Mahonia and blue tits

[florall]

Does anybody else grow Mahonia x media 'Charity'? My six year old plant is in glorious flower now and it is covered in blue tits. It's an extremely colourful sight, which is great considering how dreary the weather is. I remember reading last winter that this plant attracts blue tits, can't remember what it is specifically that attracts them, something about the flowers. I would recommend it as a plant for anybody who is planning a wildlife garden.

[Sleeper]

Hi florall
I myself have just planted a mahonia aquafolium (oregon grape) for the wildlife interest mainly the berries.

Behaviour like this is always a treat to watch I think. Two reasons for the Blue tit invasion I would think, although I am sure there are more. Firstly Blue tits are known to seek out and eat/drink the nectar which your mahonia gives out in large amounts coupled with the fact not much else would give out much nectar at this time of year.
Secondly if I remember right some birds incl tits and sparrows are attracted particularly to the colour yellow. A lot of early crocus are damaged with birds eating and covorting in the yellow flowers in search of a particular substance that is abundant in yellow flowers. I am sure others will clarify this but i hope it helps a little.

I am looking forward to seeing my Mahonia mature although mine is spring flowering. How do the berries go down with the birds by the way? They always look good to eat to me!

[florall]

How do the berries go down with the birds by the way? They always look good to eat to me!

Ah, berries. Now I can't remember ever having seen any. That will be because up until this year I've always cut the bush back strongly after flowering to keep it fairly small. This year I didn't, but I didn't see berries.

Thanks for the info re. nectar.

[IanF]

We have a M.m Charity that is about 12 years old now. I prune it back pretty hard each year and it keeps throwing out more stems and flowers. There are 16 or 18 on ours this winter on a 7' high bush though we gt two lots of flowers each year.

As you say the Blue Tits love it and each winter a few Blackcaps always appear on it, a bird we don't normally get in the garden.

I must admit that I always thought it was the bugs the Blue Tits were after, but the mention of the nectar certainly fits in with explaining why they pull off the flower heads leaving a yellow carpet on the ground below. The berries go down well too with the Blackbirds.

[Gerry Hooper]

Mahonias are looking great at the moment aren't they.
They work well in shade, and in clay, so they're really useful. Bit prickly though.

I havent noticed any Blue tits on the flowers, do they do it everywhere, or could it be a local thing?

[James Blake]

I have a Mahonia which is just coming into flower. Last January it was very popular with a Blackcap, which I think was after the nectar - Blue tits were less frequent visitors.

[Johnny1]

I bought a Mahonia earlier in the year which is just coming into flower, I also have a autumn/winter flowering cherry tree which attracts the blue tits and most years a blackcap.

[florall]

I have a Mahonia which is just coming into flower. Last January it was very popular with a Blackcap.

I'm going to have to keep a closer eye on mine. I've only ever had a blackcap in the garden once, and that was years ago. Very excited at the prospect now.

[helenol]

Most interesting. I have a huge mahonia in the garden, but never really took any notice whether or not it attracts tits etc.

At least I think it's a Mahonia! I'll post a pic tomorrow...

[helenol]

At least I think it's a mahonia!

Ian - when do you prune it?

The one I have seems to be taking over the place. It's in its second flowering now. Noticed some tits on it, but not too many.

[IanF]

Yours is certainly looking healthy enough! It's definitely a Mahonia and it looks to me like it is 'Charity' but there are several varities and I'm not an expert on them.

We have only a small garden so as it gets a bit too big I just lop some off usually around April time. That causes it to send out new shoots each carrying more flowers.

[florall]

Ian - when do you prune it?

The one I have seems to be taking over the place. It's in its second flowering now.

Helen - I always prune mine when it's finished flowering, and cut it back to just below where the flowers are. I've been doing this for several years, and it seems to flourish.

[helenol]

Ian - thanks for the info.

florall - thanks too. Do you actually cut off the stems with the prickly bits, or do you cut off above that? I suspect mine hasn't been pruned in a long long time, it's massive!

Yours in ignorance

[David FG]

Hi florall
I myself have just planted a mahonia aquafolium (oregon grape) for the wildlife interest mainly the berries.

