--- title: 5 Reasons Why You Need More Shrubs (Live Stream with David Mizejewski) description: Discover the essential role native shrubs play in your garden for year-round interest, wildlife support, and versatile landscaping options. Learn tips and insights from expert David Mizejewski. image: https://content.gardenforwildlife.com/hubfs/Live%20Stream%20Promo%20Shrubs-1.png --- [Skip to content](https://content.gardenforwildlife.com/learn/5-reasons-why-you-need-more-shrubs-live-stream-with-david-mizejewski#main-content) [![Garden for Wildlife by National Wildlife Federation logo](https://content.gardenforwildlife.com/hubfs/Branding/Logos/GFW%20Stacked%20Primary%20Logo/GFW-logo-stacked-color-1.svg)](https://content.gardenforwildlife.com/) - Get Involved [**At Home**](https://content.gardenforwildlife.com/get-involved/at-home) From planting a garden to spreading the word about native plants, everyone can take action. 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Learn tips and insights from expert David Mizejewski. [![gfw-featured-image-home-hummingbird](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/43941187/interactive-160479738010.png)](https://content.gardenforwildlife.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLI0KZWbdknSuqouG0jtMvsuU2kct%2BOi1pCLTwt9UympDIsZ2nOYGOlz3fjtyXm3IZJH6lGSVeH0nqk37LnQpCPxNH9E1%2Bj2qscYQ0ZO0cfj45gRMwUiViGvH6kXtxxmzY8aTGkyz5tjH3gIlOiKjMSoIkppeNtQH2j2Lsxygy5C9d9ApysQeSYsumCKSwbHZZ3MYznKTlQ23l7nr6QgVe3n4gZDNx%2FsOlGWuA%3D%3D&webInteractiveContentId=160479738010&portalId=43941187) We recently went hosted a live stream on the [Garden for Wildlife YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@GardenforWildlife) with [David Mizejewski](https://naturalist.nwf.org/), Naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation, to talk about the unsung heroes of the garden: [native shrubs](https://content.gardenforwildlife.com/learn/what-makes-a-shrub-a-shrub-a-guide-to-unlocking-your-gardens-full-potential). While wildflowers often steal the show and [trees provide the canopy](https://content.gardenforwildlife.com/learn/native-trees-layering-your-landscape-for-a-wildlife-paradise), shrubs are the "workhorses" that bridge the gap, offering essential structure and resources for wildlife . If you missed the stream, don't worry! We’ve rounded up David’s five compelling reasons to [add more native shrubs](https://gardenforwildlife.com/collections/native-shrubs) to your landscape, along with highlights from our Q&A session. ## 1. Shrubs Are Native Everywhere No matter where you live—whether it’s the desert, grasslands, mountains, or coastal areas—there are [shrub species native to your specific ecoregion](https://gardenforwildlife.com/collections/native-shrubs). Unlike certain plant types like ferns or cacti which are region-specific, shrubs are ubiquitous, giving every gardener options to choose from. ## 2. They Come in All Sizes Shrubs aren't just medium-sized bushes; they cover a huge spectrum of shapes and sizes to fit any garden scale. - **Ground Covers:** Some, like the bunchberry dogwood, grow low to the ground (around six inches tall) and act as a woody ground cover. - **Large Specimens:** Others, like the [**Oakleaf Hydrangea**](https://gardenforwildlife.com/products/oakleaf-hydrangea-shrub) (*Hydrangea quercifolia*), can grow 10 to 15 feet tall, acting almost like small trees. - **Container Friendly:** Even if you only have a balcony or patio, smaller species like blueberries or huckleberries can thrive in pots. ## 3. They Offer Year-Round Interest While herbaceous perennials often die back in winter, shrubs are woody plants that provide visual structure and interest across all four seasons. - **Spring:** Many species offer beautiful blooms (and nectar!). - **Summer/Fall:** Flowers give way to colorful berries and fruits. - **Autumn:** Deciduous shrubs like sumacs and blueberries offer stunning fall foliage, often rivaling invasive options like burning bush. - **Winter:** Evergreen shrubs and persistent berries (like those on winterberry holly) keep the garden vibrant even in the cold months. ## 4. They Provide Critical Food for Wildlife Native shrubs are a buffet for local wildlife. - **Pollinators:** Blooms provide essential nectar and pollen for bees and butterflies. This is vital for "oligolectic" bees—pollen specialists that can only feed their young pollen from specific native plants. For example, the Blueberry Digger Bee (*Habropoda laboriosa*) relies exclusively on the pollen of [blueberry shrubs](https://gardenforwildlife.com/products/highbush-blueberry-shrub) (*Vaccinium* spp.). - **Host Plants:** Many shrubs serve as host plants for caterpillars. For example, butterflies like the Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus) rely on specific native plants like the [Spicebush](https://gardenforwildlife.com/products/spicebush-shrub) (Lindera benzoin) to feed their young. These caterpillars are the