Survey entries | Date | Name | Comments | State | City |
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| 01/11/07 | Keith | I started attracting Hummingbirds about 3 years ago and I am hooked like a fish now.They come early in Florida and some even spend the winter here.In early spring they feed on azaleas and flowering citrus and sap from trees.In my garden the favorite plant is the cigar plant.My hummingbird guards it with rage,chasing bees,butterflies,and sometimes me.Other favorite plants are portaweed,hibiscus,firebush,bottlebrush tree,salvia,gladious,petunia,monkey flower,sweet pea,canna,firecracker,torenia,shrimp plant,and aloe.I have four that come every year now.I had to plant more flowers and spread them around the yard to reduce competition.I love watching hummimgbids. | Florida | Jacksonville |
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| 09/16/06 | april | wut do they eat | al | ca |
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| 09/16/06 | Xenia Williams | GIANT RED CANNAS!!!!---If you want to see hummingbirds in your backyard, grow some GIANT CANNAS!!!! We planted three of these plants in between elephant ears the tallest plant is close to 9ft. tall now! Lived in MO for years and at this residence for the past 6 years and never saw one until I planted these. The hummingbird (s), that comes to visit us is just the cutest thing. This little bird is really defensive over his/her CANNA plant. One day while my husband had our pet iguana out in the yard getting her excersise and sunshine the hummingbird came over and hovered over the iguana making noise some sort of noise, letting her know she better stay away! | MO | St. Louis |
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| 09/14/06 | Hyena of Ice | Hummingbirds like some plants more than others. If you want to really spoil your hummers, try taste-testing the nectar (there's no need to worry about toxins, as this runs contrary to survival of the fittest-- it makes no sense for a plant to contain toxins or minty, spicy, bitter, garlicy, etc. flavors because they want pollenating animals to feed on their nectar. It's quite an experience to suck the nectar out of say, a Salvia, to find the nectar devoid of minty flavors we associate with the rest of their plant parts.) It's well known that they looooovvve salvias. I've found that salvias (esp. Mexican and South American varieties) have very sweet nectar... it's almost like a really sweet cherry. Kniphophias are literally overflowing with nectar, but it is very dilute, and not a hummingbird favorite (though it would be great in its native habitat for thirsty sunbirds and insects) Other plants, from my experience, with super-sweet nectar are Zauschneria (California fuschia) and Cuphea (Mexican cigar plant). I believe all members of the mint family (Lavandula, Monarda, Mentha, Salvia, Ocimum, Origanum, Teucrium, Leonotis, Melissa, etc.) have similarly strong nectar to the Salvias, based on how much the bees and moths love them, but I am unable to physically confirm this since their flowers are too small to suck or taste the nectar from, and I have not tried Leonotis.
Our Anna's hummingbirds also really love the fireweed (Epilobium something, can't remember the species name) Actually, all the pollenating critters love the fireweed, and yes, it is good at attracting butterflies, too.
Our hummingbirds also really love the crocosmias, though I haven't tasted their nectar. They also love the honeysuckle, though its sweetness is only about average.
And a misc. note. I've found Anna's hummers to be very inquisitive, often stopping in front of or behind people to check them out, and similarly in front of other birds to check them out. | OR |
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| 08/20/06 | Mark & Cheri Grossmann | In 2004 I noticed something buzzing around the tiny strip of garden we keep in front of our ground floor apartment. This was my very first hummer siting. I was amazed that it was attracted to our small but flower-packed area. (It was hanging around some tiny white hanging plants-can't recall the name.) Thinking that it was a fluke, I didn't expect anything else. There were no sitings in '05. About three weeks ago I noticed it was hanging around again. It really loves two plants hanging about 6 feet off the porch. The tag says Cabaret(tm) Rose mini Petunias (Calibrachoa hybrid) if that helps. Seems like it prefers when there are many blooms close together so it can eat more with less flying) Anyway, we went out and bought a small feeder for it. Within 5 minutes of hanging it out, (between the hanging plants) he/she was already checking it out. While researching how to make out own feeding mix, we discovered that feeders should be taken inside pretty soon. Hopefully our friend will return in the Spring and bring friends. | Missouri | Hazelwood |
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| 08/07/06 | Penny | This year I have added a few more hummer plants to my garden. Besides the must haves (Salvia guarantica Black & Blue, Salvia coccinea the species, Salvia coccinea Coral Nymph, Canna Indicas, Lonicera Sempervirens (coral honeysuckle), I have added two Lantanas, 'Dallas Red' and 'Pink Dawn', Crocosmia 'Lucifer' Iris Fulva, Salvia subrotunda, Agastache 'Desert Sunrise' Agastache rupestris, Agastache 'Double Bubblemint', Salvia guaranitica 'Van Remsen' and salvia Purple Majesty. | NY | North Tonawanda |
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| 07/30/06 | Jeff Laughton | I have two mimosa trees. I`ve counted about 30-40 at a time on my tree here in south central Illinois | Illinois | Clay City |
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| 07/20/06 | Susan Carretta | I live in Ossining New York I was sitting in my living room by the window, and with much enjoyment I found a beautiful humming bird feeding at my flowers, my hanging basket. Could I hang a humming bird feeder in this spot or will I attract Bees to close to my house. The hanging bassket was in front of the house. Thank you Dcarretta@AOL.com Ossining New York | New York | Ossining |
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| 07/10/06 | Bob Robinson | This Summer our hummingbird garden consists of a few scarlet sage salvias and a few flowering tobacco nicotanias, trumpet creeper vine, 3 lantanas, impatiens, petunia, geraniums and dianthus. We also have a butterfly bush that is not in bloom. We see most of our hummers at our feeder, lantanas and trumpet creeper vine. We have seen a few on the scarlet sage salvias, and have seen then a few times on our red impatiens. We have not have any luck with the nicotania, petunia or dianthus. | Ohio | Cleveland Area |
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| 06/14/06 | Em Baker | Personally - I think the secret of having alot of Hummers, in this part of the country, is to get that feeder out even before the end of March. I sometimes have mine out before the last frost. In the cool weather you can leave it out for sometime without the liquid spoiling.
I've heard that the Scouts arrive first to locate food? True or not, at first I'll see one or two and before you know it I have 15 to 20 at the feeders. And all of the neighbors, who put their feeders out later, are always asking, How come you have so many Hummingbirds?..........
It is best to keep Feeders in the same place every year!! Believe me, these tiny little miracles remember exactly where they found food the previous year and will fly to that spot even if the feeder isn't there.
After the last frost - In the area of the feeders - I plant, about 1/2 inch apart, 6-7 Hyacinth Bean [the editable kind] Seeds and run a heavy cord [fiber rope]from a stake in the ground [beside the planted seeds] up to the eaves and attach firmly to part of the overhang that will support weight.
