9 Great Plants for Feeding Wildlife in the Winter

Nature Hills Nursery | February 14, 2026

In the dead of winter, when the landscapes are barren, it can be difficult for wildlife to find food to survive, especially in urban areas. Instead of having critters getting into your trash can looking for a meal, why not consider providing them a buffet in your backyard? Here are nine plants that can provide for wildlife during the winter!

1. American Persimmon - Diospyros virginiana

Edible fruits are essential to wildlife looking to survive the winter,

and American persimmon provides. Bright orange fruits up to 2 inches in diameter provide a delicious snack to both wildlife and humans. This small tree also provides nesting sites for many bird species.

Other notable characteristics:
* Yellow, red and purple fall color
* Scented flowers in spring
* Decorative bark
* 40 feet tall, 30 feet wide at maturity
* Zones 4-9

2. American Crabapple - Malus spp.

American Crabapple provides delicious red fruits into the winter seasons for wildlife to eat. Depending on what species you have in your area, you will see a variety of birds and small mammals eating the fruit. This fruit helps provide essential energy to the wildlife to allow them to make it through the winter seasons.

Other notable characteristics:

* Berries persist all winter long
* 20-30 foot spread
* White flowers with green foliage, or pink flowers with purple foliage
* Red or orange fall color
* Zone 3-9

Varieties to consider:
Prairiefire, Deep burgundy berry, pink spring flowers
Donald Wyman, Vibrant red berry, white spring flowers
Red Jewel, Prolific red berries, 15-20 feet

3. Smooth Sumac - Rhus glabra

Sumac Berries In Winter. Smooth sumac has bright red berries that persist all winter long, which provides an emergency source of food for the dead of winter to many bird species. It is best planted in large sites - as it has a tendency to create clones and spread. It is said that the fruits can be boiled to create a lemonade-type drink.

Other notable characteristics:
* Smooth green foliage
* Vibrant red fall color
* Twisted stems in winter
* Full sun, Zone 3-9
* 10-15 feet tall

4. Cutleaf Staghorn Sumac - Rhus typhina

Compared to smooth sumac, Cutleaf Staghorn Sumac is a little less wild and better suited for manicured landscapes. It still has the red berries that are a favorite of many birds, but the branches are covered with a soft, downy layer, similar to that of velvet on stag horns - giving rise to its common name.

Other notable characteristics:
* Delicate lacy chartreuse foliage
* Bright red and orange in fall
* Zones 3-8
* 12-15 feet tall

5. Southern Wax Myrtle (Northern Bayberry) - Myrica pensylvanica

Delicate lavender berries persist long into the winter months, making it ideal for wildlife to feed on. This shrub can be trained into a tree form if desired, making it adaptable for both mass plantings and focal points. Both deer resistant and a natural insect repellant, this shrub's leaves also boast a distinct, pleasant fragrance.

Other notable characteristics:
* Tolerant of sandy and salty soils
* Zones 3-7
* Semi-evergreen
* 6-9 foot spread

6. Winterberry - Ilex verticillata

Vibrant red berries in the winter become a bird buffet with this shrub, while the evergreen leaves provide shelter and nesting sites. As winterberry is a dioecious plant, it is necessary to have both a male and a female plant for successful flowering. With a range of sizes, there are plenty of options for your landscape.

Other notable characteristics:
* Zones 4-9
* Evergreen
* Red berries persist

Cultivars to consider:
Red Sprite female, compact 3-foot spread
Jim Dandy male, 4-foot spread

7. American Cranberrybush Viburnum - Viburnum trilobum

Even though this shrub is not a cranberry you'll find on your table at Thanksgiving, this shrub has edible fruits favored by wildlife. The berries can also be used to make jams and jellies for human consumption. Known to thrive in moist soils, this shrub is a flock pleaser.

Other notable characteristics:

* Glossy green leaves
* Red fall color
* 10 by 12 foot spread
* Zones 2-7

8. American Bittersweet - Celastrus scandens

Bright orange capsules open and reveal bright red fruits on this vine. Though it needs a structure to grow up, it is a bird's delight, especially in the late winter. Also, you can use the decorative pods as decoration in your house.

Other notable characteristics:
* Yellow fall color
* Highly adaptable to most soil conditions
* Zones 5-8
* Spreads 15-20 feet

9. Grey Twig Dogwood - cornus racemosa

White berries favored by many mammals and birds cover this shrub in the winter months. Its dense branches also provide essential nesting sites and cover for wildlife, while the gray twigs are decorative and beautiful. This is a highly adaptable shrub that will thrive in almost any situation.

Other notable characteristics:
* 10 to 15 feet spread
* Young twigs are red
* Bright green foliage
* Red fall color
* Zones 2-8

Winter always seems very dreary, especially when it comes to enjoying the wildlife. Incorporating at least one of these suggested plants into your landscape can provide wildlife with essential habitat and food in the winter months.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which plants are best for feeding wildlife in the winter garden?

A: Several excellent plants can provide food for wildlife during the winter months, including American Persimmon, American Crabapple, and both Smooth and Cutleaf Staghorn Sumac. American Persimmon produces bright orange fruits up to 2 inches in diameter and thrives in Zones 4-9, while American Crabapple offers persistent red or orange berries through the entire winter season across Zones 3-9. Smooth Sumac and Cutleaf Staghorn Sumac both produce red berries that last all winter and are well-suited to Zones 3-9, with Cutleaf Staghorn being a better choice for more manicured landscapes. To support local wildlife, consider planting a combination of these species to ensure a reliable food source from fall through the coldest winter months.

