When Minnesota winter settles in and everything outside turns into a snow globe set to “permanent freeze,” our birds have to get creative about finding food. Thankfully, we can make their lives a whole lot easier by planting species that hang onto seeds and berries long after summer has packed up. Here are ten plants—four perennials and six trees and shrubs—that keep birds fed during our coldest months, plus a quick note on why those native picks are especially valuable.
Perennials
1. Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) – Native
When the blooms are done, the seed heads turn into winter snacks for goldfinches, chickadees, and nuthatches. Leave the stalks standing, and you’ll see birds visiting all season like it’s their favorite drive-thru.
2. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) – Native
Those little dark seed heads stick around well into winter. Finches flock to them, and watching a plump goldfinch dangling from a frozen stem is peak Minnesota entertainment.
3. Bee balm (Monarda fistulosa) – Native
Known for its summer pollinator party, bee balm keeps giving through winter. Its dried seed heads feed small songbirds and look downright adorable wearing mini snow hats.
4. Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ and others
Not a native, but a reliable winter MVP. The sturdy seed clusters persist long after the plant looks like it checked out around Thanksgiving. Birds happily peck at it all season
Trees & Shrubs
5. Red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) – Native
Beyond its flashy red stems, this shrub offers berries that hang on into winter—essential fuel for robins, waxwings, and other winter survivors.
6. Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) – Native
This shrub is winter décor all on its own. Those bright red berries are beloved by birds in late winter, like nature’s emergency chocolate stash.
7. American highbush cranberry (Viburnum trilobum) – Native
Not a true cranberry, but truly loved by birds. The berries soften and sweeten as the season drags on, becoming prime late-winter snacks for waxwings and grouse.
8. Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) – Native
Its berry-like cones are essential winter food for cedar waxwings—who treat it like a seasonal cocktail bar. Plus, evergreens offer shelter from the wind.
9. Crabapples (various cultivars)
Their fruit clings to branches for months, feeding cardinals, woodpeckers, and other regulars. Sometimes the fruit ferments, which leads to… wobbly bird moments. Nature has jokes.
10. Rugosa roses (Rosa rugosa and similar species)
Their tough-as-nails rose hips persist deep into winter, offering nutrient-rich food when supplies are low. It’s a nice pop of color in the land of gray and white.
Why native plants matter
Native plants evolved alongside Minnesota’s wildlife, meaning their berries, seeds, and timing line up perfectly with what local birds need—especially in winter, when survival gets real. They also support far more insects during the growing season, giving birds the protein-rich food their young depend on. And because natives are adapted to our freeze-thaw mood swings, they’re naturally more resilient and less needy than many ornamentals.
Plant a mix of these and you’ll turn your yard into a cold-season refuge that keeps birds fed, happy, and entertaining you through the long months of “didn’t winter just start?”