As the vines grow I wrap 4 of the best ones around the cord. [just pull out & discard the others]. Before long the vines are up to the eaves and then in a little while the vines put out little branches covered with delicate Lavender flowers that the Hummers love!! {Keep Vines well-watered}
You can pick the young Purple Bean Pods and use in Salads or Cook [recipes online]. Leave a good number of the pods on the vine until they completely dry out and harvest the black & white seeds in the pods for next years vines - and to share with friends.
You'll have hundreds of seeds!! And Dozens of Hummingbirds!! | Missouri | Branson |
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| 06/12/06 | Chris | I am trying to attract hummingbirds to my garden and would welcome suggestions on plant to plant them in this region ,Thank you | new york | Hampton Bays New York |
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| 06/11/06 | Trey | I have seen them so far this season at salvia guaranitica, salvia gregii, hosta, and japanese honeysuckle. | NC | Raleigh |
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| 05/26/06 | jnotjane | We have several varieties of lavender, mostly Spanish, French, and fern-leaf lavenders that our little violet-throated hummer loves. We've seen him daily for about 2 years now and consider him a pet. We also have a large buddleia davidii that he frequents as well. We just planted a Royal Trumpet Vine (Distictis xRivers) and will see how well he likes that. We've also seen him frequent the ruellia (deep purple and pink varieties) bushes when they are in bloom. | AZ | Phoenix |
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| 05/15/06 | Christy Murphy | I just started a hummingbird garden. I noticed they liked my pertunias and honeysuckle plants. They also use the feeders alot | SC | Summerville |
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| 04/26/06 | Cheryl B | Salvia guaranitica is bar none, the best plant around to attract and keep the hummers in my yard. I go through almost a gallon of solution a day so I know what keeps those little guys happy. Any of the salvias, annual and perennial are great, but I find my season is so short that the other tender salvias just aren't worth it for the space. Guanitica has been hardy here for 15 years in extreme southern illinois.
Dwarf red buckeye and weigela, wine and roses are nice to have early spring color and flowers. Red hot poker, and siberian iris, native columbine, soloman seal usually gets their attraction in spring. Penstmon, cardinal flower, agastache, butterfly bush/buddelia really are magnets in the summer. Ventricosa hostas with the purple flowers are the best type of hosta for the shade, along with heuchera, coral bells. Lipstick vine was a nice shade climber that I grew into a mimosa tree (also a magnet for hummers). I love to see them working the pink blossoms on the mimosa trees.
| IL | Carbondale |
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| 04/25/06 | Harryshoe | Most attractant plants were:
Salvia Black And Blue,
Agastache Tutti Frutti,
Monarda Raspberry Wine,
Salvia Lady In Red,
Fuschia Gartenmeister,
Honeysuckle Gold Flame | Pennsylvania | Allentown |
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| 04/24/06 | Meredith | Hummers around here love black and blue salvia, Texas sage, autumn sage, pinapple sage, cupheas, any red trumpet shaped vine and zinnias. | N.E. SC |
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| 04/21/06 | Max Power | \Abelia floribunda Mexican abelia
\Abelia grandiflora glossy abelia
\Abutilon hybridum, A. pictum flowering maple
\Abutilon megapotamuum trailing flowering maple
\Aesculus hippocastanum horsechestnut
\Aesculus hippocastanum x carnea red horsechestnut
\Aesculus pavia var. pavia red buckeye
\Agapanthus orientalis lilly of the nile
\Agapetes serpens
\Agastache berberi giant hummingbird mint
\Agastache cana double-bubble mint
\Agastache mexicana hyssop, giant hyssop
\Agave chrysantha, A. deserti, A. parryt, A. americana, A. scabra century plant, giant century plant
\Albiziajulibrissin mimosa, silk tree
\Alcea rosea hollyhock
\Aloe barbadensis aloe vera
\Alstroemeria psittacina Peruvian lily
\Anigozanthos sp. kangaroo paw
\Anisacanthw thurberi, A. quadnfidw var. wrightii desert honeysuckle, Mexican honeysuckle, hummingbird bush, chuparosa
\Antirrhinum majus snapdragon
\Aquilegia caerulea blue columbine
\Aquilegia canadensis, A. elegantula wild columbine
\Aquilegia chrysantha golden columbine
\Aquilegia formosa western columbine
\Arbutus menziesii madrone
\Arbutus unedo strawberry tree
\Arbutus xalapensisvsx. texana Texas madrone
\Arctostaphyhs spp. Manzanita
\Asarina antirrhinifolia snapdragon vine
\Asclepias curassavica Mexican milkweed
\Asclepias tuberosa butterfly milkweed, butterfly weed
\Bauhinia variegata orchid tree
\Beschomeria yuccoides
\Bignonia capreolata cross vine
\Bouvardia temifrlia scarlet bouvardia
\Brachychiton bidwillu Australian bottle tree
\Buddleia alfernifolia butterfly bush, summer lilac
\Buddleia davidii summer lilac, orange-eye
\Caesalpinia gilliesii bird of paradise
\Caesalpinia pukherrima Barbados' pride, Mexican palo verde, dwarf poinciana, Mexican bird of paradise
\Calamintha coccinea red basil
\Calliandra califomica Baja fairy duster
\Calliandra eriophylla fairy duster
\Calliandra spp. Powderpuff
\Calliandra tweedii Trinidad flame bush, Mexican flame bush
\Callistemon citrinits, C. speciosw bottlebrush
\Callistemon viminalis weeping bottlebrush
\Calothamnus spp. net bush
\Camegiea gigantea saguaro
\Camellia sasanqua camellia, sasanqua
\Campsis radicans trumpet creeper, trumpet vine
\Canna spp. and hybrids canna lily
\Caragana arborescens Siberian pea tree
\Castilleja coccinea, C. Integra, C. miniata, C. spp. Indian paintbrush, painted cup
\Ceanothus arboreus mountain lilac
\Ceanothwfendleri California lilac, buckbrush
\Cephalanthus occidentalis buttonbush
\Ceratostigma willmottianum Chinese plumbago
\Cestrum elegans cestrum
\Cestrum parqui willow-leafed jessamine
\Chaenomeles speciosa, C.japonica flowering quince
\Chelone glabra, C. lyonii turtlehead, pink turtlehead
\Chilopsis linearis desert willow
\Cirsium arizonicum Arizona thistle, other spp.
