19 Perennial Seed Heads That Feed Garden Birds in Winter

When you feed one animal, you feed many. Your actions have lasting impacts on the greater food web that exists around you. Insects feed birds, birds feed larger animals, and they feed even larger animals! The more biomass accumulates, the more organic matter exists for decaying organisms. They then feed plants with their decay, returning the nutrients where they came from.

Feed the birds to foster an ecologically safe space. Other animals will grow curious as to why so many birds spend time in your yard. You’ll be popular within the wildlife community! By the time spring arrives, birds will come back in search of nectar, flowers, and fruits. 

Douglas Aster

	botanical name Symphyotrichum subspicatum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-4’
	hardiness zones 4-9

Douglas asters add charm to landscapes throughout the western U.S. They’re an iconic North American aster species with purple petals and sunny yellow centers. Each flower is composite, meaning it has dozens of tiny flowers inside what appears to be a single blossom. Other plants like this include sunflowers, daisies, and chrysanthemums. 

Composite flowers are excellent material for winter seed heads. Each tiny blossom forms a seed, and the composite flower will form dozens of seeds on a single head. This creates a ready snack for hungry birds when not much else is available. 

Douglas asters are the perfect native species for western U.S. gardens. Start them from seed during the fall when they naturally fall to the ground or sow them in spring after the danger of frost passes. You may cut blossoms for floral arrangements, but leave the last round of flowers in late summer. They’ll form nutritious seeds for birds and other wildlife.

Pacific Aster

	botanical name Symphyotrichum chilense
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2-4’
	hardiness zones 6-10

This aster is similar to Douglas aster, except it favors coastal conditions more than inland ones. You’ll find this tall perennial sprouting purple, blue, or whitish blossom at summer’s end. They’ll feed pollinators with their nectar, and birds with their seeds.

Pacific aster is ideal if you live in low elevations close to the West Coast. This species favors consistent moisture, lots of sunlight, and free-draining soil. It’ll readily self-seed, creating a drift of seedlings in your backyard. Leave the seed heads on mature specimens, and small avian critters will flock to your garden to capture and store them.

Like Douglas aster, Pacific aster starts easily from seeds. Sow them in fall or spring, and keep the area moist but not soggy. They’ll sprout flowers near the end of summer, around the same time goldenrods throw out their yellow flower spikes.

Frost Aster

	botanical name Symphyotrichum pilosum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2-4’
	hardiness zones 4-8

If you like asters but want a profusion of white blossoms, frost aster is the perfect species for you. It blooms dozens of small white blossoms on hairy, branching stems. The stems look frosty because of their hairs, which is why this species goes by the common name “frost aster.”

This North American native perennial feeds bird families with its seeds. Because it blooms lots of flowers on a single plant, it also creates many seeds. These are important nutrition sources for cardinals, chickadees, and goldfinches. 

If one plant produces more seeds than the birds can eat, you may collect and store them for more seedlings next year! Let the seeds dry, then place them in an airtight container. Plant them for more asters, gift them to friends, or exchange them for other species of aster at a local seed bank.

Michaelmas Daisy

	botanical name Symphyotrichum novi-belgii
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-5’
	hardiness zones 4-8

Michaelmas daisy is another aster! It also has the name New York aster because it sprouts throughout the state. It’s a North American native perennial with blue-violet flowers. They look similar to New England asters, although this species has smooth leaves. 

Michaelmas daisy is a common garden ornamental, and dozens of varieties exist with different shapes, colors, and habits. Cultivars are often more compact than the species, allowing you to tuck them between other plants. Use the one-foot-tall ‘Persian Rose’ for pinky-red petals, or ‘Baldco’ for a compact type with pink-purple blossoms.

If you’d like a taller cultivar that stands alongside agastache and goldenrods, opt for ‘Climax.’ It’s a Michaelmas daisy variety that reaches six feet high with blue-purple blossoms. They open in large numbers simultaneously, creating a lovely backdrop. Let them be so they form seeds for local birds throughout winter.

Purple Coneflower

	botanical name Echinacea purpurea
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-5’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Purple coneflowers are iconic native wildflowers! Their seed heads persist long after winter frost, feeding goldfinches and other small species. The stems are hollow, and when they dry they create space for sensitive insects, larvae, and beetles. Leave these stems and you’ll aid multiple creatures with the same plant!

