Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Leave its seed heads standing — birds strip them through fall and winter, 2–4 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
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- For birds
Massachusetts · Zones 5–7
Native Plants for Birds in Massachusetts
Seed, berry, and cover plants that feed songbirds year-round — and the caterpillars that nesting birds actually raise their chicks on. For Massachusetts, the right natives are shaped by Northeastern Coastal Forest & Cape and a cool, humid continental climate. Every species below, from Purple Coneflower and Flowering Dogwood to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Massachusetts and the wider flora of the Northeast and hardy through zones 5–7. 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
26 native species for Massachusetts
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 5–7 · see this collection in other states.
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
Its seed heads carry songbirds through the lean months; 15–25 ft tall.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
A winter seed source birds return to, golden yellow flowers.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Bird food twice over — seed heads songbirds strip in fall, plus the caterpillars nesting birds feed their chicks.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Its seed heads carry birds through the lean months; good through zone 9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
Feeds birds two ways: winter seed and the caterpillars that raise their young.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Feeds songbirds two ways: winter seed and the caterpillars that raise their young.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
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
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
A winter seed source birds return to, for sand, rocky, and loam ground.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Winterberry
Ilex verticillata
A winter seed source songbirds return to, reaching 5–10 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Leave its seed heads standing — birds strip them through fall and winter, spreading 3–6 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
A winter seed source birds return to, 5–10 ft wide.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Blue Vervain
Verbena hastata
Its seed heads carry birds through the lean months; reaching 3–5 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Bird food twice over — seed heads songbirds strip in fall, plus the caterpillars nesting birds feed their chicks.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
Red-Twig Dogwood
Cornus sericea
Its seed heads carry songbirds through the lean months; spreading 6–10 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 6–9 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
Feeds birds two ways: winter seed and the caterpillars that raise their young.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Feeds birds two ways: winter seed and the caterpillars that raise their young.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Inkberry Holly
Ilex glabra
Leave its seed heads standing — birds strip them through fall and winter, happy in sand, clay, and loam soil.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 4–8 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
American Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis
Leave its seed heads standing — songbirds strip them through fall and winter, 6–12 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Feeds songbirds two ways: winter seed and the caterpillars that raise their young.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Fall color
Pennsylvania Sedge
Carex pensylvanica
Feeds birds two ways: winter seed and the caterpillars that raise their young.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 6–12 in
- Foliage
Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
Seed for songbirds and caterpillars for their nestlings — 4–7 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry to wet
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
Feeds songbirds two ways: winter seed and the caterpillars that raise their young.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 3–6 ft
- Fall color
Cinnamon Fern
Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
Its seed heads carry birds through the lean months; good through zone 9.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Foliage
2 more also qualify: Indian Grass, Prairie Dropseed.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Massachusetts
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.