9 of the Most Beautiful Berry-Producing Plants to Feed the Birds

Flowers are usually the first things that grab our attention when we are selecting plants to add to our landscapes. However, most plants only flower for a short period of time, so it behooves us to consider plants’ other attributes—and there are many! Sometimes the same flowers that seduced us into opening our wallets are replaced with an amazing fruit display. Colorful fruits of all shapes and sizes can add drama to our landscapes throughout the year. In addition to their visual beauty, many fruits are important sources of nutrition for wildlife, particularly birds. Here are a few examples of awesome plants whose fruit shines in the garden in summer, fall, and winter.

Learn more about gardening for the birds

How to help birds survive winter

Gardening for birds and pollinators

Plants for Birds for Your Region

Name: Callicarpa japonica ‘Heavy Berry’Zones: 5–8Size: 4 to 6 feet tall and wideConditions: Full sun to partial shade; average, well-drained soilNative range: China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea

Throughout spring and summer, beautyberries receive little attention. Jump ahead to late summer and fall, and all eyes gravitate to the stunning fruit display this genus is known for. ‘Heavy Berry’ in particular screams for attention, producing dazzling clusters of BB-size, shiny, violet-purple fruits up and down upright stems. The fruits persist for a couple of months, or until they fill the bellies of hungry birds. Prior to this magical display, hundreds of tiny pinkish-white flowers open in late spring and would normally go unnoticed, hidden among the foliage, if not for a surprisingly sweet fragrance that urges closer inspection. Pruning beautyberry to 10 inches from the ground every couple of years in late winter will