Perch Supply
Pennsylvania · Tree

Flowering dogwood for birds in Pennsylvania

Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers. Native to Pennsylvania, where it feeds or shelters 100 backyard bird species.

Scientific name
Cornus florida
Native status
Native in Pennsylvania
Hardiness zones
USDA 5a–7b
What birds get from it
fruit and berries, insects for nestlings
Pennsylvania birds supported
100
Nesting birds among them
95

Growing conditions in Pennsylvania

Humid continental; cold, snowy winters in the north and mountains, milder in the southeast.

Warm summers; bluebirds typically raise two broods.

Pennsylvania birds that use Flowering dogwood

Year-round residents (44)

Northern Cardinal, Eastern Bluebird, Black-capped Chickadee, Carolina Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Finch, Purple Finch, Carolina Wren, American Robin, White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Eastern Towhee, Northern Mockingbird, Cedar Waxwing, Eastern Screech-Owl, European Starling, American Crow, Common Raven, Cooper's Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Barred Owl, Great Horned Owl, American Kestrel, Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher, Eastern Meadowlark, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Winter Wren, Hooded Merganser, Black Vulture, Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Black-backed Woodpecker

Summer breeders (51)

Purple Martin, House Wren, Red-headed Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-winged Blackbird, Baltimore Oriole, Orchard Oriole, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Eastern Phoebe, Chimney Swift, Pine Warbler, Wood Thrush, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Scarlet Tanager, Hermit Thrush, Gray Catbird, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Black-and-white Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Ovenbird, Yellow-breasted Chat, Red-eyed Vireo, Warbling Vireo, White-eyed Vireo, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Least Flycatcher, Cliff Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Bank Swallow, Common Nighthawk, Eastern Whip-poor-will, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, American Woodcock, Green Heron, Great Egret, Black-crowned Night Heron, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Swamp Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Bobolink

Snow cover makes suet and heated water valuable; both chickadee species meet in a narrow hybrid zone across the south of the state.

Nesting season it supports in Pennsylvania

Plants that feed adults and host caterpillars matter most while nestlings are in the nest. Local nesting windows for birds that use Flowering dogwood:

  • Northern Cardinal — April–August
  • Eastern Bluebird — April–August
  • Black-capped Chickadee — April–July
  • Carolina Chickadee — April–June
  • Purple Martin — May–July
  • Downy Woodpecker — April–June
  • Hairy Woodpecker — April–June
  • Tufted Titmouse — April–June
  • White-breasted Nuthatch — April–June
  • House Wren — May–August

Native plants to pair with Flowering dogwood in Pennsylvania

Black cherry
Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and a major caterpillar host.

Serviceberry
Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

American elderberry
Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Arrowwood viburnum
Viburnum dentatum · Shrub

Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.

Spicebush
Lindera benzoin · Shrub

Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.

Chokecherry
Prunus virginiana · Shrub

Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

Frequently asked

Is Flowering dogwood native to Pennsylvania?

Yes. Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is recorded as native in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania spans USDA 5a–7b.

What birds does Flowering dogwood attract in Pennsylvania?

In Pennsylvania, Flowering dogwood supports 100 backyard birds, including Northern Cardinal, Eastern Bluebird, Black-capped Chickadee, Carolina Chickadee, Purple Martin, Downy Woodpecker.

Does Flowering dogwood help nesting birds in Pennsylvania?

95 of those birds nest in Pennsylvania: Northern Cardinal (April–August), Eastern Bluebird (April–August), Black-capped Chickadee (April–July), Carolina Chickadee (April–June).

Which winter birds use Flowering dogwood in Pennsylvania?

Winter visitors Yellow-rumped Warbler, Fox Sparrow, Pine Grosbeak, Merlin, Bohemian Waxwing use it in Pennsylvania during the cold months.

Sources

  1. USDA PLANTS Database (native distribution)
  2. VASCAN (Canadian native distribution)
  3. eBird region overview and bar charts — Pennsylvania
  4. USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
  5. Audubon Native Plants Database

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.