NATIVE BIRD-ATTRACTING TREES

Due to their bushy structure, leaf density and flowering capabilities, many Australian natives are great options when planting for increased bird life.

Layered landscapes which embrace diversity of foliage, flower, colour and texture, can often feature a bird attracting tree or two if you are looking to increase the presence of bird life in your landscape.  Many native trees already provide visual year-round interest due to their brightly coloured flowers and attractive grey-green foliage but these can also attract nesting and nectar eating birds. Here is a sample of trees that do just that. 

Brachychiton populneus x acerfolius ‘Jerilderie Red’ and ‘Bella Pink’

Both of these trees offer an attractive dense canopy and both produce densely packed flowers shaped like small bells during the summer months. As the name suggests, ‘Jerilddrie Red’ has red flowers and ‘Bella Pink’ produces flowers that are salmon pink in colour. Both are grafted, so they are more compact in size, making them highly suitable for domestic landscapes. Flowers are bird, butterfly and insect attracting.

Eucalyptus leucoxylon ‘Rosea’

This tree has a smooth trunk with cream to grey coloured bark which sheds in flakes. It has narrow shaped green leaves and as it matures, forms a large open canopy. From Autumn to Spring, an abundance of red flowers appear in clusters of three attracting a variety of birdlife.

Corymbia citriodora

A beautiful, tall growing tree with a distinctive, often powdery white to grey coloured bark which curls and flakes off in spring. Its leaves are green, long and slender with an amazing, strong lemon fragrance when crushed. Its strong scent is a distinguishing attribute, with the essential oils produced from this variety often being used in fragrances as well as insect repellents. In summer and autumn, feathery white flowers appear, making it a good source of food for honey bees.

Eucalyptus leucoxylon megalocarpa

This Australian native tree is small to medium in height with a compact, spreading habit. Similar to 'Rosea', it produces large pink, bird attracting flowers from late winter to spring and grows to a similar height with a good canopy. Foliage is olive-grey in colour and spear shaped. This variety performs well in areas of low humidity and it should be noted that it is prone to limb drop in areas susceptible to windy conditions.

Leptospermum obovatum ‘Starry Night’

A versatile, fast-growing shrub with fine, deep purple foliage forming a graceful, weeping habit with its purple-pink new growth. In late spring and summer, bronze buds open to a profusion of long-lasting snowy white flowers. A great Australian native adaptable to a variety of soil types and conditions and can be used as a screen, hedge or specimen plant.

Speciality Trees are here to assist you to find the right tree for your landscape and circumstances. For more information on any of these selections or to discuss others, please click on the links below.