BLog

In spring, we welcome the migration of songbirds back from their winter journeys. This coincides almost perfectly with the emergence of the insects they feed on. Those insects, in turn, depend on native plants for food and habitat. The caterpillars that fuel baby birds need native oak leaves. The bees that pollinate our gardens need native wildflowers. Everything is meant to work together.

If you want to welcome more wildlife into your garden and landscape, it’s important to remember this: native wildlife eat native plants. Caterpillars and other insects need our native plants. Birds need those insects. Pollinators need native blooms. The whole system depends on plants that evolved here, with the creatures that depend on them.

Planting direct food sources for wildlife — berries for birds, nectar for pollinators, seeds for winter — is one of the most beautiful ways to support the interconnected ecosystems that make Minnesota feel alive.

Here are nine plants that will turn your yard into a wildlife haven.

1. Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.) — Tree

• Sun: Full sun to part shade
• Minnesota Native: No (but excellent for wildlife)
• What it attracts: Over 40 species of birds, including robins, cedar waxwings, and bluebirds; pollinators in spring

Serviceberry is one of the best wildlife trees you can plant. It produces early spring blooms that feed pollinators when little else is blooming, followed by sweet berries in early summer that birds devour. The stunning fall color — fiery orange and red — is just a bonus. This is a four-season tree that gives back to wildlife all year long.

2. Crabapple (Malus spp.) — Tree

• Sun: Full sun
• Minnesota Native: No (but excellent for wildlife)
• What it attracts: Cedar waxwings, robins, cardinals, and other fruit-eating birds; deer, squirrels, and mice in winter; bees and butterflies in spring

Crabapple trees provide crucial food for birds and mammals throughout the year, especially in winter when other food sources are scarce. Spring blooms attract pollinators, and the small fruits persist on the tree well into winter, offering critical sustenance when wildlife needs it most. A reliable, beautiful choice for year-round wildlife support.

3. Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) — Native Perennial

• Sun: Full sun
• Minnesota Native: Yes
• What it attracts: Butterflies, bees, and goldfinches

Purple coneflower is a pollinator magnet in summer and a goldfinch favorite in fall and winter. The seed heads provide food for birds well into the cold months, and if you leave the stalks standing through winter, you’ll see goldfinches perched on them, pulling seeds. A classic Minnesota native that works hard for wildlife all season long.

4. Bee Balm (Wild Bergamot) (Monarda fistulosa) — Native Perennial

• Sun: Full sun to part shade
• Minnesota Native: Yes
• What it attracts: Hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects

Bee balm’s tubular flowers are perfectly designed for hummingbirds, and native bees can’t resist the nectar-rich blooms. The fragrant foliage adds personality to naturalized gardens, and the plant spreads to form drifts that feel wild and intentional at the same time. A must-have for any pollinator garden.

5. Blazing Star (Liatris) (Liatris spp.) — Native Perennial

• Sun: Full sun
• Minnesota Native: Yes
• What it attracts: Butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and goldfinches

Blazing star’s tall spikes of purple blooms are a late-summer beacon for pollinators. Butterflies and bees work the flowers for weeks, and the seeds that follow feed goldfinches and other small birds. The vertical form adds structure to prairie-style gardens and pollinator beds. A beautiful, hardworking native that supports wildlife from bloom to seedhead.

6. Milkweed (Asclepias spp.) — Native Perennial

• Sun: Full sun
• Minnesota Native: Yes
• What it attracts: Monarch butterflies, native bees, hummingbirds, and a wide variety of other insects; birds use the fluff for nesting material

Milkweed is famous as the sole host plant for monarch butterflies, but it supports a far wider variety of wildlife than most people realize. Native bees and other pollinators love the nectar-rich blooms, and birds collect the silky seed fluff in fall to line their nests. Planting milkweed is one of the most direct ways to support struggling monarch populations — and the broader ecosystem that depends on healthy insect populations.

7. Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) — Native Grass

• Sun: Full sun
• Minnesota Native: Yes
• What it attracts: Seed-eating birds, small mammals, and nesting habitat for ground-nesting birds

Little bluestem is a beautiful native grass that turns coppery-orange in fall and provides seeds for sparrows, juncos, and other small birds throughout winter. The dense clumps offer cover and nesting sites for ground-nesting birds and small mammals. It’s low-maintenance, drought-tolerant, and adds movement and texture to naturalized areas and prairie-style gardens.

8. Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) — Native Grass

• Sun: Full sun
• Minnesota Native: Yes
• What it attracts: Skipper butterflies (essential host plant), seed-eating birds, and nesting material for birds

Prairie dropseed is an essential choice for skipper butterflies, which lay their eggs on the grass and depend on it as a host plant. The fragrant late-summer blooms smell like coriander, and the seeds feed birds well into winter. The fine-textured foliage forms graceful mounds that look beautiful in garden beds and naturalized areas. A must-have for supporting native butterfly populations.

9. Grey Dogwood (Cornus racemosa) — Native Shrub

• Sun: Full sun to part shade
• Minnesota Native: Yes
• What it attracts: Over 100 species of birds, including cedar waxwings, robins, and thrushes; bees and butterflies; small mammals

Grey dogwood is one of the most valuable native shrubs you can plant for wildlife. It provides nectar for bees and butterflies in spring, berries for birds in late summer and fall, and dense thickets that serve as critical shelter and nesting sites for songbirds and small mammals. If you want to create habitat — real, functional habitat — grey dogwood is one of the best choices you can make.

The Native Bonus: No Pesticides Needed!

Here’s another beautiful thing about caring for native plants in your garden: you don’t need pesticides.

Native plants evolved here. They’re adapted to local pests and diseases, and they support the predators (birds, beneficial insects) that keep pest populations in check naturally. When you plant natives, you’re not just avoiding chemicals — you’re creating a balanced system that takes care of itself.

Your native garden joins a collective effort to give back to the air, water, and wildlife that make Minnesota home. It’s hopeful work. It’s meaningful work.

Good job, gardeners. Let’s keep it up!

Visit Sunnyside Gardens to explore our selection of native plants and wildlife-friendly trees and shrubs. We’ll help you choose the right plants for your space and create a landscape that supports the ecosystems we all depend on.