Ash, Black

(Fraxinus nigra)

Ash, Green

(Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Ash, White

(Fraxinus americana)

Height - Black - 40' to 70'

            Green - 30' to 50'

            White - 70' to 100'

Fruits - Late summer into fall

Fruit - Samara

Seeds preferred by Cardinals, Grosbeaks and Wood ducks. Choice host for Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies. Often used for baseball bats.

Aspen, Bigtooth

(Populus grandidentata)

Aspen, Quaking

(Populus temuloides)

Height - Bigtooth - 30' to 70'

            Quaking - 40' to 60'

Soil - Variety

Fruits - Late Spring into Early Summer - Capsule

Buds and Catkins are a preferred food of the Ruffed Grouse and is also eaten by 8 other bird species.  Rabbits and Deer eat twigs, bark and foliage.

Beech, American

(Fagus grandifolia)

Height - 40' to 70'

Soil - Moist/Drained (I've got plenty in dry upland woods)

Nut crops provide a great food source for birds and mammals.  Research indicate that 30 wildlife species use as a primary food source.  Main Consumers include - Woodpeckers, Blue Jay, Nuthatches, Grackles, Cardinals, Towhees etc.  Early Hairstreak butterflies are associated with this tree.

Birch, Paper

(Betula papyrifers)

Birch, Sweet

(Betula lenta)

Birch, Yellow

(Betula alleghaniensis)

Height - up to 70'

Soil - Paper - Moist/Drained

        Sweet - Moist/Fertile/Rocky

        Yellow - Cool/Moist/Drained

Fruit - Late Summer to Fall with Samara

Good seed crops every 1to 2 years.  Seeds eaten by at least 12 species of bird.  Including Wood Duck, Ruffed Grouse, Goldfinch, Juncos & Chickadees.

Butternut

(Juglan cinerea)

Height - 40' - 60'

Soil - Variety

Fruits - Fall with nuts

Nuts are a favorite of Carolina Wren, Nuthatches, Red-bellied Woodpeckers.  Fast Growing!

Cottonwood, Eastern

(Populus deltoides)

Height - 80' - 100'

Soil - Just about anything

Fruit - Spring into Summer with Capsule

Its' soft wood is excavated for nest sites by woodpeckers.

Maybe that's why my place is woodpecker city!

Hackberry, Common

(Celtis occidentalis)

Height - 30' - 50'

Soil - Dry

Fruits - Fall to Winter with Fruit

The Fruit is especially useful because it lasts into winter.  Numerous branches and spur branches attracts nesting birds.  At least 25 bird species eat the fruit including Catbirds, Mockingbirds, Robins, Thrashers and Cedar Waxwings.

Hickory, Mockernut

(Carya tometos)

Hickory, Pignut

(Carya glabra)

Hickory, Shagbark

(Carya ovata)

Height - Mockernut - 40' to 50'

            Pignut - 50' to 70'

            Shagbark - 70' to 80'

Soil - Drained

Fruit - Fall wit Nuts

At least about 18 species of bird eat the nuts, Usually squirrels break open the nuts and Cardinals, Nuthatches, Towhees, Woodpeckers and others clean up afterward.  The Hickory Hairstreak can only be found where the Hickory Shagbark grows.

Maple, Sugar

(Acre saccharum)

Height - 60' to 100'

Soil - Drained

fruits - Early Summer to Fall with Samara

Good nesting sites for birds. Especially for Robins and Vireos.

Oak, Black

(Quercus veluntina)

Oak, Bur

(Quercus marcrocarpa)

Oak, Pin

(Quercus palustris)

Oak, Northern Red

(Quercus rubra)

Oak, Scarlet

(Quercus coccinea)

Oak, White

(Quercus alba)

Height - Black - 80' to 150'

            Bur - 80' to 150'

            Pin - 60' to 75'

            Northern Red - 60' to 80'

            Scarlet - 70' to 80'

            White - up to 100'

Soil -  Black - Drained

         Bur - Rich/Moist/Drained

         Pin - Moist

         Northern Red - Moist/Rich/Drained

         Scarlet - Dry

         White - Rich/Moist

Fruit - Fall - Acorn

All Oaks provide a primary wildlife food source and have high energy value.  Not only is it eaten by game birds, it is eaten by woodpeckers, blue jays, squirrels, raccoons, bears, deer and others love acorns.  Oaks also provide good cover and nesting sites for birds.  Warblers feed on insects on these trees.

Osage, Orange

(Maclura pomifera)

Height - up to 60'

Soil - Dry/Drained

Fruits - Late Summer to Fall with green syncarp

Squirrels tear open large grapefruit sized fruit and eat some and the seed is cleaned up by ground feeding birds.  Drought & pollution resistant. Home to Hagen Sphinx Moth.  It is believed that the fruits were the mainstay of Mastodons.

Persimmon, Common

(Diospyos virginiana)

Height - 30' to 50'

Soil - Variety

Fruits - Fall - Orange - Yellow berry

Opossum, Foxes, Raccoons, Skunks, Deer, Robins, Bluebirds, Mockingbird and cedar Waxwings eat the fruits when they ripen.

Sassafras, Common

(Sassafras albudrum)

Height - 10' to 50'

Soil - Any

Fruit - Late Summer to Fall with Blue Drupe

At least 22 species of bird eat the fruit and it is favored by Catbird, Thrushes, Red-eyed Vireo.  Host plant for the Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly and several moth species.

Sweetgum, American

(liquidambar styraciflua)

Height - 50' to 120'

Soil - Variety

Fruit - Fall - Compound Capsule

Seeds favored by Finches, Sparrows, Doves, Titmice, Chickadees and others.  Has a heavy crop every 3 years.

Tulip Tree, North American

(Liriodendron tulipifera)

Height - 60' to 150'

Soil - Moist/Drained

Fruit - Fall - Samata

Has ornamental flowers favored by Hummingbirds for nectar.  Favorite Nesting site for many birds.  Host plant for Tiger Swallowtail and Spicebush Swallowtail Butterflies.

Walnut, Black

(Juglans nigra)

Height - 70' to 120'

Soil - Bottom Land/Drained

Fruit - Fall - Nut

Nuts preferred by many birds and mammals.  Roots release a toxic material that may kill some other plans - should be isolated.

Willow, Black

(Salix nigra)

Height - up to 50'

Soil - Moist/wet

Fruit - Spring to Summer - Capsule

Useful to birds as a nesting site.  Good naturalizer for wet ground.  Can have invasive roots.  Butterflies use as a nectar plant and the Mourning Cloak and Red Spotted Purple butterflies use as a host plant.  Hone & Bumble bees also use as a nectar source