What do birds and small animals eat in winter when natural food sources run low?

When natural food sources dwindle in winter, birds and small mammals rely on persistent fruits and berries from trees and shrubs like American Crabapple, American Persimmon, and Smooth Sumac. Crabapple berries cling to branches all winter long, persimmon fruits reach up to 2 inches in diameter, and sumac berries provide what many consider an emergency food source in the coldest months. All three plants thrive across a wide range of zones (Zone 3-9) and can be grown in most home landscapes. Plant a mix of these species in your backyard to create a reliable winter buffet that keeps wildlife fed and away from your trash cans.

Which native shrubs produce the most berries for birds to eat through winter?

Smooth Sumac and Cutleaf Staghorn Sumac are two of the best native shrubs for providing winter bird food, as both produce bright red berry clusters that persist through the coldest months and are hardy in Zones 3 through 9. American Crabapple is another excellent choice, with berries that hang on all winter long across a 20 to 30 foot spread, and varieties like Donald Wyman and Red Jewel are especially prolific producers. For maximum wildlife benefit, plant a combination of these species to ensure a staggered and abundant food supply from fall through late winter.

How do I choose seed-producing flowers that will keep feeding birds after frost?

Look for flowers that form sturdy seed heads capable of persisting through freeze-thaw cycles, such as coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, and sunflowers, all of which reliably hold seed into late winter across a wide range of zones. Avoid deadheading these plants in fall so the seed heads remain intact for foraging birds like finches and chickadees. Plant a succession of species with staggered maturation times so food sources remain available from first frost through late winter. Visit naturehills.com to browse seed-producing perennials suited to your specific zone and climate conditions.

Which evergreen plants offer both food and shelter for wildlife in winter?

While the plants highlighted in this article are primarily deciduous, many evergreens excel at providing both food and shelter for winter wildlife. Hollies, arborvitae, and eastern red cedar are excellent choices, as their dense branching offers year-round cover while their berries feed birds through the coldest months. For best results, plant a mix of berry-producing evergreens like winterberry or inkberry alongside dense conifers to create a wildlife habitat that offers both a food source and protected roosting sites across zones 3 through 9.

When should I plant wildlife-friendly shrubs and trees so they are ready to produce food by winter?

For most wildlife-friendly trees and shrubs, plan on a establishment period of two to three years before you see significant fruit production, so planting in fall or early spring gives roots the best start. Bare root stock planted in late winter or early spring tends to establish quickly, while container-grown plants can go in the ground from spring through early fall. Hardy selections like Smooth Sumac (Zone 3-9) and American Crabapple (Zone 3-9) are resilient, but giving them at least one full growing season before expecting a heavy fruit set is realistic. Choose species suited to your hardiness zone, plant during mild weather, and water consistently through the first season to maximize your chances of a productive winter display for wildlife.

How do I design a garden that gives wildlife reliable food, shelter, and cover throughout winter?

To create a reliable winter wildlife habitat, layer plants with different heights and fruiting times, such as a 40-foot American Persimmon (Zones 4-9) as a canopy, mid-height Cutleaf Staghorn Sumac at 10-15 feet for shelter and berries, and low-growing shrubs like Smooth Sumac to fill the understory. Focus on plants whose fruits persist through the coldest months, including American Crabapple varieties like Red Jewel or Donald Wyman, which hold their berries all winter and serve birds and small mammals alike. Start by selecting at least two or three of these species suited to your hardiness zone, plant them in grouped masses rather than isolation, and aim to have them established a full growing season before winter to maximize fruit production.

Should I leave seed heads on flowers in fall instead of deadheading them for birds?

Yes, leaving seed heads on flowers through fall and winter is one of the best things you can do for birds and other wildlife. Many songbirds rely on seeds from coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, and ornamental grasses as a critical food source when natural forage becomes scarce. Wait until late winter or early spring to cut back spent stems, giving birds the full benefit of the seed supply through the harshest months.

Which plants keep producing food for birds in late winter after other sources are gone?

Several plants from this list are specifically valued for keeping food available deep into winter when other sources are exhausted. Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra) and Cutleaf Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) both hold their bright red berries all winter long and thrive in Zones 3-9, making them reliable emergency food sources for birds in the coldest months. American Crabapple varieties like Prairiefire and Donald Wyman also persist through winter, with berries that cling to branches well into the season. Plant a combination of sumac and crabapple to create a staggered, season-long food source that gives local bird populations the best chance of making it through to spring.

How many wildlife-friendly plants do I need to make a real difference for birds and animals in winter?

Even a single well-chosen plant can make a meaningful impact, but planting two or three species with overlapping fruiting seasons will provide the most consistent food source through the winter months. For example, combining an American Crabapple (Zones 3-9) with a Smooth Sumac (Zones 3-9) gives wildlife both a high-energy fruit and an emergency backup food supply when other sources run out. Focus on plants that hold their fruit well into winter rather than those that drop early in fall. Start with one small tree like American Persimmon or Crabapple and add a shrubby sumac nearby to create a layered habitat that serves both ground-feeding and perching birds.