6 Best Trees and Plants to Attract Birds and Butterflies to Your Garden
Australia is well known for its dangerous wildlife such as huge spiders, venomous snakes and fierce crocodiles. However, because of the warm climate, it also has its fair share of beautiful wildlife such as birds and butterflies that like to shelter and feed in plants and trees.
If you have your own yard or garden, you may want to attract more of this type of wildlife to your outdoor spaces. This can be done by planting the right trees and shrubs. Take a look at the best trees and plants below, that’ll attract birds and butterflies to your garden.
Banksia
The banksia is an Australian wildflower that can be recognised by its colourful yellow fruiting cones and flower spikes. They can range in size from a small shrub, up to a tree of 30m or more. There are over 173 species of banksia, that have flowers full of nectar. Each one does well at attracting birds, bees and small mammals.
Gum Tree
Gum trees (eucalyptus), is a family of trees that has hundreds of different species. They produce clusters of spiky flowers that are either white or red and full of nectar, which attract colourful birds, bees and even koalas. Gum trees often reach 8m wide and 25m high, so are best grown in large gardens.
Bottlebrush
The bottlebrush plant produces fluffy red, cylindrical flower heads, that are extremely attractive and eye-catching. They require minimal maintenance and mature shrubs can grow up to 4.5m. Many animals and insects are attracted to the bottlebrush to feed and shelter, including lizards, flying foxes, possums and birds.
Spider Flower
Spider flowers produce a striking display of pink/red/orange and cream flowers. It’s also often known as the ‘bee plant’ because bees are drawn to it. This plant has hundreds of different species and it does well at attracting a range of butterflies, insects and nectar loving birds.
Wattle
The wattle tree (acacia pycnantha), is a fast growing tree native to southeast Australia. There are over 1,000 types of acacia found in Australia and over 1,350 found worldwide. This tree produces stunning yellow flower balls that are full of pollen and attractive to native bees. Plus, native Australian birds flock to the wattle for food and shelter.
Waratah
The waratah (telopea), is an iconic Australian flower found in the southeastern part of the country. It’s an eye-catching garden plant that produces large red flowers in the spring, although some breeds produce pink, white or yellow flowers. This is one of the best bird attracting plants for your garden, with many flocking to feast on its tasty nectar.
Need help with trees in your garden? Call an expert arborist for help, at North Brisbane Trees today.
