Serviceberries are a good option to plant in your bird garden. They are mainly deciduous and suited to grow in many areas in North America. They have beautiful flowers, nutritious fruits, and colorful foliage and bark in the fall and winter. You can choose from over 30 species of serviceberry, depending on whether you want their fruits or are interested in their ornamental appeal.
The following serviceberry varieties will attract birds to your garden:
1. Canadian Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis)
This large shrub is native to North America. It produces fragrant, white star-shaped flowers in the spring. These flowers attract pollinators. They are followed by blue-black berries eaten by waxwings, catbirds, thrashers and cardinals.
The foliage turns yellow or red in the fall. It remains colorful even after the leaves drop, keeping your garden looking beautiful in the winter. Propagates through seeds and stem cuttings. It is relatively low maintenance and pest-resistant.
It is good as a specimen plant and for erosion control. It matures at 25-30ft tall and 15-20ft wide.
- Thrives in full sunlight or partial shade.
- Grows well in moist, well-drained acidic soils.
- USDA hardiness zones 4-8.
2. Downy Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea)
This large deciduous shrub is native to North America. It has showy, fragrant white flowers that bloom during the spring. They appear before the leaves emerge. They attract pollinators. Blue-black berries follow in early summer.
They are similar to blueberries and are a favorite shrub berry for birds. The green foliage turns orange or red in the fall. Downy Serviceberry can grow on rocky ridges, woodland areas and swampy lowlands.
It is easy to grow and very low maintenance. It matures at 15-25ft high and 15-25ft wide. Propagates by seed and stem cuttings.
- Thrives in full sunlight or partial shade.
- Grows well in moist, well-drained, acidic soils.
- USDA hardiness zones 4-9.
3. Allegheny Serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis)
This large deciduous shrub is native to North America. The young foliage buds are purple or bronze, then turn dark green when fully mature and finally change color to orange or red during the fall.
It has smooth gray bark with white stripes which maintain color in your garden through the winter. The fragrant white flowers bloom in mid-spring, attracting pollinators to your garden.
Purple-black berries emerge in early summer and are a nutritious food source for waxwings, thrushes, woodpeckers and cardinals. It is easy to grow, reaching a height of 15-25ft and a width of 15-25ft at full maturity.
- Thrives in full sunlight or partial shade.
- Grows well in moist, well-drained, acidic soils.
- USDA hardiness zones 4-8.
4. Apple Serviceberry (Amelanchier x grandiflora)
This serviceberry variant is a cross between downy and Allegheny serviceberries. It is a shrub with foliage that turns orange-red in the fall. It produces clusters of fragrant white flowers that attract pollinators.
They are followed by purplish-black fruits used to make jams and jellies. They are also a favorite food for birds, especially during the winter months. Requires regular watering to keep the soil wet.
It is deciduous and commonly planted along shrub borders. It is fast growing, maturing at 20-25ft high and wide.
- Thrives in full sunlight or partial shade.
- Grows well in moist, well-drained soils.
- USDA hardiness zones 4-9.
5. Snowy Mespilus (Amelanchier ovalis)
This large deciduous shrub, native to Europe and North Africa, produces clusters of fragrant white flowers in the spring. They attract pollinators and bees. The flowers give way to red or dark purple berries in the summer.
Birds will feed on them, especially in the winter. The foliage is green and white when young, darkens as it matures and finally turns yellow and red in the fall. Its bark is light gray with charcoal-gray stripes which gives it a colorful vibrant appearance.
It matures at 15-20ft high and wide. Snowy Mespilus propagates by seeds and stem cuttings.
- Thrives in full sunlight or partial shade.
- Grows well in moist, well-drained soils.
- USDA hardiness zones 5-7.
6. Utah Serviceberry (Amelanchier utahensis)
The Utah Serviceberry is a deciduous shrub native to North America. It has finely serrated green leaves which appear in the spring. Utah Serviceberry produces clusters of showy white flowers which bloom in the spring and summer.
They attract pollinators. Dark purple or pink berries follow in the fall. They are a favorite food for birds. The shrub also offers nesting materials for birds and a protective cover for small animals.
It is best grown as a specimen plant or along hedges. It is low maintenance, requiring little watering to flourish. This shrub matures at 10-15ft high and wide.
- Thrives in full sunlight or partial shade.
- Grows well in dry, well-drained soils. Does well in sand, loam and clay soils.
- USDA hardiness zones 4-8.
7. Round leaf Serviceberry (Amelanchier sanguinea)
The Round leaf Serviceberry is a low-growing shrub native to North America. It grows with a slender trunk, supporting dense branches bearing circular, serrated leaves. The shrub produces clusters of pink or white flowers that bloom during the spring.
They are followed by dark purple berries, a nutritious food source for cardinals, waxwings, thrashers, woodpeckers, warblers and thrushes. It propagates through seeds in the fall or summer or stem cuttings. It matures at 3-8ft tall and wide.
- Thrives in full sunlight or partial shade.
- Grows well in average moisture, well-drained, clay soils.
- USDA hardiness zones 3-4.
Serviceberries will thrive in a variety of soil types and climatic conditions. They are colorful and retain their fruits during winter, providing a valuable food source for native birds. Plant different species in your bird garden, to maintain year-round color and interest from the local wildlife.