Some birds know how to explore hollow stems. This means your dead coneflower will offer vegetarian and carnivorous meals! Insect-eating species will open the stems for a tasty, crunchy snack. 

Purple coneflower is native to the central and eastern regions of the U.S. in prairies, meadows, and forest edges. It tolerates mild droughts and works well in garden borders, beds, and containers. Sow seeds outdoors in early fall or spring to lay the foundation for a pollinator garden.

Black-Eyed Susan

	botanical name Rudbeckia fulgida
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2-3’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Perennial black-eyed Susan graces natural landscapes throughout the world. It’s a popular species for ornamental gardens, as it’s hardy, strong, and a prolific bloomer. Bees and butterflies love the flowers, while birds enjoy devouring their seeds. Grow black-eyed Susans alongside purple coneflowers for a stunning contrast of purple, orange, yellow, and brown.

There is another species of black-eyed Susan that’s also good to leave alone during winter. Rudbeckia hirta is its name, and it grows similarly to R. fulgida. It lives as a perennial but only for two to three years, and then it sows seeds to start the next generation. 

Use R. fulgida for the best seed head results. It lasts many more years than the short-lived one because it sprouts new shoots from tough rhizomes that stay below the soil. Whenever the top half of the plant suffers, the rhizomatous lower half uses its energy to resprout in abundance. Try ‘Goldsturm’ for a compact cultivar with more blooms than the species.

Canada Goldenrod

	botanical name Solidago canadensis
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1-6’
	hardiness zones 5-9

Canada goldenrod is the ideal perennial to grow if you want to help wildlife. It attracts bees, butterflies, and birds. The sunshine-yellow sprays of flowers offer nectar and pollen to pollinators. After pollination, they transform into spikes of seeds. Let the seed spikes stand, and they’ll feed songbirds throughout the cold season. 

Nodding Onion

	botanical name Allium cernuum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6-24”
	hardiness zones 4-8

Nodding onion is another native perennial, except this species grows from bulbs belowground. It’s exceptionally hardy within the U.S., thriving in USDA plant zones 4 through 8. It grows onion-like flowers with purple blossoms. They nod downwards, and you’ll see bees hold themselves up to access their pollen in spring. 

After successful pollination, black onion seeds sprout from the flowers. They persist on the dry stems throughout winter, creating easy snacks for traveling or local birds. Leave the flowers as long as you can so they feed as many animals as possible. If you’d like, you may pick a few seeds and sow them in early autumn for more plants next spring.

Nodding onion sprouts from edible bulbs. Although you can eat them, it’s best to leave them be. They’re nowhere near as tasty as today’s culinary onions, and harvesting them will reduce the size of your plant. Snip the leaves year-round for a fresh green onion substitute. 

Common Milkweed

	botanical name Asclepias syriaca
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3-5’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Central and eastern U.S. gardeners rejoice! Common milkweed is easy to grow, a huge supporter of wildlife, and a gorgeous ornamental plant. It’s ideal no matter what your garden’s style is. Plant a few seeds in a pollinator garden, let them sprout between other perennials, or use them en masse to form a meadowscape.

All milkweeds support butterflies, insects, and birds. Their seeds erupt out of protective casings, and each one has a tuft on it that helps it float in the wind. If they get wet during autumn, they’ll sit on the plant and offer a tasty lunch for hungry critters. Leave your milkweed be, and your local animals will thank you!

Common milkweed readily sprouts from seeds. Sow them two to four weeks before your last frost date or during fall so they germinate in early spring. Milkweed loves six to eight hours of daily sunlight, well-draining soil, and regular moisture. Once it establishes itself, it’ll tolerate occasional droughts and heat waves.

Showy Milkweed

	botanical name Asclepias speciosa
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1-4’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Showy milkweed resembles common milkweed, except it has showier flowers and is native to western portions of North America. Use this species in place of the common one if you live in the Pacific Northwest, the Southwest, or nearby states like Idaho, South Dakota, and Kansas. 

This species sprouts bright pink-white flower clusters that bees and butterflies frequently visit. Seed pods swell after successful pollination, creating a nest egg full of tasty snacks. Leave them be for your flying friends to grab. If they don’t find them, the seeds will sow new plants and you’ll have even more seeds next year!