Behaviour like this is always a treat to watch I think. Two reasons for the Blue tit invasion I would think, although I am sure there are more. Firstly Blue tits are known to seek out and eat/drink the nectar which your mahonia gives out in large amounts coupled with the fact not much else would give out much nectar at this time of year.
Secondly if I remember right some birds incl tits and sparrows are attracted particularly to the colour yellow. A lot of early crocus are damaged with birds eating and covorting in the yellow flowers in search of a particular substance that is abundant in yellow flowers. I am sure others will clarify this but i hope it helps a little.

I am looking forward to seeing my Mahonia mature although mine is spring flowering. How do the berries go down with the birds by the way? They always look good to eat to me!


The berries are edible and are OK; don't know what birds make of them, never really noticed too many on mine.

[florall]

florall - thanks too. Do you actually cut off the stems with the prickly bits, or do you cut off above that? I suspect mine hasn't been pruned in a long long time, it's massive!

Yours in ignorance

Yes, I do cut off some prickly bits. They do get very big if you don't prune. I've just asked my daughter, who's a horticulture student, if you can cut them hard back, and she says that as a general rule of thumb, if a plant grows vigorously, you can cut it back hard and it shouldn't mind.

[pauco]

You should really ask EB if her tits flock to the berries.

[Sleeper]

The berries are edible and are OK; don't know what birds make of them, never really noticed too many on mine.Thanks Gavid.

I am really hoping the Mahonia makes something of itself. Its in a mostly clay/damp/shady area and its supposed to be a good self fertile variety....time will tell!

I have tried to plant a mini hedge this season including
2 viburnum opulus "compactum"
1 Tutsan
1 Mahonia
1 Himalayan honeysuckle
1 Cotoneaster simonssi
3 Pyracantha(various)
1 Berberis Darwinii
1 Bird cherry

I don't know about others but I get a little impatient as I buy only small plants so they seem to take forever to start looking and being useful.....I guess thats half the fun.

[Gerry Hooper]

That's a good combination Stephen, plenty to keep the birds happy.
Are you hoping for a few Waxwings or something? ;)

[Sleeper]

That's a good combination Stephen, plenty to keep the birds happy.
Are you hoping for a few Waxwings or something? ;)
Yeaaaaahhhhhh right Gerry! Thanks for the encouragement though.
To be truthful we get quite a few Redwings and the odd Fieldfare which I have noticed in other gardens close to mine but I have never really had any natural food to entice them in, despite the truck loads of sultanas I throw out.

It took time tracking down some of the plants which I was surprised about.

Thanks again and who knows!

[Johnny1]

Stephen, If you want to attract fieldfares and redwings try putting a few apples out for them.

[helenol]

Stephen, If you want to attract fieldfares and redwings try putting a few apples out for them.
I'll second that. At my previous abode, I had both birds feeding on apples during the winter.

[Sleeper]

Thank you Johnny1 & Helen

I will give this a go as I really would like them to visit.

On the far side of the garden I planted a Crab Apple"John downie" last spring so if this takes off in the future then I stand an even better chance.

It's funny really as I have thrown apples out before on the lawn but the Blackbirds ignore them completely and the Starlings wait untill they are quite brown before eating them. Is this true in your gardens or is this another regional variation thing?

Thanks again for suggetion always glad of a few suggestions

[helenol]

Hi Stephen, the blackbirds always took the apples as soon as I put them out. Starlings did, too. In fact, I always used to think of apples as one of the easiest of foods to give the birds, no mess and eaten straight away.

Maybe it's a Rochdale thing - I'll have to ask my sister-in-law - she lives there too ;)

Regards

[helenol]

Here's a couple of pics. If I'm not mistaken, they were taken in Dec and Jan of last year. As you can just about notice, the apples were new.

[Sleeper]

Here's a couple of pics. If I'm not mistaken, they were taken in Dec and Jan of last year. As you can just about notice, the apples were new.
Cracking photos Helen I have to say I am very envious. I always look forward to the winter Thrushes along with the Waxwing..........don't tell me you get these as well!LOL

May be strange question but is there a favourite apple?

Golden del have been out on the lawn all day today with no takers.

[helenol]

LOL, nope no waxwings.

I used to put out Golden del too, worked a treat they did.