\Cirsium vulgare bull thistle
\Citrus spp. Citrus
\Clematis ligusticifolia western virgin's bower
\Clerodendrum speciosissimum pagoda plant, glory-bower
\Clerodendrum thompsoniae bleeding heart
\Cochemiea setispina cactus
\Columnea spp. and hybrids columnea
\Cordia boissieri anacahuita, Texas olive
\Cordia sebestena geiger tree
\Correa pulchella, C. neglecta, C. reflexa Australian fuchsia, correa
\Crocosmia montbretia, crocosmia
\Cuphea ignea, C. micropetala, C. David' Mexican cigar
\Cynoglossum grande western hound's tongue
\Delonix regia royal Poinciana
\Delphinium cardinale scarlet larkspur
\Delphinium nudicaule, D. nelsonii and other spp. Larkspur
\Dicentra spectabilis, D. eximia bleeding heart
\Dierama gracile, D. pendulum, D. pulcherrimum wandflower
\Digitalis spp. Foxglove
\Duranta repens pigeon berry, skyflower, golden dewdrop
\Eccremocarpus scaber Chilean glory flower
\Echinocereiis triglochidiatus, E. engelmannii hedgehog cactus
\Echium 'Pride of Madeira'
\Elaeagnus umbellata autumn olive
\Embothrium coccineum Chilean flame tree
\Epilobium angustifolium fireweed
\Epimedium grandtflorum bishop's hat
\Erica mammosa 'Jubilee', E. spp. South African heath, heather
\Eriobotryajaponica Japanese plum, loquat
\Erythrina 'Bidwillii', Erythrina spp. coral tree
\Erythrina crista-galli cry-baby tree
\Erythrina herbacea coral bean
\Erythrinajlabelliformis western coral bean
\Escallonia exoniensis 'Frades'
\Eucalyptus cladocalyx sugar gum
\Eucalyptus ficifolia red-flowering gum
\Eucalyptus globulus blue gum
\Eucalyptus lehmannii Lehmann's gum
\Eucalyptus leucoxylon white ironbark
\Eucalyptus maculata spotted gum
\Eucalyptus mannifera var. maculosa red-spotted gum
\Eucalyptus melliodora yellow box
\Eucalyptus polyanthemos silver-dollar gum, silver-dollar tree
\Eucalyptus robusta swamp mahogany
\Eucalyptus sideroxylon red ironbark
\Fouquieria splendens ocotillo
\Fuchsia fycioides, F. magellanica, F. 'Marinka', F. 'Gartenmeister Bonstedt', other species and hybrids (singles)
\Galvezia speciosa bush snapdragon
\Gladiolus spp. gladiolus, sword lily
\Grevillea robusta silk oak
\Grevillea spp., G. Robyn Gordon'
\Hakea spp.
\Hamamelis virginiana common witch hazel
\Hamelia patens firebush
\Hedychium coccineum x coronarium peach ginger
\Hedysarum coronarium French honeysuckle
\Heliconia bihai macaw flower
\Hemerocallis hybrids daylily
\Hesperaloe noctuma white hesperaloe
\Hesperaloe parutflora red yucca
\Heuchera sanguinea coral bells
\Hibiscus coccineus red star hibiscus, Texas star
\Hibiscus rosa-sinensis hibiscus, Chinese hibiscus, rose of China
\Hibiscus syriacus althaea, rose of Sharon
\Hosfa spp. hosta, plantain lily
\Impatiens capensis jewelweed, I. pallida, spotted jewelweed
\Impatiens wallerana impatiens, patient Lucy, busy Lizzie
\Ipomoea coccinea red morning glory
\Ipomoea multifida cardinal climber
\Ipomoea quamoclit cypress vine
\Ipomopsis aggregata scarlet gilia, skyrocket
\Ipomopsis rubra standing cypress
\Iris spp. Iris
\Isomeris arborea bladderpod
\Jasminum nudiflorum winter jasmine
\Justicia brandegeana shrimp plant
\Justicia califomica chuparosa
\Justicia camea Brazilian plume
\Justicia ovata red Justicia, everblooming justicia
\Justicia spicigera orange jacobinia, orange Justicia, Mexican honeysuckle, hummingbird bush
\Kalanchoe 'Flaming Katy' kalanchoe
\Kniphofia uvaria red-hot-poker, tritoma
\Kolkwitzia amabilis beauty bush
\Lamberfiaformosa honey flower
\Lantana camara, L. horrida, L. montevidensis lantana
\Lavatera assurgentiflora tree mallow
\Leonotis leonurus lion's ear
\Leucophyllum frutescens ceniza, barometer bush, Texas ranger
\Liatris spp. gay feather, blazing star
\Liriodendron tulipifera tulip tree
\Lobelia cardinalis, L. laxiflora cardinal flower
\Lobelia siphilltica blue lobelia, blue cardinal flower
\lochroma cyaneum
\Lonicera arizonica Arizona honeysuckle
\Lonicera ciliosa orange honeysuckle
\Lonicera interrupta chaparral honeysuckle
\Lonicera involucrata twinberry honeysuckle
\Lonicera japonica Japanese honeysuckle. Hall's honeysuckle
\Lonicera sempervirens coral honeysuckle, trumpet honeysuckle
\Lonicera tatarica tatarian honeysuckle
\Lycium spp. Wolfberry
\Lycopus americanus bugleweed
\Mahonia aquifolium Oregon grape
\Malus baccata, M.flonbunda flowering crabapple
\Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii sultan's turban, turk's cap, turk's head
\Malvaviscus arboreus var. mexicanw giant turk's cap, turk's cap
\Mandevilla laxa Chilean jasmine
\Manettia cordifolia, M inflata firecracker vine
\Melaleuca spp.
