The Flowering Accent Tree That Birds And Butterflies Will Love In Your Yard

If you want to attract birds and butterflies without a lot of extra effort, consider growing an adaptable deciduous tree. Green hawthorn (Crataegus viridis) is a lovely native option for a wildlife garden. This showy tree attracts the attention of birds, butterflies, and humans throughout the changing seasons. In the springtime, tiny clusters of white flowers bloom, producing nectar, making it a tree you should plant to help butterflies and pollinators thrive in your yard. In the fall, you can admire the brightly-colored, scarlet leaves. Songbirds will also begin to frequent your green hawthorn in autumn and winter. Beginning in September, the little red fruits, called pomes, start to ripen. These tasty treats can help sustain migratory birds through cold winter months. 

Growing green hawthorn is not difficult, considering its ability to thrive in all types of soils, from sandy loam to clay. In its habitat, this tree grows on prairies and open woodlands, where it naturally serves as a favorite of all types of birds and butterflies. Along with being a great source of nectar, green hawthorn is a known host of the larva of several butterflies, including King's hairstreak and soapberry hairstreak. Birds easily can find shelter in the dense branches of this tree, too, making it an ideal tree to encourage birds to nest in your yard.

Growing green hawthorn is one of the easiest birdscaping tips to turn your yard and garden into a bird haven, but first consider the ideal spot to grow it for the best results. This small to medium tree grows anywhere from 20 feet to 35 feet tall, which makes it great for landscaped sites and restricted areas (smaller residential properties, parks, etc.) Although its native habitat is the southeastern U.S., green hawthorn grows successfully in USDA hardiness zone 4 through 7. If you can provide full sun and well-drained soil in these areas, this tree will bloom emphatically beginning in March and then grow tiny fruits in autumn. 

Another important thing to remember about this tree is its unique scent. You need to find the right location where you can benefit butterflies and birds without offending your nose. This flowering tree is gorgeous, but it has an odor like a rotting corpse, a smell designed to attract midges which also pollinate the tree. Despite the smell, green hawthorn is considered a beneficial tree because it's more resistant to diseases than other hawthorn species, especially the most popular cultivar, 'Winter King'. That means it can be an ideal landscape tree if you're looking to revamp your yard with a focus on drawing birds and pollinators.