Bird Garden
Our Bird Garden demonstrates how even a small landscape area with bird-friendly plants can have a beneficial impact on the local bird population.
This garden is designed with native and Florida-friendly plants selected to provide nutrient-rich berries, seeds, and insects that birds need to feed their young and thrive.
Birds like water or the sound of moving water.
Bird gardens also provide a safe haven for birds that face climate change, urbanization, and loss of biodiversity.
Give our feathered friends a fighting chance in this changing world. Create a bird garden at your home.
| Common name | Scientific name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Beautyberry, magenta | Callicarpa americana | Small sprawling shrub 4-8 feet tall 3-6 feet wide; May be pruned before flowers; FL native; Pale flowers spring to summer; Clusters of magenta fruits |
| Beautyberry, white | Callicarpa dichotoma f. albifructa | Small sprawling shrub 4-8 feet tall 3-6 feet wide; May be pruned before flowers; FL native; Pale flowers spring to summer; Clusters of white fruits |
| Bird Pepper | Capsicum annuum pequin | Evergreen shrub, short-lived perennial 3 feet tall Only true FL native pepper; Full to partial sun; tiny white flowers; hot red fruit |
| Beach Verbena | Glandularia maritima | Long-lived perennial; 1ft tall 1.5 ft wide, showy purple flowers, evergreen; FL native; Nectar source for butterflies and moths |
| Coontie | Zamia integrifolia | Cycad, 1-3 feet tall, only cycad native to North America FL native; Sun or shade; Stiff, glossy leaves. |
| Darrow’s Blueberry | Vaccinium darrowii | Shrub long-lived perennial; 2 ft tall spreading; acid soil, attracts pollinators and birds; FL native; showy early spring white/pink flowers, late spring blue/purple/black fruit; |
| Dotted Horsemint | Monarda punctata | Short-lived perennial 1-3 ft tall; full sun; showy flowers in summer; FL native; Trim to keep bushy; Attracts hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and moths |
| Firebush | Hamelia patens | Semi woody shrub, 5-15 feet tall, may be pruned to 5-8 feet tall FL native; Full or partial sun; Late spring until winter flowers |
| Frogfruit | Phyla nodiflora | Evergreen ground cover to .5 ft tall, blooms all year, nectar plant for many butterflies; FL native; host for common buckeye, phaon crescent and white peacock butterflies |
| Jamaica Caper-tree | Quadrella jamaicensis | Evergreen shrub 6-12 ft tall 6-10 ft wide; showy spring-summer flowers, FL native; fruits attracts birds, larval host Florida white butterflies |
| Joe-pye Weed | Eupatorium fistulosum | Perennial; Up to10 ft tall; moist well-drained soil, blooms spring to mid summer; FL native; attracts butterflies and other pollinators |
| Locustberry | Brysonima lucida | Shrub long-lived perennial 5-15 ft tall, showy flowers, orange fruit for birds; FL native; white/pink/red late winter-early summer blooms, nectar plant, host for Florida duskywing |
| Myrsine | Myrsine cubana | Evergreen shrub, vertical shrub 15-20 feet tall may be pruned; FL native; Full to partial shade; smooth green leaves; inconspicuous flowers |
| Marlberry | Ardisia escallonioides | Evergreen tall shrub to small tree 12-15 feet tall 6-12 feet wide; FL native; Part shade; Small white fragrant flowers; Small dark fruit; Dark green leaves |
| Necklace Pod | Sophora tomentosa truncata | Medium size shrub 6-10 feet tall 4-8 feet wide May be pruned; FL native; Full sun; Yellow blossoms throughout the year; long pod-like fruits |
| Pineland Heliotrope | Euploca polyphylla | Short-lived perennial up to 1 ft; showy white, yellow flowers attract pollinators; FL native; Full or partial sun |
| Southern Arrowwood | Viburnum dentatum | Long-lived perennial shrub 6-8 ft tall, showy white flower clusters spring/summer FL native; birds eat fruit, host for spring azure butterfly |
| Sparkleberry | Vaccinium arboretum | Large shrub long-lived perennial 12-18 ft tall 4-15 ft wide; Showy fall color, deciduous FL native; blooms spring, fruits ripen late summer, host for striped hairstreak Does well under pine canopy, acid soil, attracts pollinators valuable to native bees |
| Smallflower Paw Paw | Asimina parviflora | Tree long-lived perennial 15 ft tall 10 ft wide, deciduous, part shade; moist area; FL native; showy flowers early spring, green fruit; larval host for Zebra Swallowtail |
| Starry Rosinweed | Silphium asteriscus | Wildflower 2-5 feet tall; May die back in winter; attracts pollinators; birds eat seeds FL native; Full sun to part shade; large yellow flowers; Self seeding |
| Spiceberry Red Stopper | Eugenia rhombea | Shrub or small evergreen tree 8-12 ft tall 6-10 ft wide; showy spring flowers FL native; fall fruit attracts birds and wildlife |
| Simpson Stopper | Myrcianthes fragrans | Evergreen woody shrub up to 20 feet tall;Full or partial sun; FL native; Spring flowers, birds eat the fruit |
| Tropical Sage | Salvia coccinea | Perennial 2-4 feet tall 1-2 feet wide FL native; Full sun to part shade, Red flowers self seed |
| Wild Coffee | Psychotria nervosa | Evergreen shrub or small tree 4-10 feet tall 4-8 feet wide, Full to partial shade; FL native; spring to summer small white flowers, fall red fruits |
| Weeping Yaupon Holly | Ilex vomitoria pendula | Cascading, compact tree 15-20 feet tall 10-20 feet wide FL native; Full or partial sun; Winter berries |