Summer Berries for Birds! (& People)
Delicious for both birds and people, Highbush Blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum, is always popular, and ripens in early summer. The flowers are pollinated by native bees that sonicate, our native bumblebees and some mason bees. Although they may collect blueberry nectar, honeybees do not sonicate, and are unable to collect pollen or pollinate blueberry plant.
High in antioxidants, the Black Chokeberry, Aronia melanocarpa, also ripens in early to midsummer. Edible for people and birds, this shrub is native to the northern part of Georgia, but does well in the Piedmont if planted in an area with good moisture and rich soil. A member of the Rose family, the five petaled white flowers of Black Chokeberry are a favorite for native bees. You can see a halictid bee on the uppermost open flower in the picture below.
Elderberries, Sambucus canadensis, are also a favorite midsummer berry for people and birds. High in antioxidants, this berry has a long history of being a good food and remedy for winter colds and cordials. The fruit must be cooked or blanched before it is edible. Large clusters of purple-black berries of Elderberry generally ripen in midsummer. Photo of berries by Mary Jane Leach.
Devil's Walking Stick, Aralia spinosa, has enormous clusters of berries at the top of its stems. Short pink stems hold dense clusters of purple-black berries ripen in late summer.. The birds really love the berries, earlier in summer the pollinators love the flowers as well. A billowing cloud of yellow-green Devil’s Walking Stick flowers can serve nectar and pollen to butterflies and dozens of native bees. The flower clusters positively vibrate with buzzing critters. I have not read whether or not this berry is also edible for people.