\Melianthus major honey bush
\Mertensia virginica Virginia bluebells, cowslip
\Mimulus cardinalis, M. longiflorus, M. puniceus,M. brevipes, M. spp. monkey flower
\Mirabilis jalapa four-o'clock
\Mirabilis multiflora desert four-o'clock
\Monarda didyma, M. citriodora bee balm, bergamot
\Monarda fistulosa horsemint, wild bergamot
\Monardella macrantha
\Nicotiana glauca tree tobacco
\Odontonema strictum firespike
\Opuntia imbricata chain-link cactus
\Pachystachys coccinea cardinal's guard
\Pachystachys lutea golden shrimp plant, golden candle
\Pedilanthus macrocarpus candelilla
\Penstemon barbatus scarlet bugler
\Penstemon bridgesii
\Penstemon cardinalis cardinal penstemon
\Penstemon centranthifolius scarlet bugler
\Penstemon cordifolius red bush penstemon, honeysuckle penstemon
\Penstemon eatonii Eaton's penstemon, firecracker penstemon
\Penstemon harvardii Harvard penstemon
\Penstemon newberryi mountain pride
\Penstemon ovatus
\Penstemon palmeri
\Penstemon parryi Parry's penstemon
\Penstemon pinifolius pineleaf penstemon
\Penstemon procerus
\Penstemon pseudospectabilis
\Penstemon spectabilis
\Penstemon strictus Rocky Mountain penstemon, porch penstemon
\Penstemon subulatus
\Penstemon superbus
\Penstemon tematus
\Penstemon virens blue-mist penstemon
\Penstemon wrightii'Wright's penstemon
\Pentas lanceolata pentas, Egyptian star
\Phaseolus coccineus scarlet runner bean
\Phlox spp. Phlox
\Phormium tenax New Zealand flax
\Phygelius capensis Cape fuchsia
\Physostegia virginiana obedient plant
\Polygala dalmaisiana sweet pea shrub
\Protea mellifera sugar bush, honey flower
\Prunus autumnalis flowering cherry
\Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri Easter cactus
\Rhododendron canescens wild azalea
\Rhododendron serrulatum swamp azalea
\Rhododendron spp. rhododendron, azalea
\Ribes aureum golden currant
\Ribes cereum wax currant
\Ribes indecorum white-flowered currant
\Ribes laxiflorum trailing black currant
\Ribes lobbii
\Ribes malvaceum chaparral
\Ribes sanguineum crimson-flowered currant, gooseberry
\Ribes speciosum red-flowering currant, fuchsia-flowered currant
\Robinia hispida moss locust, rose acacia
\Robinia pseudoacacia black locust
\Rubus spectabilis salmonberry
\Rubus spp. Raspberry
\Rubwprocerus Himalaya berry
\Russelia equisetiformis fountain plant, firecracker plant
\Salvia clevelandii Cleveland sage
\Salvia coccinea Texas sage, tropical sage, scarlet sage
\Salvia elegans pineapple sage
\Salvia greggii Rocky Mountain sage, autumn sage
\Salvia guaranitica anise sage, giant blue sage
\Salvia henryi
\Salvia lemmoni Lemmon's sage
\Salvia leucantha Mexican bush sage
\Salvia mexicana
\Salvia miniata Belize sage
\Salvia regia mountain sage
\Salvia spathacea pitcher sage
\Salvia splendens red salvia, scarlet salvia, scarlet sage
\Salvia vanhouttii
\Saponaria officinalis bouncing bet, soapwort
\Schlumbergera bridgesii Christmas cactus
\Schlumbergera truncata Thanksgiving cactus
\Senecio confusus Mexican flame vine
\Silene californica California Indian pink
\Silene laciniata Indian pink, Mexican campion
\Silene virginica fire pink
\Sophora tomentosa necklace pod, silverbush
\Spigelia marilandica Indian pink, pinkroot
\Stachys coccinea scarlet hedge nettle, scarlet betony, Texas betony, red mint
\Strelitzia reginae bird of paradise
\Symphoricarpos albus snowberry
\Symphytum spp. Comfrey
\Syringa vulgaris lilac
\Tecoma stans yellow bells, trumpet bush
\Tecomaria capensis Cape honeysuckle
\Telopea oreades Australian flame tree
\Templetonia retusa coralbush
\Thermopsis divaricata golden banner
\Tithonia diversifolia, T. rotundifolia Mexican sunflower
\Torricula peria sticky nama
\Trichostema lanatum woolly blue-curls
\Tropaeolum peregrinum canary bird vine
\Tropaeolum tuberosum, T. speciosum nasturtium
\Ungnadia speciosa Mexican buckeye, Texas buckeye
\Vestia lycioides vestia
\Viburnum tinus, V.'Bodnantense' laumstinus, viburnum
\Watsonia beatricis bugle lily
\Weigela florida cardinal shrub
\Zauschneria californica, Z. cana California fuchsia, hummingbird trumpet
\Zinnia spp. Zinnia
| LA |
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| 04/17/06 | Joyce | I found I had very good luck with purple & pink fushia and red impatiens. I have them in hanging containers around my porch with the feeders in between. The hummers seem to see the flowers first then find the feeders. They also like my butterfly bushes, pink rose of sharon (not the blue one) and hostas. This is my third year feeding hummers and I seem to get more each year. | Ma | North Reading |
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| 02/25/06 | Linda Esten | The hummingbird star attractors in my butterfly/hummer gardens are number one, cuphea ignea. They LOVE this plant. Number two would be the red pentas. Other favorites include the Fire Bush and the Fire Spike plants. I have so many pentas and cupheas that the ruby throats only occasionally visit the other flowers. The cupheas are hard to find, but you can root cuttings from cuphea ignea fairly easily and that is a great way to make more little cigar plants that the hummers love. I just snip off a few inches of an end, stick it in potting soil, but it in the shade and keep moist and in a few weeks they begin to root. Try it!!! I love hummers!!! | Florida | Melbourne |
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| 02/12/06 | Dave D | Salvia Guarantica Black & Blue is tops in my yard, followed closely by Cuphea Ignea in hanging pots. Cuphea planted in the ground or placed in lower locations gets almost no attention. On the unpopular side of things, Ive had a couple of different colored Mirabilis the last couple of years that got no attention at all. | NY | Rochester |
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| 02/01/06 | Carol Pohl | I had several potted gerenaniums on my deck in the deep almost neon pink color. My hummers just loved them. Alternating visiting their feeder and the flowers. I think the flowers acted as a waiting room for them when the feeder was busy. :) | Michigan | Coldwater |
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| 11/20/05 | Maria Alarcon | My hummers love the cape honeysuckle, red and purple salvias and even visited my polka dot plant that makes the tiniest flowers! | CA | Fontana |
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| 10/08/05 | Lorenzo | This summer I planted Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum) in my flower boxes and hanging baskets on my rear deck; they were like candy to the ruby-throats in my neighborhood (although I almost always saw the females, rarely the male). I chose the Empress of India variety due to its cascading nature, but the full sun exposure and the high humidity eventually wiped them out around August. I might try again with a different, more heat-resistant variety, but am not real keen on the army of aphids they attract (which in turn attract yellow-jackets, which I absolutely hate). | VA | Ashburn |
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| 10/05/05 | Gene | We Have a Cape Honeysuckle that does pretty good here, it blooms quite a lot and the hummers seem to love it. We are going to try to grow a Rose Of Sharon and a couple of Wiegela plants. I just wonder if anyone has had any experience growing these in the desert southwest. | New Mexico | Roswell |
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| 08/25/05 | joan | Our favorites seem to be...
Tall Althea bushes (Althea Rosea) - deep pink. Full of flowers this year.
Morning Glory (Ipomoea nil) - Scarlet O'Hara - deep fuschia pink with white throat.
* These, they seem to like best very early in the morning.
Cypress Vine (Ipomoea Quamoclit) - red.
Cardinal Climber (Ipomoea x Multifida) - red.
* All day bouncing from flower to flower.
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia Cardinalis) - red.
* Best of all.