Start showy milkweed from seeds during the fall to provide cold stratification. Simulate this in the refrigerator if you live somewhere where freezes aren’t common. The seedlings will tolerate dry soils once they establish themselves. After their winter dormancy underground in the fall and winter, they’ll sprout new shoots from underground taproots as days lengthen and warm. 

Jack in the Pulpit

	botanical name Arisaema triphyllum
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1-2′
	hardiness zones 4-9

Jack in the pulpit is a unique name for a special perennial. This species sprouts blossoms unlike any other you’ve seen! The spadix, or composite flower spike, is the “Jack. The “pulpit” is the thin, colorful cover surrounding it. Use this species of Jack in the pulpit, Arisaema triphyllum, instead of non-native types, as the native species offers more resources for local wildlife. 

After successful summer pollination, the flowers form long clusters of bright red berries. Birds enjoy eating the berries and seeds, especially because they persist on the ground long after cold temperatures arrive. They’ll plant more seedlings from their droppings as they travel around the continent. 

This species may be hard to find at local nurseries and online. If you can’t find potted plants, try growing seeds instead. Seeds may take up to two years to germinate, but the reward of beautiful flowers is well worth the wait. 

Purple Mullein

	botanical name Verbascum phoeniceum
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2-4’
	hardiness zones 4-8

Purple mullein is native to Eurasia, although it’s a graceful ornamental in North American gardens. The seed pods are attractive to birds and florists! They add winter charm to indoor bouquets and floral designs; pair them with fall favorites like wintergreen and asters for a colorful arrangement. 

This perennial often reseeds when happy, producing dozens of seedlings in the surrounding area. There are dozens of cultivars for ornamental gardens that spread less readily than the species type. Try a mix of seeds like ‘Shades of Summer’ to enjoy purple, pink, and white flower spikes. Cultivated varieties like the ones in this blend often reseed less so than species types do, meaning you’ll have fewer unruly seedlings to pull out.

Some birds like eating mullein seeds, especially when their other supplies are low in stock. Help them survive the winter by leaving the brown stems to wave in the wind. Goldfinches and other small flying friends will visit your yard if they see available seeds. 

Pansy

	botanical name Viola x wittrockiana
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6-10”
	hardiness zones 4-9

Pansies are famous winter flowers. They grow off short-lived perennial shoots that are frost-resistant and cold-hardy. Some small birds eat the flowers and seeds. It’s no wonder they do since pansy flowers are extremely flashy! They come in mixes of blues, pinks, reds, purples, and whites. 

New varieties come out annually that have unique hues or shapes. Try the ‘Swiss Giants Blend’ for a mix of all colors on a classic pansy flower structure. The blossoms are gigantic, reaching two and a half inches wide. Plant seeds in late summer for blooms from fall until spring! Your seedlings will stop producing blossoms after hard frosts, although they’ll pick back up once spring arrives.

Another exceptional pansy mix is the ‘Got the Blues’ blend. It has variations of white, violet, and blue that add a subtle charm wherever they thrive. Not only can birds eat the flowers, but we can, too. Pick them to add color to salads, or make a floral salad dressing using vinegar, oil, and pansy flowers. 

Bigleaf Lupine

	botanical name Lupinus polyphyllus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3-5’
	hardiness zones 3-6

Bigleaf lupine is an iconic wildflower throughout the States. It sends up towering spikes of bicolor flowers. Find varieties with maroon, blue, purple, pink, and yellow blossoms. No matter your preference, there’s a lupine that’ll satisfy you and your local bird populations. 

Lupine flowers lure in bees, while seeds lure birds during the winter. They’ll stand on frozen, dry stalks in pods that resemble peas or beans. The seeds will drop to the ground once the pods open, but small songbirds often capture them first. They’ll battle hungry squirrels over the seeds!

For an exceptional combination of many different lupine colors, try the ‘Russel Blend’ seed mix. Its seedlings are surprisingly tolerant of heat and thrive as perennials in zones 4 through 7. If you live outside bigleaf lupine’s native range, this mix will grow well in your garden in its place.

