Q: I’ve been feeding nyjer to birds in my yard. Do I need to worry that the seeds that fall to the ground around the feeder will grow into invasive plants? I know thistle can be invasive. Is nyjer the same as thistle?
A: Nyjer and thistle are not the same thing, but they are often confused. Some of this confusion stems from the fact that nyjer has been marketed as “nyjer thistle” or “niger thistle,” but the two plants are not related. Nyjer is the seed of guizotia abyssinica, a yellow flower native to Ethiopia. It looks a bit like the garden flower coreopsis. Distributors of birdseed have switched over to nyjer because thistle can be invasive.
In Asia and Africa, nyjer is grown for its oil. When it’s imported into the United States as birdseed, U.S. law requires that it be sterilized with heat. This treatment prevents it (or any potentially invasive seed accidentally mixed in with it) from germinating. If a nyjer seed does manage to survive this heat treatment and germinate in your yard, it’s not likely to cause problems. It’s an annual and won’t survive our winter, though it could potentially reseed. Some people even try to grow it and gather their own seeds.
Because it is difficult to harvest and is imported, nyjer is expensive. But some bird fans are willing to spend the money because nyjer is more effective than some other seeds at attracting finches. In our region, nyjer can draw goldfinches, pine siskins and redpolls to the feeder. But these species will also eat black sunflower seed, which is less expensive.
If you’re looking for more recommendations on which seeds attract which birds, the Cornell Lab has a useful guide to seed types: allaboutbirds.org/news/types-of-bird-seed-a-quick-guide/?pid=1179.
Written by U of M Extension Master Gardeners in St. Louis County. Send questions to features@duluthnews.com.
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January 01, 2021 at 11:00PM
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