Appendices & Glossary - Botanical Research Institute of Texas

NATIVE PLANTS IMPORTANT TO WILDLIFE
IN EAST TEXAS
RAY C. TELFAIR II, PH.D., CERTIFIED WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST 1
WILDLIFE HABITAT ASSESSMENT PROGRAM
TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT
MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH STATION
TYLER, TEXAS 75707, U.S.A.
APPENDIX NINETEEN
Plants provide wildlife (native invertebrates and vertebrates) with three basic life requisites—food,
shelter, and necessities for reproduction. Food includes nectar, sap, buds, fruits, leaves, stems, shoots,
rootstocks, and tubers. Shelter includes cover for concealment and escape; perches for eating, resting,
and sleeping. Necessities for reproduction include sites for nests and dens (cavities and hollows) and
nest materials. Each wildlife species has a unique set of life requisites. The complex of these requirements
constitute its habitat. However, at certain times different species may use the same ecological
resources (e.g., the same food source). When this occurs, they are said to be members of the same guild.
Each plant species is used in some capacity by at least one species of wildlife. Some plants are used
by a large number of wildlife species, especially for food, e.g., the berries of Southern Wax-myrtle
(Myrica cerifera) are eaten by over 40 species of birds. At the other extreme, some plants are not
widely used by many species, but are extremely important for the life requisite of a particular species.
For example, the Northern Parula (Parula americana) nests almost exclusively in hanging clusters of
Spanish-Moss (Tillandsia usneoides).
Plant selection for wildlife use should include a diversity of species that provide life requisites for a
large variety of wildlife. All plants should be co-adapted (native to the local area and occurring in
association with one another) and have similar soil requirements. Plant selection should include species
that bear flowers and fruits throughout the year: some should be evergreens, some should be lightadapted
and others shade-adapted. There should be a mixture of plants at different heights, i.e., with
various strata on and above ground level. Some species should be thicket-forming and some should
bear thorns. Artificial and natural brush piles are also of importance. They soon become covered with
vines and, if placed in gullies, can control erosion as well as be of benefit to wildlife. However, since
they can attract some wildlife that may not be desirable (e.g., poisonous snakes, rats and mice, skunks)
they should not be placed near homes or lawn areas.
In some plants species male and female flowers occur on separate plants so, plants of both sexes are
locally necessary for pollination.
The following lists include only those plants that have wide distribution, are readily available commercially
or can be grown from seeds, cuttings, or transplantings, and for which studies have demonstrated
their uses by wildlife. In some cases, where there are many species, only the genus is given. In
other cases, where there are introduced (exotic) species in the genus, the designation “native spp.” denotes
that the species referenced to are only those that are native. Plants listed include woody and herbaceous
(non-woody) species in the categories of trees, shrubs, vines, forbs (herbaceous non-grasses
and non-grasslike plants), grasses, and marsh plants (including wetland forbs and grasses). Although
this is an artificial grouping, it is hopefully of practical use. An introduction to each category of plants
provides basic information about their use by wildlife. Also included in this appendix are: 1) criteria
for the selection of preferred species, 2) desirable characteristics of native plants, 3) desirable characteristics
of native plant associations, and 4) selected references.
1 Ray C. Telfair II, Ph.D., 11780 South Hill Creek Road, Whitehouse, TX 75791, U.S.A. Phone/Fax: 903-839-4602; Email: rtelfair@nctv.com