Native Shrubs for Plantings as Wildlife Food

By Bruce A. Sorrie, Former Botanist
Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program

This document is intended to be a comprehensive list of shrubs and some small trees native to Massachusetts that may be planted for wildlife, primarily for food but also for cover and nesting. A relatively small number are not included because their fruits are apparently low in nutritive value (Mountain Laurel, Kalmia latifolia; Maleberry, Lyonia ligustrina) or are poisonous to humans (Poison Ivy, Toxicodendron radicans and T. rydbergii; Poison Sumac, T. vernix).

Our native wildlife and plants evolved over thousands of years into a deeply integrated system of food producers and food consumers, each species affecting and affected by each other. Planting alien species of shrubs and trees to enhance wildlife populations is a widespread practice, but unsupported by sufficient valid data to conclude that such non-native plants are superior to native species in nutritive value, etc. Furthermore, many alien species are proving to be detrimental to natural ecosystems by outcompeting native species and replacing them, thus reducing the overall species diversity and altering natural patterns of ecological succession. Examples are the buckthorns (Rhamnus frangula and R. cathartica), Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora), Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), and Morrow Honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii). Furthermore, the value of alien species with respect to nesting cover they provide, the nutrients they take and give to the soils, and many other details of their ecology remains to be evaluated.

For convenience, I have divided the list into four sections, reflecting basic ecological affinities of each species. Some species may grow well in broad tolerance of pH and shade, for example—so these species are listed more than once. I have also attempted to indicate in a general fashion the tolerance of each species for canopy cover by indicating each species’ preference for sun, shade, or light shade. The term “mesic” refers to a soil condition of moderate moisture and is required by some species whose root systems cannot tolerate drying out or being inundated. State listed rare species are not included here, because extensive planting will obscure their natural ranges and, if non-native source material were used, may disrupt their genetic integrity.

WET ACID SOILS

Speckled Alder (Alnus rugosa or incana ssp. rugosa) - sun
Common Alder (Alnus serrulata) - sun
Thicket Shadbush (Amelanchier canadensis) - sun, light shade
Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) - sun
Red or Purple Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)- sun
Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum) - sun
Dangleberry (Gaylussacia frondosa) - shade
Smooth Winterberry (Ilex Iaevigata) - shade
Common Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) - sun to light shade
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) - shade
Mountain Fly-Honeysuckle (Lonicera villosa) - sun, light shade
Sweet Gale (Myrica gale) - sun
American Black Currant (Ribes americanum) - light shade, floodplain forests
Common Gooseberry (Ribes hirtellum) - sun to light shade
Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris) - sun to light shade
Virginia Rose (Rosa virginiana) - sun
Dewberry (Rubus hispidus) - sun to light shade
Dwarf or Running Raspberry (Rubus pubescens) - shade
Common Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) - sun to light shade
Red-berried Elder (Sambucus pubens) - light to moderate shade, talus slopes
Sawbrier (Smilax glauca var. leurophylla) - sun to light shade
Catbrier (Smilax rotundifolia) - sun to light shade
Eastern Yew (Taxus canadensis) - shade
Black Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium atrococcum) - sun to shade
Smooth Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) - sun to shade
Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) - sun
Velvetleaf Blueberry (Vaccinium myrtilloides) - shade
Maple-leaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium) - shade
Hobblebush (Viburnum lantanoides or alnifolium) - shade; also mesic slopes
Wild Raisin (Viburnum cassinoides) - light shade
Sweet Viburnum (Viburnum lentago) - light shade
Smooth or Northern Arrowwood (Viburnum recognitum) - sun to shade
Summer Grape (Vitis aestivalis) - sun to light shade
Riverbank Grape (Vitis riparia) - sun to light shade

DRY ACID SOILS

Tall Shadbush (Amelanchier arborea) - light shade
Smooth Shadbush (Amelanchier laevis) - light shade
RunningShadbush (Amelanchier stolonifera) - sun
Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) - sun
Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) - sun to light shade
Red or Purple Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) - sun to light shade
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - light to moderate shade
White Dogwood (Cornus foemina or racemosa) - sun
American Hazelnut (Corylus americana) - shade to sun
Beaked Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta) - shade to sun
Hawthorns (native Crataegus spp.) - light shade to sun
Black Huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata) - sun to shade
Dangleberry (Gaylussacia frondosa) - light to moderate shade
Inkberry (Ilex glabra) - sun to light shade
American Holly (Ilex opaca) - light to moderate shade
Fly Honeysuckle (Lonicera canadensis) - shade
Limber Honeysuckle (Lonicera dioica) - light shade
Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) - sun
Beach Plum (Prunus maritima) - sun
Horse Plum (Prunus nigra) - sun, light shade
Fire or Pin Cherry (Prunus pensylvanica) - sun
Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana) - light shade, sun
Scrub Oak (Quercus ilicifolia) - sun
Dwarf Chinkapin Oak (Quercus prinoides) - sun
Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum) - sun
Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra) - sun
Prickly Gooseberry (Ribes cynosbati) - shade, mesic
Common Gooseberry (Ribes hirtellum) - sun, light shade
Pasture Rose (Rosa carolina) - sun
Virginia Rose (Rosa virginiana) - sun
Allegheny Blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis) - sun
Wild Raspberry (Rubus idaeus var. strigosus) - sun
Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) - sun, light shade
Sawbrier (Smilax glauca var. leurophylla) - sun, light shade
Catbrier (Smilax rotundifolia) - sun, light shade
American Mountain-ash (Sorbus americana) - sun, light shade
Eastern Yew (Taxus canadensis) - shade
Low Sweet Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) - sun
Velvetleaf Blueberry (Vaccinium myrtilloides) - light to moderate shade
Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum) - light shade
Woodland Sweet Blueberry (Vaccinium vacillans) - light to moderate shade
Maple-leaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium) - shade
Wild Raisin (Viburnum cassinoides) - light shade
Southern Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum) - sun to light shade
Summer Grape (Vitis aestivalis) - light shade, sun
Fox Grape (Vitis labrusca) - sun

DRY ALKALINE SOILS

Tall Shadbush (Amelanchier arborea) - light shade
Climbing Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) - light shade, talus slopes
Alternate-leaved or Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) - light shade
White Dogwood (Cornus foemina or racemosa) - sun
Roundleaf Dogwood (Cornus rugosa) - light shade, talus slopes
Beaked Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta) - shade to sun
Hawthorns (native Crataegus spp.) - light shade to sun
Fly Honeysuckle (Lonicera canadensis) - shade
Limber Honeysuckle (Lonicera dioica) - light shade
Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus vitacea or inserta) - shade to sun
Shrubby Cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa or Pentaphylloides floribunda) - sun
Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana) - light shade

WET ALKALINE SOILS

Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus stolonifera) - sun, light shade
Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum) - sun, light shade
Common Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) - sun to light shade
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) - shade
Mountain Fly-honeysuckle (Lonicera villosa) - sun to light shade
American Black Currant (Ribes americanum) - light shade, floodplain forest
Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris) - sun to light shade
Dwarf or Running Raspberry (Rubus pubescens) - shade
Red-berried Elder (Sambucus pubens) - light to moderate shade, talus slopes
Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum and atrococcum) - sun to shade
Sweet Viburnum (Viburnum lentago) - light shade
Smooth or Northern Arrowwood (Viburnum recognitum) - sun to shade
Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum trilobum) (NOT V. opulus) - light shade, sun
Riverbank Grape (Vitis riparia) - sun to light shade