Home - Garden
Backyard Trees That Provide Year-Round Food & Shelter For Goldfinches
By LAUREN KRYSTAF
Most conifers are evergreens, offering shelter and protection to goldfinches during the winter months, which makes them an ideal choice for attracting the birds to your backyard.
Moreover, the seeds found in conifer cones serve as a reliable food source during scarce winter months, while the trees' needles provide valuable materials for
nest building.
There are many types of conifers, each with its own temperature, soil, and water requirements, so it's likely you'll find one that suits your yard and the birds in
your area.
For instance, spruces, such as Norway spruce and blue spruce, flourish in USDA zones 2 to 7, whereas pines like the eastern white pine do particularly well in zones 3 through 8.
If you live in warmer zones 10 and 11, the Cook pine is a great choice. Canada hemlock thrives in the shade, while ponderosa pine can even grow well in clay-heavy, high-pH soil.