Connecticut
Plants for Wildlife Habitat & Conservation Landscaping
Do you enjoy
observing nature...hearing the song of the
chickadee...watching hummingbirds fill up on nectar
from trumpet vines...listening to the chattering of
squirrels...seeing the beauty and grace of a
monarch butterfly perched on a milkweed...
experiencing the antics of a Mockingbird...the
cooing of the Mourning Doves...the swiftness of the
Cottontail...and the brilliance of a Cardinal or
Baltimore Oriole?
If the answer is
"yes", you'll probably want to landscape your
property for wildlife so you can experience even
more from Mother Nature by attracting more wildlife
to your property.
Wildlife doesn't
just randomly appear in a given area. It is there
because of favorable habitat. The essential
elements that you must provide in your habitat are
food, water, cover and a place to raise a family.
To attract the most wildlife, you need native
trees, shrubs, groundcover, vines and wildflowers,
many of which will provide food and
shelter.
Native or
indigenous plants naturally occur in the region in
which they evolved. They are adapted to local soil,
rainfall and temperature conditions, and have
developed natural defenses to many insects and
diseases. Because of these traits, native plants
will grow with minimal use of water, fertilizers
and pesticides. Wildlife species evolve with
plants; therefore, they use native plant
communities as their habitat. Using native plants
helps preserve the balance and beauty of natural
ecosystems.
Remember the
function served by plants and structures is more
important than their appearance. In other words,
don't base your planting decisions solely on what a
plant looks like. Following are WindStar Wildlife
Institute's plant recommendations for wildlife
habitats in Connecticut.
Trees
Fall Nuts--Oaks (White, Swamp White, Chestnut, Red,
Black, Scarlet & Pin): Hickories (Shagbark,
Mockernut, Bitternut & Pignut); American Beech;
Butternut Walnut; Black Walnut
Fall/Spring/Summer
Seeds--Sugar Maple; Eastern Hop Hornbeam; Ash
(White, Green & Black); Red Maple; American
Hornbeam; Silver Maple; American Elm
Winter
Cover/Food
White Pine; Eastern Hemlock; Eastern Red Cedar;
American Holly; Red Pine; Black Spruce; Red Spruce;
Eastern Hemlock; American Mountain Ash
Shrubs
Summer fruits
Highbush and Lowbush Blueberry; Blackberry; Black
Raspberry; Serviceberry
Vines
American Bittersweet; Virginia Creeper; Wild Grape;
Smilax; Trumpet Honeysuckle; Climbing Bittersweet;
Virgin's Bower
Grasses
Little Bluestem; Big Bluestem; Switchgrass
Connecticut is New
England's second smallest and southernmost state.
The southerly flow of the Connecticut River divides
the state roughly in half. The coastal plain and
central valley are relatively flat; they contain
most of the larger cities. Other parts of the state
are hilly, with the highest altitudes in the
northwest corner. Hills are largely covered with
hardwood forests, and about two-thirds of the state
is in open land. The Connecticut Botanical Society
can provide lists of native plants for a specific
region.
For more
information on improving your wildlife habitat,
visit the WindStar
Wildlife Institute web
site. On
the web site, you can also apply to certify your
property as a wildlife habitat, register for the
"Certified Wildlife Habitat Naturalist e-Learning
course, become a member and sign up for the FREE
WindStar Wildlife Garden Weekly e-mail
newsletter.
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