Yesterday I was tying up my Cardinal Flower spikes after a windy morning. A Ruby-Throat buzzed in over my shoulder and started feeding on the same flowerhead I was tying up. She was so intent on the flower that she barely flinched when I took my hand away. She was only inches from my face. Another one flew in and hovered over my head, then they both zipped off a few feet away to check out the Cypress Vines. If they knew I was there, they didn't care. Those Cardinal Flowers must be absolutely yummy.
| Virginia | Blue Ridge-zone 7 |
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| 08/11/05 | DEBRA | MILLIONS BELLS,MILLION BELLS,MILLION BELLS... A POPULAR HANGING BASKET LAST TWO YEARS. A LITTLE HARD TO FIND THIS YEAR (AND TO KEEP WATERED IN THE HEAT) ,BUT HUMMERS SEEM TO LIKE THE TERRA-COTTA COLORS BEST,THEY PATIENTLY DRINK FROM EACH FLOWER,SO YOU HAVE LOTS OF TIME TO WACTH THEM. THEN THEY COME UP TO YOUR FACE AND HOOVER AS A... THANK YOU VERY MUCH !!! | NJ | BY THE LAKE |
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| 08/06/05 | Lois Mack | I had a large garden of Iris. I had two Hummingbirds come each year and visit the same plants each time. The ones they visited were yellows with purple. I have one who visit my yellow alovera. | Nevada | Las Vegas |
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| 07/27/05 | Judy | We've always had a couple of hummingbirds each year, but this year more than ever. They particularly like the purple Minarda (bee balm). As I was watching the bees on my bee balm one day, I saw a very strange looking bee and asked my husband what it was. it was actually a baby hummingbird, and then we saw another! I'm also growing a trumpet vine (orange) to help encourage the humminbirds, but this is it's third year and I haven't had any blooms yet!
The hummingbirds also seem to like the purple blooms on my hosta plants. | NY | Syracuse |
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| 07/24/05 | dana | This is in response to Joe Beatrice, Laureldale, PA. The trumplet climber (often called trumpet vine,) has, by my experience, a very long maturity time. When I first purchased a trumplet vine some 10 years ago, I was told not to expect a first bloom for about 5-7 years. The first year of blooming was very disappointing - only one or two blooms. But, be careful. These things go crazy. You really need to cut the plant back if you don't want it to overwhelm everything else. They send ground tendrils everywhere. I have found tendrils popping up 40 feet from the parent plant. The largest single plant I have every seen completely covered a fence that was 100 feet long. Hope this helps. | ohio | akron |
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| 07/17/05 | Joe Beatrice | Hi I have two questions I hope someone can answer. 1st I have a trumpet creeper that is two years old and I haven't gotten any blooms yet it's in a mostly sunny spot growing on a trellas is there a period of time that it matures should it have blooms now?.2nd I finally got a hummer at my feeders it took three years to get a bird to show up, last year was the first this year (just last week)a female showed up I think it's the same one as last year she only drinks from the feeders she doesn't look at any of the flowers I have bee balm,columbine,salvia,petunas,foxglove and many wildflowers that I don't the names I'm thinking maybe she is a migrant | PA | laureldale |
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| 06/07/05 | Ruby Wingnut | I found the hummingbirds behaved differently at two different places I lived in the same area. When living in town, I had a large diverse garden, yet the hummers were very particular and only went to red/orange flowers (especially salvia coccinia, scarlet bee balm, and trumpet vine) and feeders. I moved out to the country, only about 2 miles away, and found the hummers here are more opportunistic, visiting a wide variety of flowers of all colors and types. I wonder if the city hummers were more trained to red by the feeders in the neighborhood, or if competion with bees and butterflies was stiffer and led them to specialize. The country hummers seem more open minded, perhaps because they have more choices of plants but far fewer red feeders and red bedding plants to get fixated on. Any ideas? | WV | Wheeling |
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| 05/29/05 | Gina | Humming birds loved my cardinal flower! | IL |
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| 05/27/05 | Kathy | I have seen hummers at our salvia splendens, a tall red variety, and the red and purple verbena that cascades over the edge of a pedestal planter on the patio. I'm not sure of it's latin name, but the one with the small leaves and flowers, NOT the one with big smooth leaves and impatien type flowers sold as a anual bedding plant in flats. My neighbor had luck with cardinal lobelia, but I never saw any at mine. | NJ | Piscataway |
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| 05/15/05 | B. Douglas | There are two Hummingbirds that visit my yard every year. They appear to be the same birds. I have a yellow Angel's Trumpet and purple Butterfly Bush in my yard, but the little darlings turn there nose at those. I have also tried the pre-mix nectar, but they are not attracted to that either.
They seem to prefer the Bird of Paradise (strelitzia reginae) and the blossoms on the Drawf Lemon Tree. I am happy to find this site and plan to purchase and plant suggestions found here. Hopefully, I will get more Hummers in the future. | California | Los Angeles |
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| 04/14/05 | John Campbell | My property adjoins Little Difficult Run Stream Valley Park. The spring-flowering Liriodendron tulipfera (tulip poplar) and fall-flowering Impatiens capensis (jewelweed) are native and provide ample food. Lonicera japonica (japanese honeysuckle) is rampant and heavily utilized by the ruby-throated hummingbirds. My property does not seem to be on a flyway. I have never seen more than three hummingbirds at a time. I have observed a male hummer making his courtship display over my terraced garden. The first hummer shows up around April 24. At least one breeding pair is in residence through September. The garden plants that the hummers feed from most frequently are fuschia, lantana, canna, Mirabilis jalapa (four o'clock), abutilon (floweing maple), Kirengeshoma palmata (yellow wax bell), hosta, Ipomoea (cardinal climber), Lobelia cardinalis, and rose of sharon. This appears to me the order of the hummingbirds' preference, but it is affected by location of the plant. Some locations are difficult to view. My previous house was only four miles from the present one, but it occupied a sunnier location and attracted many more hummingbirds. The biggest attraction was an arbor planted with Campsis (trumpet vine). Trumpet vine thrives but will not flower in my heavily wooded present location. I have not observed much feeding from my bignonia (crossvine). | VA | Reston |
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| 04/11/05 | steve | I have had great luck attracting and keeping hummers around with a humzinger feeder and the following plants. Nicotena, miniature snapdragons, salvia, trumpet and honeysuckle vines, monarda, forsythia and impatients. This mix seems to provide a season long supply of food, but I will try others this year. | MA | braintee |
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| 04/09/05 | P. Stickney | I grew up watching hummingbirds throughout the summer in our Mimosa Trees (Albizia julibrissin). We had three trees in our back yard so we had a huge number of hummingbirds coming in all the time. They bloom all summer. They also made good climbing trees (and the hummingbirds didn't mind sharing). Unfortunately, these trees seem to be falling out of favor in our area due to the growing popularity of the Bradford Pear which only blooms for a few days here. | Texas | Dallas |
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| 03/21/05 | Hummer lover | My hummingbird magnet is a gartenmeister fuschia plant. I have two, one hanging and one in a pot. Orangish/Salmon bloom is FULL of nectar. Hummers feed a long time in my large Balsam flower bed.
Salvia is a favorite too. | MN |
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| 03/06/05 | Anne | On 1/13/05, Stan from San Francisco posted a jpeg of an unknown plant that attracts hummers. It looks like a plant we saw in bloom last November at a friends' home in central Florida. It's called Bottle Brush (Callistemon viminalis). (I actually live in Maryland, where Bottle Brush doesn't grow, but I wanted to post this under Florida for people looking for plants for warmer climates.) | Florida |
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| 02/21/05 | Daniel Nevin | Saw a ruby throated hummingbird sip at a neighbour's rosemary plant which was partially flowered. | Canada | Victoria, BC |
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| 02/09/05 | John | #1 perrennial and # 1 plant overall - Cardinal Flower Lobelia. One plant of these with a few stalks is center stage for fighting.