Trumpet Vine

	botanical name Campsis radicans
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 20-40’
	hardiness zones 4-10

This perennial creeper reaches impressive heights in a single year! It’s a native vine from the eastern U.S., growing in forests throughout the region. Trumpet vine sprouts spreading vines that attach themselves to other trees and shrubs using aboveground roots or aerial rootlets. They bloom bright red-orange tubular flowers in summer.

Find trumpet vine seeds hanging out of pea-like pods. They drop to the ground when the pods open, although some will hold onto them after temperatures drop and frost arrives. Hungry birds from eastern forests love finding these snacks before they fall. They’re especially visible during the cool months when deciduous trees lose their leaves, exposing naked branches where the pods hide.

Although native to the eastern U.S., this species performs well in the Pacific Northwest and other regions with light frosts. It’ll stay perennial in warm zones, reaching incredibly high up if there are branches to latch onto. Try ‘Flava’ for yellow flowers, or ‘Minnesota Red’ for deep, dark red ones. Careful where you plant it! This is a native, but it can be aggressive in its growth.

English Daisy

	botanical name Bellis perennis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-6”
	hardiness zones 4-8

Daisies offer flowers and seeds before most other plants from late winter through early spring. They’re surprisingly tolerant of frost, providing food for garden birds like sparrows, cardinals, and finches. The species plant sprouts white or pink blossoms. Some white flowers will have pink undersides if you turn them over. 

There are also nursery cultivars with double and pom-pom style blossoms. Shades of red, white, and pink grace the shelves of plant stores each fall and spring. I’ve seen some with all three colors on the same plant! Double flowers have two layers of petals, while pom-poms have dozens of short petals that make the blossoms look like puffballs.

Plant a few seeds, or choose your favorite variety. English daisies may naturalize in your yard, covering bare soil. Let them sprout where they do, or pull them up for the compost pile. Bees and pollinating insects like visiting the flowers, and birds appreciate the tasty seeds.

Chocolate Flower

	botanical name Berlandiera lyrata
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 4-10

A sun lover, the chocolate flower is a native perennial from the dry Southwest. It sprouts brilliant yellow petalled flowers with red-green centers. As they age, they fade in place of seeds that stay stuck to the stems. Little birds will seek them out to feed themselves and their young. 

The chocolate flower receives its name from the scent it gives off in the early morning. You’ll walk through your garden craving a chocolate bar! If this plant is trying to smell good to get us to propagate it, then it’s working. This native perennial is an easy grower quickly gaining popularity in ornamental designs. 

Chocolate flower stems sprout from a long, deep taproot like mullein does. Try to avoid digging them up or dividing them, as this will harm the health of your specimen. Start new plants from seeds since it’s the easiest method of propagating this wildflower.

Rattlesnake Master

	botanical name Eryngium yuccifolium
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 4-6’
	hardiness zones 3-8

Rattlesnake master features tall flowering stems on low-growing yucca-like foliage clumps. Each rosette sprouts long, strappy leaves throughout the growing season. Once temperatures warm in summer, they send up dozens of flowers on long stems. The blossoms are white and green, resembling other plants in the Eryngium genus like sea holly. 

This plant is not only attractive to hungry garden birds, but also to famished butterflies and pollinating insects. The blossoms offer nectar and pollen, while the seeds deliver tasty fats and nutrients. Because it’s a native perennial of North America, it thrives throughout its range with little care or maintenance. 

For best-growing results, amend your soil before planting so it’s gritty and free-draining. Rattlesnake master appreciates a dry culture with occasional moisture. It’ll only need watering during intense heat waves or uncharacteristically long droughts, making it the perfect choice for a xeriscape or pollinator garden.

Mountain Sneezeweed

	botanical name Helenium autumnale
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3-5’
	hardiness zones 3-8

Although mountain sneezeweed is last on this list, its placement in no way reflects its value! This native perennial wildflower sends dozens of bright yellow composite flowers into the air from late summer through fall. They rise from up to five-foot tall stems that decorate the plants. 

The flower’s petals sprout off a single lobe from the central disk. They each have three lobes at their other end, and they curl downward as the blossoms age. En masse, the visual effect of this is breathtaking. It attracts birds, bees, and pollinating insects to your yard. Boost your crops’ production and throw a few sneezeweed seeds between tomatoes or squash; the bees will move from the sneezeweed to your vegetables’ flowers!