Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
A winter seed source birds return to, for sand, clay, and loam ground.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Louisiana · Zones 8–9
Native Plants for Birds in Louisiana
Seed, berry, and cover plants that feed songbirds year-round — and the caterpillars that nesting birds actually raise their chicks on. For Louisiana, the right natives are shaped by Mississippi Delta & Gulf Coast Prairie and a hot, humid subtropical climate. Every species below, from Black-Eyed Susan and American Beautyberry to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Louisiana and the wider flora of the Southeast and hardy through zones 8–9. Feeders are a snack; native plants are the real grocery store. Berries and seed heads carry birds through fall and winter, while the caterpillars these natives host are what nearly all songbirds feed their young in spring. Leave the seed heads standing, hold off on fall cleanup, and let a layer of leaves and shrubs give birds the cover they need.
The plants
31 native species for Louisiana
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 8–9 · see this collection in other states.
American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americana
Leave its seed heads standing — songbirds strip them through fall and winter, hardy in zones 6–10.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
Leave its seed heads standing — birds strip them through fall and winter, golden plumes flowers.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Its seed heads carry birds through the lean months; rosy purple flowers.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Bird food twice over — seed heads songbirds strip in fall, plus the caterpillars nesting birds feed their chicks.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Pink Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia capillaris
Its seed heads carry birds through the lean months; hardy in zones 6–10.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
Bird food twice over — seed heads birds strip in fall, plus the caterpillars nesting birds feed their chicks.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Seed for songbirds and caterpillars for their nestlings — cold-hardy to zone 3.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Cup Plant
Silphium perfoliatum
A winter seed source songbirds return to, for clay and loam ground.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
A winter seed source songbirds return to, cold-hardy to zone 5.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Winterberry
Ilex verticillata
A winter seed source songbirds return to, white, red berries flowers.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Its seed heads carry birds through the lean months; happy in clay and loam soil.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Leave its seed heads standing — birds strip them through fall and winter, good through zone 9.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Maximilian Sunflower
Helianthus maximiliani
Leave its seed heads standing — songbirds strip them through fall and winter, golden yellow flowers.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
Compass Plant
Silphium laciniatum
A winter seed source songbirds return to, 2–3 ft wide.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 5–9 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Sideoats Grama
Bouteloua curtipendula
Seed for birds and caterpillars for their nestlings — for sand, clay, rocky, and loam ground.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Seed for songbirds and caterpillars for their nestlings — spreading 10–20 ft.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
Seed for birds and caterpillars for their nestlings — for clay and loam ground.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Seed for birds and caterpillars for their nestlings — cold-hardy to zone 3.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Stiff Goldenrod
Solidago rigida
A winter seed source birds return to, for clay, rocky, and loam ground.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
Inkberry Holly
Ilex glabra
Its seed heads carry birds through the lean months; spreading 4–8 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 4–8 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Blue Vervain
Verbena hastata
Its seed heads carry birds through the lean months; good through zone 8.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Blue Grama
Bouteloua gracilis
Bird food twice over — seed heads birds strip in fall, plus the caterpillars nesting birds feed their chicks.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 8–20 in
- Blooms Jun–Aug
American Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis
Leave its seed heads standing — songbirds strip them through fall and winter, happy in clay and loam soil.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
7 more also qualify: Switchgrass, Indian Grass, Little Bluestem, Prairie Dropseed, Pennsylvania Sedge, Cinnamon Fern, Big Bluestem.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Louisiana
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.