Shrubs and grasses for wildlife

Redosier dogwood (Cornus sericea) is
suitable for nearly all hardiness zones.
(R.A. Howard, Smithsonian Instit. / USDA-NRCS)

Jump down to:
Berry and nectar plant list
Grasses list

Shrubs and grasses provide cover and food for wildlife, so include as many as your landscape will allow.

Plant shrubs in groups of three or more. Use them as hedges or as a backdrop for colorful flowers. Thick, low-growing shrubs make good groundcovers. Diversify your shrub choices by height, width, character and color of their foliage, and time of fruit or seed production. This will add eye-appeal for you, as well as high value to wildlife. Also include some wildlife-favored evergreens for their tasty fall/winter berries and year-round cover. No need to tear out existing shrubs; as old unsuitable shrubs die, replace them with native species.

Grasses provide food and cover for wildlife, and visual appeal for humans. Plant them in groups of similar species. Place them in a bed of their own, use them as backdrops for flowers and along the perimeter of the yard. Let grasses stand over the winter for wildlife cover and to enliven winter's barren scenery. Cut them down in spring to make way for new growth.

Some berry-producing shrubs are either "male" or "female" and will only produce fruit when planted near each other for fertilization. Buy them when they're fruiting, if possible, to insure you get both sexes. Or, obtain a guarantee from the seller. As a general rule, you can buy fewer males than females. Female plants produce the berries, so there's no need to plant more males than necessary. The supplier can tell you the exact ratio for each species.

Below are some of the most suitable native shrubs and grasses for a backyard wildlife habitat. Not every plant in your yard needs to be native, but the more the better. Why native? First of all, using natives helps ensure that native stocks continue to live on in a world where human development is killing them off. Also, because the ones you select will be adapted over hundreds of years to your particular environment, making them hardier and less expensive to maintain. Finally, wildlife usually prefer them over cultivars.

The following lists are far from complete, but they give you some direction when looking for suitable plants. Be sure to check plant hardiness zones before purchasing to ensure a species is suitable for your specific locale. Be mindful, too, of differing soil and moisture conditions needed by plants. (Click here to use the interactive USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.) Native plants are available at local garden centers or by ordering online. Some can probably be acquired through your state's Wildlife and Parks Commission or County Extension Service.

Berry- and nectar-producing native shrubs

Common name	Some selected species*	Scientific name
Blackberry	Allegheny, Highbush	Rubus spp.
Blueberry	Low-bush, Black High-bush	Vaccinium spp.
Buckthorn	Carolina	Rhamnus caroliniana
Buttonbush		Cephalanthus occidentalis
Chokeberry	Red, Black	Aronia spp.
Chokecherry		Prunus virginiana
Corralberry		Symphoricarpos orbiculatus
Currant	Wild Black, Golden	Ribes spp.
Deerberry		Vaccinium stamineum
Dogwood	Redosier, Silky, Gray	Cornus spp.
Elderberry	American	Sambucus canadensis
Euonymous	Running	Euonymus obovatus
Gooseberry	Missouri, Prickly	Ribes spp.
Holly	Deciduous	Ilex decidua
Leatherwood		Dirca palustris
Mountain Laurel		Kalmia latifolia
Oregon Grape Holly		Mahonia aquifolium
Raspberry	Black, Red	Rubus occidentalis
Rose	Carolina, Prairie, Swamp, Meadow	Rosa spp.
Salmonberry		Rubus spectabilis
Serviceberry	Juneberry, Dwarf, Downy	Amelanchier spp.
Snowberry		Symphoricarpos albus
Spicebush		Lindera benzoin
Sumac	Fragrant, Smooth, Staghorn	Rhus spp.
Viburnum	Mapleleaf, Arrowwood, Possumhaw	Viburnum spp.
Wild Plum		Prunus americana
Wild Strawberry		Fragaria virginiana
Winterberry		Ilex verticillata
Yellowroot		Xynthorhiza simplicissima

*Check with your county extension service for a list of species best suited to your particular locale.

Grasses for cover and seeds

Some selected species	Scientific name
Baker's Cordgrass	Spartina bakerii
Big Bluestem	Andropogon gerardii
Bottlebrush	Elymus hystrix
Blue Grama	Chondrosium gracile
Buffalo Grass	Buchloe dactyloides
Giant Plume Grass	Saccharum giganteum
Hairy Grama	Chondrosum
Indian Grass	Sorghastrum nutans
Indian Rice Grass	Achnatherum hymenoides
Little Bluestem	Schizachyrium scoparium
Northern Sea Oats	Chasmanthium latifolium
Prairie Dropseed	Sporobolus heterolepsis
Purple Lovegrass	Eragrostis spectabilis
River Oats	Chasmanthium latifolium
Sideoats Grama	Bouteloua curtipendula
Switchgrass	Panicum virgatum
Tussock Sedge	Carex stricta
Two-flowered Melic Grass	Melica mutica
Virginia Bluestem	Androogon virginicus