Successful wildlife habitats must include the essentials needed to sustain the life within them including food, water, and shelter.
An important part of a wildlife habitat is plants, shrubs, and trees, all of which work to provide protection, shelter, and food, for wildlife.
Every animal species requires different types of food to survive depending on the season and where they are in their life cycle. Plants and trees offer diverse food sources to wildlife throughout the year, such as fruit, nectar, and nuts. Shade-tolerant shrubs provide nutrient-rich berries. Many animals obtain water from the foods they eat, making the plant life in a wildlife habitat even more important.
Different types of plants and trees provide food for wildlife throughout the seasons. Hickories offer nuts from fall to spring, while birch trees offer catkins from early summer to fall. Persimmon can bear fruit from late summer into winter and dogwood shrubs typically provide fruit in summer to early fall. As you can see, plants and trees offer food that sustains wildlife year-round.
Deciduous and evergreen trees provide shade and shelter from the elements, offering animals protection in various habitats. Birds and other flying creatures build their nests in trees and use the hollowed-out portions in trees as coverage. Animals use nature’s coverings for keeping younglings safe, escaping predators, and for protection from severe weather. Small mammals typically hide in the trees or shrubs whenever they need to take cover. Many animals also use the plants, trees, and shrubs for nesting sites for raising their young.
Plants of different colors attract different types of wildlife to the habitat, such as birds and butterflies. Birds typically thrive in trees including hickory, beech, oak, and mulberry. They are also attracted to shrubs like the spicebush, serviceberry, and viburnums. Hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies survive on nectar plants such as honeysuckle, zinnia, and aster.
Add practical trees, shrubs, and plants to your wildlife habitat with wholesale shrubs and bare root trees from Cold Stream Farm, we specialize in trees and shrubs for wildlife habitats.
