Audubon + Bower and Branch FAQ

All Audubon Native Plants and Trees are grown exclusively by Bower & Branch, a group of family growers and local garden centers focused on growing healthy trees and plants.  You can find more information at bowerandbranch.com.

The team at Bower & Branch is just as committed to native plants as Audubon is. They believe that native plants and trees are better for birds, people, and the environment. Their mission is to make more native plants available and get them in the ground—and they are passionate about what they do. With their current network of 160 affiliated growers and garden centers, and a commitment to expand that network nationally over the next two years to be local in more communities, they are also positioned to distribute native plants at scale. Currently, they have developed a method for shipping both plants and full-size trees directly to consumers—which is a unique value proposition. And, they stand behind their products, which all come with a three-year guarantee. With the Audubon-branded native plant and tree program they have committed to only shipping products to areas where they are native using ZIP code data entered on their interactive website.

Audubon is committed to building a bird-friendly movement and mainstream market for native plants and trees. To do that, we are working to educate consumers and raise awareness about the benefits of native plants in order to drive consumer demand for native plants and therefore incentivize the horticultural industry to increase supply and distribution of native plants to serve increased consumer demand. To take this effort to scale, Audubon will also go beyond the consumer and focus additional efforts on increasing corporate and institutional demand to drive builders, landscapers, and land owners to integrate native plants into commercial and residential real estate design and development.

Plant and tree experts are available at Bower & Branch to answer your questions.

They can be reached at 866-873-3888, Monday–Friday from 9am to 5pm (EDT).

Email them at grower@bowerandbranch.com.

Or, contact them online through live chat at www.bowerandbranch.com/support.

Please contact the customer care team at Bower & Branch.

They can be reached by phone at 866-873-3888, Monday–Friday from 9am to 5pm (EDT).

Email them at plantwhisperers@bowerandbranch.com.

Or, contact them online through live chat at www.bowerandbranch.com/support.

The Audubon plants and trees featured on the Bower & Branch website can be shipped directly to your home anywhere in the contiguous United States, as long as they are native to your area. The Bower & Branch oak trees offered on Costco.com are available in the following states: CT, DE, DC, GA, IL, IN, IA, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VT, VA, WV, WI.

With the launch of this pilot program, Audubon Native Plants and Trees, grown exclusively by Bower & Branch, are currently limited to 12 varieties. We will be adding additional stock to the collection so check back often! Note: Supplies are limited due to the rigorous criteria applied to the growing of plants and trees for the Audubon program to ensure that customers only receive flora that is native to where it will be planted and that the stock has been grown without the use of neonicotinoids, a pesticide that harms birds.

If you have a balcony, patio, fire escape, or any other outdoor space you can make it bird-friendly with native plants grown in containers. Native milkweed and nectar plants provide food for birds—and butterflies!

Right now! Depending on your climate, native plants and trees may be planted throughout the year. For more specific information, consult one of the Bower & Branch Plant Whisperers by calling 866-873-3888 or email them at plantwhisperers@bowerandbranch.com.

All plants and trees are shipped with planting instructions for that species. There is also expert knowledge available online at bowerandbranch.com/learn or you can reach out to Bower & Branch Plant Whisperers for expert advice at 866-873-3888, Monday–Friday from 9am to 5pm (EST), or email them at plantwhisperers@bowerandbranch.com.

Neonicotinoids are systemic pesticides chemically related to nicotine which are used to make plants and trees less susceptible to insect damage. A growing number of studies have shown that neonicotinoid pesticides harm birds—both by leaching into the soil and causing neurological effects, and by killing off insects that some species rely on for food. 

Bower & Branch proactively manages for invasive pests by partnering with state and local agencies in research and working with state departments of agriculture to help define standards, perfect procedures to limit movement of any invasive pest, and implement those standards at all Bower & Branch affiliated growers and nursery partners. All growers in the Bower & Branch network must have compliance agreements in place with their state regulatory agencies. Bower & Branch also works with customers to educate and guide people online to make plant choices that are more resistant to pests.

Native plants provide more choices of food and shelter for the birds you see around you. Most common landscaping plants are exotic species from other countries and don’t support the insects and caterpillars that are the main source of food for feeding the young of 96 percent of North American bird species. No insects, no birds.

In the United States, a native plant is defined as one that was naturally found in a particular area before European settlement. Native plants are the foundation of a region’s biodiversity, providing essential food sources and shelter for birds, especially those threatened by the changing climate. Since native plants are adapted to local precipitation and soil conditions, they generally require less upkeep, therefore helping the environment and saving you time, water, and money.

Audubon’s Plants for Birds database is a quick and easy way to search for the plants and trees that will provide the right food and shelter for the birds you are hoping to attract. Simply enter your zip code to get a complete list of native plants appropriate for your area matched with the birds that live in and feed on them.

It doesn’t! Audubon’s partnership with Bower & Branch seeks to make native plants more easily available to people around the country who may not be able to readily access them. The relationships that centers or chapters have with local growers and retailers will continue to be vital to making our environment better for birds, and people.