributed throughout North America; most often found in open woodlands and streamsides growing from 3 – 5 feet tall. The juicy, red fruits ripen in July and August, and are very tasty to humans and birds. They are very low-maintenance plants, that prefer full sun to partial shade, and can tolerate a variety of soil conditions; though they prefer moderate moisture.

Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) has small, greenish-white petals that start appearing in late May to early June followed by their edible fruits appearing between July and August. They are most often found in forest or grove clearings, disturbed sites such as road crossings, woodland edges, or abandoned farm fields. The fruits are thought to be consumed by more that 150 species of birds and animals… including humans.

Plum

American Plum (Prunus americana)

Size: 8′ to 20′ tall/ 10-15′ spread.

Flowering: early-mid May

Fruiting: September

Birds: warblers attracted to pollenating insects. Fruit eaten by larger birds such as robins, orioles, blackbirds, or some woodpeckers

One of my personal favorites for the insect attracting flowers in the spring, and the edible fruits (for me) in the fall. American Plum is a multi-stemmed, shrubby, small tree with a spreading crown reaching up to 30 feet tall with numerous rigid spiny branches. Readily suckers from roots. American plum is a great native plant for wildlife because it bears small tasty plums in the fall. The native plum has a fast growth rate, and is also good for wind breaks. the flowers are White, long filaments, and appear in small clusters in early spring with the leaves. The fruit is a fleshy drupe, nearly round, 1 inch across, reddish-purple to yellow-brown some glaucous bloom, ripen in mid to late summer.

Nannyberry

Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago ‘Nannyberry’)

Size: 12′ tall and canopy spread to 10′

Flowering: mid-June

Fruiting: ripens in late August

Birds: late-summer feeding, and fall migrants such as catbird, thrasher, robin, blackbirds, waxwing, sometimes orioles and grosbeaks

This native species Viburnum grows as a tall shrub or small tree. In late spring it produces small, white flowers in flat-topped clusters. The edible fruits are bluish-black in drooping clusters that stay on the plant all winter if they aren’t eaten by birds. It grows best in rich, moist soil, and is often found in upland woods in the wild. It tolerates both acid and alkaline soils. Nannyberry makes a great hedge or screen for your garden, or can be planted in naturalized areas. The birds will relish the fruit and use the plant for cover and raising their young.