Goldfinch Magnet

When a tree combines the attraction of moving and fascinating color alongside its own noteworthy beauty, it's not an exaggeration to call it a champion in the garden. The River Birch pictured above fits this description and is a most welcome addition to any property vested in the attraction of wildlife and four seasons of beauty and interest. With exfoliating bark of a soft crème color, and the inclination to send up multiple trunks forming a clump, it's difficult to determine what season shows its beauty off most. But for its ability to attract the American Goldfinch, it is in June that it most shines.

When I first began my garden, I had a blank slate to work from; the property had been a cow grazing field with only grass from north to south. Though it offered a challenge and demand for patience in establishing any density or height in the landscape, it was remarkably fertile from many years of diligent bovine fertilization. Fortunately I knew from experience that my real interest rested not so much in the different species I would plant, but in the plant/animal relationships these species might generate. The selection of a sterile cherry that would never set fruit or the Asian birch that would befuddle our New England birds and insects was anathema to me; I desired only those species that traditionally belonged in a Northern Massachusetts setting. Hence, with a vision of the future wildlife garden in mind, I headed down to the now defunct Ann and Hope department store to see what tree bargain might be available. With my six year old daughter to help, I returned with a multi-stemmed River Birch seedling in the back of my hatchback Honda Civic. That was thirteen years ago; the tree is now forty feet high and as wide. It's the prize of the property.

Each June about this time the catkin containing seeds mature and attract hundreds of yellow goldfinch. On certain days and at any given moment, it is impossible to count the birds in the canopy. Like Monarch butterflies on milkweed, the tree is splashed with dabs of brilliant yellow moving from branch to branch and acrobatically munching on catkins. Whether relaxing on the back deck or working to maintain order amongst the surrounding shrubs and trees, this colorful drama thrusts the viewer into a realization of the wonders of nature that insists upon contemplation, and supplies me with the reward of reflection that made planting and caring for the plant so worthwhile.

One of the pictures above shows a branch weighty with almost ripe catkins, and in days the yearly visitation by the area goldfinch will begin in earnest, though I've seen individual scouts checking the tree out for the past week. When the feeding frenzy begins, it is easy to imagine that every American Goldfinch in all of the surrounding towns is aware of the feast, so it is obvious that this relationship between bird and tree benefits both. The bird gains nutrition while the tree's seeds get disseminated.

I found the species very easy to grow and recommend it to all. It needs full sun and a moist soil. Indeed, a section of the property that has a tendency to get wet would suit it best. It grows quickly in an acid soil and, since it's a native here in Massachusetts, knows well how to handle our unpredictable weather. Invite the goldfinch, plant a River Birch.