Annuals
 

flowers and butterflyPlanting annuals for birds is an easy and inexpensive way to attract birds to your yard year-round.  The annuals will bloom nonstop until frost and they will provide you with a colorful and beautiful garden.  If you don't cut back the flowers too quickly, many will attract hungry birds that will feast on the seeds.  So don't be too quick to cut back the garden in the fall and winter.  Many birds, like the Juncos and native sparrows will scratch beneath them, gleaning any leftover seen that has dropped to the ground.   Even if the annual is one that doesn't have seeds that birds crave, many others will often find other food on the plants, like caterpillars, beetles and wasps.
 
 

Some Annuals that Birds Love. 
Plant Name
Birds Attracted
Description of Plant
Where and when to plant
Comments
Bachelor's Buttons
(Centaruea cyanus)
 Finches, sparrows, and buntings 2' to 3' branching plants with 1 1/2" fringed flowers in blue, pink, rose, purple, and white from spring until fall Sow in fallor early spring in full sun in average soil Sow seeds or plant transplantss every four week for season-long bloom.  Self-sows after the first year.
Garden Balsam
(Impatiens balsamina)
 The flowers attract hummingbirds, the seeds attract grosbeaks, cardinals, and sparrows 1' to 2' succulent plants with pretty ruffled 2" flowers in pink, purple-pink, or white in mid to late summer Sow in early spring in full sun to shade in average soil Self-sows, but flower color changes to soft magenta purple. 
Cosmos
(Cosmos spp.)
 Finches, sparrows, juncos, buntings 2' to 4' branching plants with fine foiage and lovely 3" to 4" flowers in a range of pinks, reds, yellow, and orange Sow in spring in full sun in average soil Try unusal cultivars like 'seashell', with rolled petals, and look for interesting edgings of contrasting color on flowers of self-sown plants.
Love-lies-bleeding
(Amaranthus caudatus)
 Finches, sparrows Bushy 3' to 4' plants, often with vivid magenta stems; with velvety-soft tine flowers on dangling tassels up to 1' long in summer to fall Sow in full sun in midspring when soil is warm, in average to poor soil Leave plants in the garden into winter to feed sparrows and other small seed-eating birds.
Mexican sunflower
(Tithonia rotundifolia)
 Flowers attract hummingbirds; seeds attract finches, buntings, cardinals, jays, titmice, chickadees, and nuthatches 4' to 8' branching plants with large leaves and velvety stems, brilliant orange-red daisylike flowers from midsummer to fall Sow in full sun in average soil.  Leave plenty of space for plants to spread their branches Try planting an entire bed or hedge of these flowers.
Tickseed sunflower
(Bidens aristosa)
 Finches, buntings, chicadees, titmice, sparrows 2' to 5' airy, branching plants with ferny foliage, covered in buttery yellow daisylike flowers in mid to late summer Sow in early spring in full sun in average soil: thrives in wet soil too Self-sows very generaously, mulch to control seedlings orhoe lightly to uproot them.
Zinnias
(Zinnia spp.)
 Finches, sparrows, buntings, chickadees, titmice Bright or pastel, flat or mounded flowers on bushy, branching plants, varies widely in size, depending on species and cultivar Sow in midspring in full sun in average soil Produces plenty of seds for birds through fall and early winter.  Powdery mildew may mar the foliage so plant lower-growing annuals in font to hide the mildewed zinnia leaves


 
 
Gardening Methods to Attract Birds.
 Back to the Gardening for the Birds Page   Planting Perennials for the Birds 
 Berry Producing Shrubs and Plants   Planting Trees for the Birds 
Vines and Climbing Plants  Miscellaneous, Assorted Plants 

Ways to Attract Birds to your yard.
 Feeding the birds  Providing Water for the Birds
 Providing Housing for the Birds  Back to the Main Page
Other Methods to Attract Birds Providing Safety for the Birds

Since May 30, 1999