foundation of the food web for songbirds, and without these specific shrubs, they cannot complete their life cycles. - **Fruits and Seeds:** Berries and nuts feed birds and small mammals. For instance, [American Beautyberry](https://gardenforwildlife.com/products/american-beautyberry-shrub) (*Callicarpa americana*) is a favorite of the Northern Cardinal. Other great options include sumacs, blueberries, and huckleberries, which provide food in the summer and fall. Shrubs like winterberry holly and chokeberry hold their fruit into the winter, offering a critical food source when other supplies have been exhausted. - [Extrafloral Nectaries](https://bygl.osu.edu/node/1774)**:** We typically think of nectar as a flower-based reward for pollination, but some shrubs, such as [Elderberry](https://gardenforwildlife.com/products/elderberry-shrub) (Sambucus canadensis), produce nectar on their stems as well. These "extrafloral nectaries" provide a sugar boost that attracts beneficial predatory insects to the plant. These predators will also gobble up garden pests like aphids and scale insects, providing natural pest control for your landscape. ## 5. They Offer Cover and Places to Raise Young Beyond food, wildlife needs shelter. Shrubs provide essential cover from the elements (wind, rain, snow) and protection from predators. They are also a preferred nesting height for many common backyard birds, like cardinals and robins, which often avoid nesting high in tree canopies. Planting shrubs helps you check off three of the four requirements (Food, Cover, Places to Raise Young) needed to have your garden recognized as an official [Certified Wildlife Habitat](https://certifiedwildlifehabitat.nwf.org/?utm_source=GFW-Inc)**®** by the National Wildlife Federation. [![Cardinal bird eating elderberries](https://content.gardenforwildlife.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Images/Blog/Shrub%20Blog%20Featured%20Images%201.jpg?width=2240&height=1260&name=Shrub%20Blog%20Featured%20Images%201.jpg)](https://gardenforwildlife.com/products/elderberry-shrub) ## Q&A Highlights Q: Can I plant native shrubs if I have a vegetable garden? A: Absolutely! [Planting natives alongside your food garden](https://content.gardenforwildlife.com/learn/why-your-vegetable-garden-needs-plants-for-pollinators) will actually make it more productive. Native plants attract pollinators needed for crops like squash and tomatoes, as well as beneficial insects that eat garden pests. Q: What about deer? Is there a deer-proof shrub? **A:** There is no magic solution for deer; if they are hungry enough, they will eat almost anything. Fencing is the most effective deterrent. However, [designing your garden](https://gardenforwildlife.com/blogs/learning-center/deer-resistant-gardening-with-native-plants) with a naturalistic, "wild" look can help mask browsing damage better than a formal, manicured design. Q: I bought a berry-producing shrub but it has no berries. Why? **A:** Some shrubs, like [Winterberry Holly](https://gardenforwildlife.com/products/winterberry-shrub) (*Ilex verticillata*), are **dioecious**, meaning they have separate male and female plants. You need both to get fruit. It’s generally recommended to buy multiples (clusters of 3 or more) to increase your chances of having both sexes and to create a "living fence" habitat. Other factors could also be at play, like is the shrub getting enough light, water, and nutrients? Does it take a few years to get established and start bearing fruit? Seek out local resources and experts to help you diagnose the problem. Your local native plant society, master gardeners, and university extensions with a horticulturist, can help you better understand the local flora!   Q: Which shrubs do well in the shade? **A:** Look for woodland species. Great options include Viburnums (like [Arrowwood](https://gardenforwildlife.com/products/arrowwood-viburnum-shrub) and [Possumhaw](https://gardenforwildlife.com/products/possumhaw-viburnum-shrub)), [Spicebush](https://gardenforwildlife.com/products/spicebush-shrub) (Lindera benzoin), [Huckleberries](https://gardenforwildlife.com/products/black-huckleberry-shrub) (*Gaylussacia baccata*), [Summersweet](https://gardenforwildlife.com/products/summersweet-shrub) (*Clethra alnifolia*), and native Azaleas or Rhododendrons. [![Winterberry Holly with bright red berries and green leaves](https://content.gardenforwildlife.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Images/Blog/Shrub%20Blog%20Featured%20Images%202.jpg?width=2240&height=1260&name=Shrub%20Blog%20Featured%20Images%202.jpg)](https://gardenforwildlife.com/products/winterberry-shrub) Ready to add more shrubs to your garden? Check out our [collection of native shrubs](https://gardenforwildlife.com/collections/native-shrubs) to find the perfect species for your region and help us restore wildlife habitat, one garden at a time! 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