#1 Annual salvia coccinea - they fight over these all the time.
Late bloomer but spectacular hummingbird plant that kept 1 rubythroat at my house til 10/17/2004 - mexican bush sage. I had 2 huge pots of them.
Vines - cardinal climber, red morning glory, and cypress vine all are well attended.
| MO | St. Louis |
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| 01/14/05 | John | I was surprised that after 40 years of living in the same house we finally had hummingbirds arrive in our yard in July 2004. (Just the previous year I gave away 4 feeders to a church thrift shop as I had given up). I think there were a few flowers that helped a lot. Impatients in large containers these were fluorescent magenta (pink/purple) color ones. We also had red salvia and and Echinacea. An 8 foot Blue Morning Glory trelis. But I kept seeing them on the impatients. Celebrating this new discovery by just starting a discussion group on Yahoo called Attracting-hummingbirds. Why not join us? | New York | N. Westchester County |
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| 01/13/05 | Stan | My friend has a tree which produces these feathery flowers that the hummingbirds love. I wish I could take a picture and post it. The tree is in bloom at the moment and has multiple feathery, read, needle-shaped petals with yellow tips (probably pollen). I posted a jpeg of it:
http://www.horspool.net/info/hummingbird_food.jpg
Can anyone tell me the name of the plant? | CA | SF |
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| 12/06/04 | Diane J | The Anna hummers love my pineapple sage plants that are still in bloom dispite the freezing temps of 27-30 degrees. They love the mexican sage plants too and they are still in bloom. I just got a salvia-Anthony Parker which is a cross between pineapple sage and mexican sage, so hoping the hummers will find that attractive as well. THe deeper purple flowers make this plant worthwhile. | California | Sacramento |
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| 11/14/04 | Pamel J Coble | We have several hibiscus (over 10 feet tall and 20 ft around) that the hummingbirds love. We have just planted our first cardinal vine in the garden. We had moonflower which is native to florida, and the hummingbirds were very attracted to that even though the color was a pure white. We do not use artifical feeders, as it is not healthy for the birds. They do not get the vitamins and minerals from the sugar water. | FL | Palm Bay |
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| 11/12/04 | Deba Cox | About a month ago I bought some Pine Cone Shrimp plants. I left them sitting in an area by tehmselves & came back to see hummers all over them. They also like the firespikes-red or pink. | Texas | Houston |
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| 09/12/04 | MIMS | Mix salvia splendens and salvia coccinea seed together; sow the mix into one big happy scarlet sage bed; enjoy hummers without controversy. Next problem please ... :-D | NJ | Marlton |
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| 08/25/04 | Joanne | This evening was the first time I ever spotted a hummingbird in this area! The little guy was feeding from the flowers from a Hosta in my garden. I also have Impatiens, Buterfly Bush and Trumpet Vine. Wow! I'm excited! | nj | Clifton |
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| 08/20/04 | Karen | We have so many hummingbirds that they use almost every flower we have; but in order of approximate hummingbird preference: Salvia chiapensis (Chiapas sage), fuschia hybrid (Dollar Princess), salvia coccinea, Epidendrum hybrid (reed orchid), epilobium canum (California fuschia, aka Zauschneria californica--this is a California native plant), agastache rupestris, agapanthus africanus (Lily of the Nile). | CA | San Diego |
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| 07/28/04 | Penny | Number one on my hummers list has to be Salvia Guaranitica Black and Blue. Within minutes of putting it out in the back yard the hummers have been going at it. Next on the list so far this year is Scarlet Runner Beans, Fuschia Gartenmeister Bonstedt and now the Jacob's Cline Bee Balm that is just coming into full bloom. THey haven't gone near the garden balsam yet this year and the jewelweed is just beginning to bloom. Quite a few of my hummer plants have yet to come into their own because of the cool rainy wheather here in western NY but the plants listed above have been very well received.
I also have quite a few plants that are not hardy here but I grow them anyway and take cuttings or take them inside or save the seed such as Agastache Apricot Sprite, Gladiolas, Salvia Elegans, Pineapple Sage, Salvia Greggi Cherry Queen, Salvia Microphillia Wild Watermellon, Cardinal Climber,4 O'Clocks and Hyacinth bean,. Then I also have others that are, Lobelia Cardinalis, Hostas, Jacob' Ladder, ROse Mallows and several plants that bloomed early in the spring.
| New York | N. TOnawanda |
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| 07/23/04 | Sandra Lewis | In my yard there are blooming plants 10 months of the year. In earliest Spring the satsuma and orange trees bloom. The hummers arrive in mid-bloom. In my neighbor's yard, the hummers also like the blooming red buckeye tree. Of course we have azalea's in the spring. We also have blooming Anna and Einscheimer apple trees and several pear trees. The birds may feed there as they perch in them and defend them.
I collect any plant with red or tubular flowers. My loebelia cardinalis and gulf coast penstemon are good bird attractors but the heat is really beating them back. I had to plant them in shade or they would have gone to seed and died already.
A steady favorite of my hummers is the hybrid coral bean shrub. It dies down in winter but comes back. It's blooming steadily now. Our red bottlebrush in the back yard also attracts birds. It rests in mid-winter. I have collected small turk's cap plants from the woods-the hummers love them, and also the butterflies. I don't recommend the greater turk's cap plant for hummers as it doesn't bloom until late September and it is quite large. Otherwise it is lovely with red cigar-shaped blooms until January freezing weather. It appears to be a form of hibiscus, I shall have to ask some plant experts.
Last year I planted the vine ipomeia, but it is invasive so we cut it back. Other vines I planted with success are the flowering bean, summer spinach, and maple from seed catalogs. The one we enjoy on our arbor right now is a hybrid salmon/orange trumpet vine.
I have not put out sugar water feeders in months and I see just as many ruby-throated hummers as last year. | Louisiana | Sulphur (Southwest LA) |
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| 06/15/04 | mike albert | the anna's hummingbirds in my yard are absolutely crazy for salvia leucantha (mexican bush sage) however, some of these plants produce the white flowers on the purple stalks while others just produce purple tubular flowers. are there two varieties? hummers still cavort around the purple flowers.
while i cut back the salvia elegans (pineapple sage) in its regular size (five feet tall) and the dwarf variety in early spring, only the dwarf variety of pineapple sage is in full bloom while there is zilch on the standard plants. the smaller plants get more shade. is this a factor? orioles are showing up at the hummers' feeders. i unplugged two of the plastic flowers for their access. hope all the birds will be happier with this arrangement! | california | oakland |
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| 06/10/04 | Linda | Lot's of great plants are listed here but I can't say enough about CUPHEA!!! Try Cuphea purpurea (firecracher plant,) a low growing plant with purple and red flowers which does well in planters or trailing over walls. Cuphea ignea (cigar plant,) a low mounding plant, is covered in red orange flowers the entire season until frost and makes a great hanging basket or bedding plant. Even better is the larger cousin, Cuphea David Verity, which has similar flowers and leaves but grows to three feet high and almost as wide. These tropical plants have been a huge hit with hummers here in my Southern Indiana yard. Don't be disappointed if they start out slow, cuphea like HOT weather. After you try cuphea, share it with others, get the word out about this family of fantastic hummer plants. If you can't find it, ask your local garden center to order it. The more requests a garden center gets for an item the more willing they are to stock it. You will not be disappointed with cuphea.
