i dont have time to research.. how do the waxers use the juniper??? this plant is invasive in some areas.. and native [and invasive] in others ... commonly spread by .. you got it.. birds... i could probably send you 100 seedlings in spring... by weeding out my 5 acres ... all that said ... your question.. properly termed is: do the dwarf named cultivars produce cones/berry ... and how long does it take ... and do they do it in abundance sufficient to attract birds . ... ken ps: the grey owls that were planted by my house builder around 1985 are 15 feet tall.. and 20 wide .... you might want to cross that off your list.. lol ... it is not a small plant ... see link for annual growth rates of conifer ... grey owl.. 12 to 18 inches.. minimum ... pps: IMHO.. in MI anyway.. gall is rare and not a big issue.. no clue for you in TN .... Here is a link that might be useful: link

LOL..I had experience at my old house digging up 4 oclocks. I think I got a 4'root that was shaped like fat legs of a man. I had three huge plants like that and a multitude of babies. I kept at it and finally succeeded. There are some nice native 4 o'clocks that are better behaved. I am sitting here wondering about Salvia chiquita. It is new in the trade (8 years or so) and in my yard, I am starting to think it is enterely TOO Happy. THousands of seedlings this year.Years ago, I was unaware of the invasive list when I planted ruella ( maybe it was not on it yet) at my old house and same with the tahitian bridal veil. they both took over good. I whish I had known that there was a list to get information from 30 years ago. I think I would have made some different decisions. I sold that house. I weeded it to peices before I left but I went back and yes it is back.I am a lot more careful now. I am taking the salvia to a plant swap with warnings to keep an eye on it. It is not on the list, but is it only a matter of time I am afraid. Maybe people in clay will have a different experience. I backed the salvia off away from the slope...Same with the Roman Chamomile. I am looking sideways at both now and feeling maybe this is the year that I start yanking. I googled for info on the net and I have not seen the salvia mentioned. I do know that California has problems with some invasive salvias. They have the wet winter dry summer rythm. It seeds out in dry winters and wet winters, just a lot more on wet winters. If there is someone out there that has experience with this in the central Texas canyon land area and has some thoughts about the seeding habits of these plants.

MM, What a wonderful experience! As you have seen, the story that birds will abandon babies and nests if they smell humans is an old wive's tale. I have been fortunate to have bluebirds nest in my yard, and they will even tolerate a nest change when it has been extremely necessary. Some species are more wary than others, but most have a very poor sense of smell. I have found most of the songbirds that actually take care of their young (other than cowbirds) are actually very loyal to them. They will risk their own safety (to a point) to insure the babies' survival. Nature does bless them with enough sense to preserve their own life in extreme threats (like wasps) however. After all, baby songbirds have a 1 in 2 chance of making through the first year. It wouldn't make sense for the breeding pair to throw all caution to the wind and give up their own lives. They can always go on and raise another brood afterall.

christie_sw_mo - I had a single American holly and it berried fine, but I am not sure why. Could have been a wild male in the woods as I was not in/near a neighborhood. There were some male Clarissa hollies on the property but those should not logically pollinate it. I am crazy about hollies for birds, but it sounds like they are just one of those bad luck plants for you. I've never seen a bird eat a nandina berry. Been some discussions on the subject here, and I have not heard of anyone that has had birds eat the berries either. No clue why that plant has a rep for bird berries. There were some on this property - okay a thousand of them on this property - but I pulled them up to replace them with other known successful plants. Nandina is a major problem in south Georgia forests so I decided to forgo them completely, make room for serviceberry. One thing that has become very clear to me with the moving from established garden to re-building is to plant hedgerows, hedgerows and more hedgerows. It's a major difference in the bird populations to have thickets and safe places. Birds have been nesting here, but only cavity nesters, and the second the babies fledge the parents take them off property to cover. Very few warblers around and no ground nesters except visitors. I have always heard that the vibunum dentatum berries get eaten quickly - will have to find out how that goes. The viburnum trilobum I have is the cuttings you sent so of course they won't berry, but the dentatum should if pollinated. The Aronia arbutifolia is one I want to watch as well - I have cuttings and purchased a potted plant, but it's just getting leaves. Very late to leaf out - is this normal? By the way, goumi (Eleagnus multiflora) was always a great bird food source. Grew it for ten years, nevera single seedling. It does not germinate easily and cuttings are difficult, so apparently not invasive. I've heard of others rooting cuttings so maybe it's my area, but it's a non-native I will grow. The cuttings are doing beautifully so far. I baby them and hope I can get them to make it. It's an outstanding collection for my personal hedgerow (thank you thank you thank you) in the making. Maybe I'll get to a point where I can grow enough to share. Been working on a system for potting and moving after they root. I've had people stop by and ask for advice on their own yards and I'd looove to be able to supply some of these plants you can't find in local nurseries. These are regular people, not gardeners, who just want some landscaping and birds and they aren't going to be ordering online like we are. I have a lot to learn, particularly about native plant ID, but can share what I do know. Some neighborhood kids knocked on my door and asked to "see the baby birds" as I had mentioned to one of their Mothers that I had birds in my boxes - and the kids were impressed with "how many animals I had in my yard". Apparently they told their parents. For me it was totally out of the blue and I was delighted. I did not relize there was a native plant exchange here - I need to head over and beg cuttings. :D dragonfly_wings - I had two mulberry trees before and they were my waxwing magnets. Hundreds of waxwings descended during migration, what a beautiful sight. Great plant and I want another, but one tree seeded all to heck and back. The other was an old tree, totally different leaf and I believe native. It was there long before I was. Both were red mulberry and distinctly different as mulberry tends to be. I had no problems with seeding on the second but can't figure out what exactly the genus of tree it is that I didn't have problems with. I loved it and really want another but it's gone on the back burner due to the fact that I am not positive which to get. If I see one on the side of the road similar to the one I like, I'll be hopping out of the car and knocking on doors and making a nuisance of myself. And I am shy!!!!!! But for that plant, I'll do it.