Best herbaceous plants for attracting gray squirrels? (1 Viewer)

[Avon Avians]

Hey, folks!
Does anyone have any suggestions about which flowers and herbaceous plants attract gray squirrels most effectively?
I know that eastern gray squirrels live in both the US and the UK, so I'm sure many people have had experiences with them.
I'm also interested in hearing about other backyard features that would entice them.

I'm trying to attract squirrels naturally, but planting an oak would not produce the desired effect because they take too long to mature and produce acorns.
The herbaceous plants would not necessarily be the main attraction of the yard, they would just be additional wildlife-attracting assets.

(And while I'm at it, I'm also interested in hearing about chipmunk-attracting plants.)

Anyways, I'm sure people have had experiences with this.
Thanks! God bless!

 

[Richard D]

Hazel bears nuts from a fairly young age, but generally Squirrels want the height and security of reasonably tall trees, so unless there are those close by you might not have a lot of luck. Bear in mind squirrels also have a habit chewing bark so can damage trees too and will predate birds nests and fledglings (not saying that's a bad thing - it's how they survive): BBC - Earth News - Grey squirrels 'do not harm woodland birds in England'.

 

[IamFof]

Off topic comment.
As you say AA, the grey squirrel is found in UK, but is NOT a native. It was introduce from about the 1890s to "enhance" country estates.
It out competed our native Red Squirrel, and is a carrier for squirrel pox, which it is immune to but is fatal to the Red.
The Red is now a rare species in UK, while the tree rats are found everywhere.
There is hope, though, as the Pine Martin is making a comeback and it is, apparently, an efficient preditor on the Grey.

 

[Avon Avians]

Off topic comment.
As you say AA, the grey squirrel is found in UK, but is NOT a native. It was introduce from about the 1890s to "enhance" country estates.
It out competed our native Red Squirrel, and is a carrier for squirrel pox, which it is immune to but is fatal to the Red.
The Red is now a rare species in UK, while the tree rats are found everywhere.
There is hope, though, as the Pine Martin is making a comeback and it is, apparently, an efficient preditor on the Grey.

I know, I get it. They are not native; they were introduced for ornamental purposes. And they are invasive.
And they have caused a decline in the numbers of red squirrels, to the point that they are now the most common species.
I guess it's hard for me to understand what that's like because in New England, gray squirrels are native, and they don't cause our other native squirrels (American red squirrel and eastern chipmunk) to decline. In fact, I love watching all three species compete and interact at our bird feeders!

(By the way, our red squirrels are not related to yours, although they share a preference for coniferous forests. Despite their small size, they are feisty and able to put up with the gray squirrels. Just today I saw a red squirrel chasing a gray after an altercation!)

I guess the only thing that I could relate with concerning what's going on in Europe would be if brown rats outcompeted and replaced our squirrels. I would not like that, and I guess it's kind of the same with the two squirrels in Europe.

But anyway, what I meant was that because they are so widespread over the world now, most people on this forum have seen one.
(I actually don't know where you live. You have a brushtail possum on your user thumbnail?)

 

[Kits]

I can’t think of any herbaceous plants which you would want squirrels to find attractive. They have a penchant digging up spring bulbs and I doubt you would want to encourage that. They have a wonderful time in our garden as we have lots of mature oaks, hornbeams, cedar, conifer and chestnut trees.

 

[IamFof]

AA. My comment was just that. A comment on the way humans have changed the natural balance, for no other reason, than we can.
I am in UK, but, as you observed, my thumbnail is a brushtail possum, that was a neighbour when I lived in Queensland, Aus.

 

[Avon Avians]

I can’t think of any herbaceous plants which you would want squirrels to find attractive. They have a penchant digging up spring bulbs and I doubt you would want to encourage that. They have a wonderful time in our garden as we have lots of mature oaks, hornbeams, cedar, conifer and chestnut trees.

I don't really care if they kill the plants. I just want to plant something that will provide them with a natural food resource.
As long as it's a fast-growing or prolific plant that doesn't take years to grow, I would not mind having to replant it to replace squirrel-caused losses.

We do not have many of the trees that you listed around our yard, but we do have elms, maples, and sumacs. We also have young apple trees.
I would pay hundreds for a mature oak in our yard, but most people can't exactly replant a tree that large. We could plant small oaks, but they would not produce acorns in a very long time.

This teaches me not to take "little" things for granted. Were we used to live, we had many mature oaks that we didn't even have to plant or care for.

(We do have lots of gray squirrels in our yard, but they are feeding on the sunflower seeds at our bird feeders. Since sunflower seeds are not really an ideal staple diet for them, I want to plant trees, shrubs, vines, and flowers that provide additional food for them so they will still hang out in our yard when the bird feeders are empty.)

 

[dantheman]

I don't really care if they kill the plants. I just want to plant something that will provide them with a natural food resource.
As long as it's a fast-growing or prolific plant that doesn't take years to grow, I would not mind having to replant it to replace squirrel-caused losses.
We do not have many of the trees that you listed around our yard, but we do have elms, maples, and sumacs. We also have young apple trees.
I would pay hundreds for a mature oak in our yard, but most people can't exactly replant a tree that large. We could plant small oaks, but they would not produce acorns in a very long time.
This teaches me not to take "little" things for granted. Were we used to live, we had many mature oaks that we didn't even have to plant or care for.

I'm getting kinda interested to know the size of your plot/yard, and what you have there already in terms of habitat/features. I guess you're trying to replicate the best of the naturally occurring wildlife features in your part of the world to maximise the wildlife potential of your site?

Good luck with it all!

 

[Avon Avians]

I'm getting kinda interested to know the size of your plot/yard, and what you have there already in terms of habitat/features. I guess you're trying to replicate the best of the naturally occurring wildlife features in your part of the world to maximise the wildlife potential of your site?

Good luck with it all!

Our lot is small, less than 1 acre, in a somewhat suburban town, but one that's ultimately surrounded by forests.
Our front yard is small and essentially devoid of wildlife. It has a crabapple tree sapling, a small fir sapling, and a small flower garden.
Beside our house, we also have a small magnolia.
Our backyard is much richer and more wildlife-friendly.
The predominant trees in our backyard are maples, birches, elms, and staghorn sumacs. We have a few pines and oak saplings, and a fir sapling.
We also have two apple tree saplings that we planted, and a cranberry bush that was recently planted.
And there's also a very large shrub that we have not identified. I do not believe it produces fruit or nuts, but the birds use it for cover.
There's also an unidentified fruit-bearing shrub that produces red fruits that robins, cardinals, and waxwings occasionally visit in the winter.
I honestly think that the staghorn sumacs are the primary wildlife-attracting trees.

I have observed the following feeding on the fruits:
. American robin
. European starling
. Blue jay
. Black-capped chickadee
. Downy woodpecker
. Gray squirrel

We had planned to plant a few additional oaks and pines from seed.

 

[Avon Avians]

This thread has no need to continue on. Gray squirrels are now showing up in our yard in abundance.
They sure were not common in the spring and summer, but this last fall we started seeing them everywhere.
I suspect they were originally attracted to the seeds of the pines, birches, and maples that are present near our house.
Now their favorite foods are the sunflower seeds that we put out for the birds!
Which answers my question. The best herbaceous plant to attract squirrels are sunflowers.