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Creating a Wild Backyard - Planting Shrubs for Wildlife

Shrubs can diversify wildlife habitat planting schemes and are easy to incorporate on any property. To visualize how shrub planting increases habitat diversity, think of a forest.

Forests include (1) tall trees, (2) an understory of smaller trees and shrubs and (3) ground covers. Unless forested tracts are already present, most properties have only trees and ground covers, often lawns, with little in between. Planting shrubs then becomes a way to attract those wildlife species that need this plant layer to satisfy their habitat needs.

Shrubs as Habitat
Shrubs can serve as habitat in many ways. Flowering shrubs produce nectar to feed bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Berry-producing shrubs feed songbirds, upland game birds and many mammals including deer, squirrel, fox and chipmunks. Wild animals use leaves, twigs and buds of the plant itself for food. Shrubs can provide shelter from predators or extreme weather, or to nest and raise young, especially when massed. Evergreen, thorny, or dense-branching shrubs usually offer the best shelter.

When selecting shrubs, keep in mind the flowering and fruiting nature of the species. Try to incorporate shrubs that produce berries at different times of the year so that a food supply is always present for berry-eating wildlife. Some shrubs are dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers are born on separate plants. If berries are desired as a food component, then at least one male should be planted near the females.

Where to Plant Shrubs
Landscaping uses for shrubs are as varied as the choice of plants. Shrubs may be planted around the foundation of the house or as borders that serve as backdrops for perennial and annual plants. On large tracts, shrubs can be planted along cropland and forest edges or incorporated into hedgerows of trees and shrubs. Hedgerows planted between cropland provide connectors or wildlife travel lanes between larger blocks of contiguous habitat (i.e. forest, fallow fields or wetland habitats). Linking these larger blocks is increasingly important as suitable wildlife habitat becomes fragmented by development. Incorporating evergreen and thicket-forming shrubs in hedgerows ensures that shelter components of habitat are met.

Selection of Shrubs
Consider several criteria before making a purchase. Determine the shrub's purpose. Choose plants that are compatible with the site. Evaluate soil and light conditions of the area to be planted. Consider maintenance needs of the desired species; shrubs planted near the house can be watered easily during dry weather but watering may not be practical in large scale plantings on farms. Pruning can also be done easily in backyard situations but is not practical in large scale plantings. As a general rule, only light pruning is recommended for shrub wildlife plantings because there is a danger of pruning away future food supplies if done at the wrong time of year. Pruning also reduces the plants usefulness as wildlife shelter; backyard wildlife shrubs should be allowed to attain a natural form. Some vigorously-growing shrubs respond well by being cut back to six inches in the fall and will grow even bushier than before. Local nursery or garden center personnel can advise you on what shrubs to select depending on the intended need.

Wildlife Shrubs
The following list of native shrubs is divided into groups based on when the plant is fruiting. Native shrubs, that co-evolved with the wildlife you want to attract, are usually better adapted to where you want to grow them. Select plants that fruit at different times of the year so your property offers food throughout the year. Plants that double as cover for wildlife are indicated.
 

For Additional Information, Contact:
 
 Wild Acres Program
 Maryland Wildlife and Heritage Service
 Attn:  Marilyn Mause
 Gwynnbrook WMA
 3740 Gwynnbrook Ave
 Owings Mills MD 21117
 410-356-0941
 E-Mail: customerservice@dnr.state.md.us