We just ordered a cuphea melvilla (c. micropetala?) from an internet site and can't wait to see how it does. | IN | Evansville |
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| 06/05/04 | Jasun | What is the flower pictured on the front page of this site? Can you help? | UT |
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| 05/31/04 | Chantal | Ruby-throated hummingbirds have been observed to sample Lantana camara, Salvia coccinea Lady in Red, Cleome, Pentas, scarlet runner beans and Impatiens. I also have Penstemon, Lobelia cardinalis, Campsis radicans and hundreds of self-seeding Aquilegia but as they are far from my window I have never observed hummingbirds visiting these.
This year, I'm planting a great deal more scarlet runner beans (I ordered a 5 lbs bag of seeds) and trying out scarlet climber (Ipomonea quamoclit). There exist open-face or azalea-type snapdragons that strike me as good hummingbird candidates (La Bella Red and White from T&M) and for which I have high hopes. Also more Penstemon barbatus and Lobelia cardinalis. | Quebec, Canada | Montreal |
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| 05/25/04 | Penny | Last year was the first time I saw hummers going to my plants almost as often as they used the feeders. What I found to be popular with my hummers were: Scarlet Runner Beans (#1), Garden Balsam (Impatiens Balsaminae), Salvia Guaranitica Black and Blue and 4 o'clocks (Mirabilis). I also had Cardinal Flower (Lobelia Cardinalis), cardinal vine, Monarda and a Weigelia shrub but didn't see as much activity on those.
THis year I have added another Cardinal Flower, planted more cardinal vine and scarlet runner beans and added hyacinth bean, and cypress vine. I have also planted columbines (Aquilegia), Jacob's Cline Monarda, and have 3 trumpet vines growing in containers (2 wild and one Madam Galen). | NY | N. Tonawanda |
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| 04/15/04 | Pattie | Just bought a summer place in upstate NY so last summer was my first foray at hummingbird feeding. They loved the Salvia!! Thanks to all for all the great suggestions that have already been given...my hummies thank you for it...they will be well fed this year!
All the best to everyone for a wonderful summer! | NY | Barryville |
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| 04/06/04 | Gary | I have been enjoying hummingbirds for 4 years and have put alot of effort into the flowers are research of them. My experience in NY has been the hummers enjoy the lobelia cardinalis (cardinal flower) the very best of all, the second and third place go to honeysuckle (dartmoor), delphiniums (many diff varieties) are great. I have found over the past 4 years birds invariably come back to the ones they love to feed on especially the cardinal flower. I would make the cardinal flower a must have!! Be aware that only the cardinalis is effective, I have had 3 different varieties and only the cardinalis is effective!!! | NY |
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| 03/03/04 | Quentin Brown | The common hummingbird here is the Rufous Hummingbird. It arrives in late March with the blooming of Flowering Currant (ribes sanguineum). This shrub is hugely attractive. Weigela, Twin-berry Bush and Trumpet Vine Honeysuckle are later blooming but will keep the hummingbirds coming. Mid-summer, the best plant, by far, is Bee Balm. Red is the favourite, but other colours work well. Rufous hummingbirds leave early, by Labour Day, so I've not had much luck with Cardinal Flower, a late bloomer on the West Coast. | British Columbia | North Vancouver |
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| 02/19/04 | Neva Hays | I have had hummers in my yard for several years. I think they must be the same families because they have become very familiar with my husband and myself. They are not afraid of us and come within nose distance to bless us out if we happen to wander too close to their area. They really are funny and have great personalities. I have discovered that they are very territorial with other hummers that wander into the yard. Sometimes you almost need a helmet on to protect you from their dives and mad chirpping. What a pleasant surprise every year to watch these friends. I noticed one of your writers is having problems with wasps and ants. A thin coating of vaseline around the feeder usually heads that problem off. | Ky. | Berry |
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| 09/14/03 | Chris Tessar | I saw one checking out my can of beer, not sure if it was drinking it, but he was there for awhile. | MN | Bemidji |
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| 08/29/03 | joe | The late Summer/Early Fall migrating Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds in my backyard enjoy-Fuschia,Agastache,
Salvia,Lobelia(Cardinal Flower),Buddelia(Butterfly Bush),Canna and Impatients.
Plant these for GUARANTEED SUCCESS. | new york | long island |
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| 07/14/03 | BETTY | I USE TO HAVE A LOT OF HUMMERS ON MY BUTTERFLY BUSH, COSMOS, PETUNIAS AND ALL
THE REGULAR FLOWERS I PROVIDE EVERY YEAR. THE LAST TWO YEARS MY FEEDER HAS
BEEN COVERED WITH BEES AND THE HUMMERS WILL NOT GET A CHANCE TO GET CLOSE TO
IT. I HAVE MOVED THE FEEDER TO NO AVAIL. THE BEES WILL NOT GO TO THE FLOWERS
SO I AM AFRAID I AM GOING TO LOSE MY HUMMERS. ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR ME? | KY | CAMPBELLSVILLE |
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| 07/11/03 | Emily | At my parents old house we used to have like 20 hummingbirds. I think it is because we had a variety of trees and flowering plants for them to choose from to live in and eat from. My parents have moved to a new house with 1/4 of the vegetation and we now have only about 5 or so. But at our old house we had Black Locust trees and Pine trees around the house. I've seen them eating from Hostas at the new house and the Buddleia, Annual Salvia, Petunias, Daylilies, Gladiolas and Coral Bells. Most of the plants I've seen them eating from are tubular and bright colors like red. | Indiana | Batesville |
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| 06/23/03 | Sheri | When we first moved into our home 8 years ago and began planting in our yard, we had no idea we were planting varieties that would attract hummingbirds as well as other birds. Now that our yard plantings are mature, we enjoy not only the gardens, but also the wildlife that are attracted to them. Hummingbirds are my favorite visitors to my gardens. We have noticed that they love the Agapanthus Lily of the Nile with it's large inviting vibrant blue flowers. A garden of vibrant red and blue, Salvia splendens(scarlet red) and Salvia farinacea(Victoria Blue) also is a favorite of the hummingbirds who visit our yard. They seem interestd in the Hemerocallis or Day Lilies, but I am not sure they really feed on them. They buzz around them with interest and then end up feeding on the the Agapanthus Lily of the Nile and the Salvia varieties. | California | Merced |
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| 06/09/03 | Kathleen | I have had experience with the Hummingbirds, they really like the red Bee Balm or rather Monarda they go from each tubular flower and sometimes will perch on the plant itself. I have found that the earlier plants that they like in your garden will help to keep them around till fall. | MO | Saint Peters |
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| 04/16/03 | Gene | when do the humminbirds usually arrive in this area,,,i just put my feeder out today and wondering if its to early | NC | St. Pauls near the SC line |
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| 04/13/03 | Carole | I live in the city in Louisville, and I have a small but flower-filled back yard.
