Unless forested tracts are already present, most properties have only trees and ground covers, often lawns, with little in between. Planting shrubs then becomes a way to attract those wildlife species that need this plant layer to satisfy their habitat needs. Shrubs as Habitat Shrubs can serve as habitat in many ways. Flowering shrubs produce nectar to feed bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Berry-producing shrubs feed songbirds, upland game birds and many mammals including deer, squirrel, fox and chipmunks.
Wild animals use leaves, twigs and buds of the plant itself for food.
Shrubs can provide shelter from predators or extreme weather, or to nest and raise young, especially when massed. Evergreen, thorny, or dense-branching shrubs usually offer the best shelter. When selecting shrubs, keep in mind the flowering and fruiting nature of the species. Try to incorporate shrubs that produce berries at different times of the year so that a food supply is always present for berry-eating wildlife. Some shrubs are dioecious meaning that male and female flowers are born on separate plants.