Favorite shrubs for habitat improvement

[Bowsnbucks]

If you want some thick cover, look into hawthorns. Not so much a browse item - your point in post # 11 - ( although deer will eat the young shoots with no thorns ), but it makes excellent screening / bedding cover. The 3/8" red berries that ripen in the fall are very attractive to grouse, turkeys, and a multitude of small birds. The seeds inside the red berries get spread readily by birds and help grow your thickets. They are VERY tough trees. No pampering needed - just cage them until they get about 6 ft. tall to keep deer from topping them for you. ( about 3 years, usually ). Because of their 2 to 2 1/2" long needle-like thorns that they eventually get, deer seem to like bedding in ( under ) hawthorns. The lowest limbs seem to settle at about 4 to 5 ft. above ground. After they get to be about 1" caliper on the trunk, deer will only browse the lowest-hanging, most tender new shoots because they have no thorns. The long thorns on the mature wood protect against everything, including deer. Great security cover for deer and birds.

Thermal cover - spruce, spruce, and more spruce. I believe Black Hills spruce is native to you there, and regular black spruce ( different spruce ) is recommended for wetter ground. ROD is a great choice for wetter ground as others have said. Good luck with your project !!

 

[MN_Chestnut]

White Cedar, nothing beats this for winter browse. Biggest problem is getting them established before they get munched

 

[MN_Chestnut]

http://wildlife.org/sustainable-management-of-white-tailed-deer-and-white-cedar/

 

[JP14]

White Cedar, nothing beats this for winter browse. Biggest problem is getting them established before they get munched

This looks a great addition. And it's definitely going on my list. Sounds like they need some good protection for quite a few years.

These sound like they can be planted around apple trees without worry about cedar apple rust is that correct?

 

[wiscwhip]

Correct, red cedar which causes CAR, is technically a juniper. White cedar is a true cedar. The fungus should have really been called juniper apple rust, as it is junipers which actually harbor the fungus/spores.

 

[MN_Chestnut]

Try using a wire mesh cage about 3' diameter.

This will allow the tree to grow as well as allow the deer to browse it when the tree reaches out of the cage.

 

[Tickrancher]

Do you have any wet areas on you property? Any areas with consistent water or moist soils, like a marsh, stream or even a low run-off point that stays wet consistently?

My chokeberries are planted on high ground but the MDC seedling order form has them checked as useful for wetland restoration. I haven't planted any is wet areas so I can't speak from experience. Another option on moist low ground is false indigo. It grows real well, at least in NE Missouri. Eight year old plants are 6 to 8 foot tall and they drop a lot of seeds that birds should like. No need to fence or protect false indigo. They are not a favored food source.