Bird lovers can enjoy watching their favorite feathered friends year-round by planting trees that bear berries. In winter, bird delicacies, such as worm, seeds, and insects, are scarce. At this time, birds rely more on fall and winter berries to survive the cold winter months. You can choose from a variety of trees that provide birds with the food they need throughout winter. 

Wilson Holly

You can grow Wilson holly as a tree or shrub. This evergreen variety is usually grown as a small shrub, but you can train it to grow as a single-stemmed tree. Wilson holly grows in almost any soil and is ideal as an informal hedge or screen. 

Wilson holly produces a heavy crop of bright red berries for hungry birds while offering benefits for the grower:

  • Low-maintenance
  • Drought tolerant
  • Durable
  • Thorn-less

Wilson hollies thrive in United States Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 10.

Hackberry

Hackberry trees are deciduous, deep-rooting trees, making them ideal  lawn trees to plant near buildings. The tree's canopy casts a moderate amount of shade in summer. Hackberry trees produce berry-like fruit that attracts birds. They also offer several benefits for you.

  • Tolerates strong winds
  • Grows in a variety of soils
  • Survives desert heat
  • Require little pruning
  • Grows fast

Hackberry trees thrive in USDA plant hardiness zones 2 through 9.

 Hillspire Juniper

Hillspire Junipers are compact, evergreen trees with fragrant leaves and fruit. Junipers make good specimen trees for the yard while producing small, fleshy, berry-like fruits instead of cones. Hillspire juniper fruit is small, blue and makes an appearance in fall or winter—just in time to feed hungry birds. 

Hillspire Junipers are low-maintenance trees and have other benefits:

  • Drought tolerant
  • Grow in a variety of soil types
  • Require very little pruning and trimming
  • Grow in full sun to partial shade

Hillspire Junipers are hardy to USDA plant hardiness zone 2.

American Hornbeam

American hornbeam trees are native to eastern North America. You can train them to grow as single- or multi-trunked trees. The leaves turn a mottled yellow color in fall before dropping. Trees produce oval-shaped, hairy, green fruits that hang in clusters from the same stalk. Birds and squirrels eat American hornbeam fruit.

American hornbeams make good understory trees to grow beneath larger trees, like oaks and maples. They also offer other benefits:

  • Provide some shade
  • Are long-lived
  • Tolerates heat
  • Grows in soggy soils
  • Virtually disease and insect free

American hornbeam trees are hardy to USDA zone 3.

Providing birds in your area with trees that bear fruits and offer shelter is a good way to keep these winged creatures around your home. You have questions about planting these or other bird-friendly trees in your yard, contact a local tree service. Professionals can help you choose trees that can benefit you and your feathered friends.

To learn more, contact a company like Troyer Tree Service Inc. with any questions or concerns you have.

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