I see only a few hummers for most of the summer, but then see a lot of them in late summer (August/ September), presumably when they are migrating South.
These are the plants the hummingbirds love to sip on in my yard:
Hosta (purple flowers); Bee Balm (Monarda, Cambridge Scarlet); Red Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirons); Butterfly bush, lavender (Buddleia); Salvia (red); Rose of Sharon (red, purple). I think that they like the red trumpet flower vine (Campis, Madame Galen), though most of the flowers from MY vine have grown over the fence and bloom in my neighbor's yard, so I don't see them much!
I seldom see hummers in the spring, although it's said that they do arrive in our area by early May. I have tried putting my feeder out early, and buying red and purple annuals to attract them, but to no avail. I would love some tips on what flowers might draw these birds into my yard, early in the season.
On a side note, I have noticed that the hummers love water mists and sprinklers. When I had my sprinkler set on a timer (came on the same time every day), the hummingbirds would show up and fly through the water every day. | Kentucky | Louisville |
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| 02/03/03 | Karen | Thanks for the information on the Madame Galen Trumpet vine. Mine bloomed great last year, but the absolute favorite hummingbird flower in my yard was the Cardinal Climber. (And I really don't live in hummingbird friendly environment...no wooded areas around.) I bought the seeds at Walmart and I had flowers from June til October. (I must admit I planted 5 packages of seeds, but there's no need to do that!) I've already purchased my Cardinal Climber seeds for this year!!! Note: Cardinal Climber is not the same as Cardinal Flower which I think is a bit trickier to grow. Although, I may try it this year if I can find the right place for it. | PA | King of Prussia |
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| 01/18/03 | Deena Hagstrom | I live on 20 acres in a wooded area and didn't expect to attract many hummingbirds but at one point I had 10 buzzing in my apple tree. I found that these little birds seem to love my hodgepodge garden of spring flowes (tulips, daffodils, etc). I have peonies, shrub roses, lilac. I left the milk weed, which some people would consider an invasive weed, because the hummingbirds and butterflies both love it. On particularly dry summer I had a hummingbird come every afternoon when I would turn on the sprinkler for his afternoon bath. He loved that sprinkler and would fly into the spray and then land on a branch and preen. I also have lots of Iris, day lillies and clematis. I don't plant many annuals in my garden. I do put out one feeder and make sure that it is filled at all times. My gardens border the woods and are about an acre but spread out. I have several apple, pear and peach trees and these too attract the little bird. I do have a small hand dug pond also which supplies water at all times for all the animals and birds. | Michigan | Oscoda |
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| 12/18/02 | Elise | The Hummingbirds in my yard love - Abelia ( Edward Goucher),Fuchia Magellancia,
Crocosmia (Lucifer),Lobelia (Cardinal Flower ),Buddleia,Scarlet Sage,Impatients, Begonias and Zinnias. I only see them during Spring and Fall Migration and I
always see them feeding from these Shrubs and Flowers---GOOD LUCK and ENJOY
| New York | Long Island |
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| 10/25/02 | S. James | Our Ruby throated hummies are fond of Cana Lillies, Rose of Sharon and a large pot with several varieties of flowers (impatiens, begonia etc). | Ontario, Canada | Kincardine |
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| 09/10/02 | Judy Dorsey | Plants getting most visits from Ruby-throated Hummigbirds this summer and fall: Russelia sarmentosa and Cuphea 'David Verity' tie for #1; then Hamelia patens (Firebush); Salvia guaranitica; Salvia leucantha; Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Flower) before it was stripped of all foliage seemingly overnight by pests unknown; and Justicia brandegeana (Shrimp Plant). They have checked out just about every blossom on the place, though, including Roses. Some flowers they use for insects and not nectar. | Southwest TN |
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| 08/23/02 | JJ Smith | In my yard in Southeastern CT, ruby throats are attracted to the following (in order of preference):
1. Salvia guarantica (a tender perennial here)
2. Lonicera semperivirens (aka Red Trumpet Honeysuckle)
3. Lobelia Cardinalis (Cardinal Flower)
4. Agastaches (Desert Sunrise and Tutti Fruiti)
5. Salvia Microphylla
6. Salvia Greggi
7. Campsis Radicans (once this vine become more established and floriforous, it will no doubt move up the list).
One observation: a poster below made a comment that Madam Galen Trumpet vine is low on nectar, as compared with other trumpet vines. This is not true! If you every run across a Madam Galen vine blooming at your local nursery, pick one of the flowers and witness for yourself the resevoir of sweet nectar at its base. | CT |
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| 08/22/02 | Joe Manzione | Cardinal Flowers, Cardinal Flowers, Cardinal Flowers - I can not state how
irresistible the Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds find them in my backyard.
They also frequently vist the Butterfly Bushes, Zinnia Flowers, Impatients and other colored Lobelia,but, on a scale of one to ten the Cardinal Flowers rate a 10 in my backyard.
I highly recommed them to everyone--BEST OF LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | New York | Suffolk County, Long Island |
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| 08/19/02 | John M Poltrack | I've done lots of plantings for hummingbirds, mostly Bee Balm. Recently I purchased Agastache rupestris (hardy to zone 5) because I was impressed with the overpowering fragrance, I didn't realize it also attractive to hummingbirds. Almost immediately it was discovered by the hummers. I would strongly recommend it and the other members of the Agastache family. | NH | New Ipswich |
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| 08/13/02 | cindy shults | I have enjoyed hummers in my yard for many years now. They seem to like my 4 o'clocks and rose of sharon best. I have also planted humming bird vine along the fence and they enjoy that too. I have better luck with my flowers then feeder in attracting them, because the hornets and bees are always crowding the feeders and chase the hummers away!! | usa | vincennes, IN |
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| 08/11/02 | Beth Ann Guido | The hummingbird have feasted on the Bee Balm and the Ipomopsis, which our neighbor calls red hot poker. I believe the seed catalog call Ipomopsis, hummingbird plant. | In | Marion |
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| 07/27/02 | Clare | I have quite a large deck garden since I live in a town home and don't have much yard. I don't think I ever expected to see hummingbirds but last year when I saw one at a bright pink petunia planter, I was thrilled. I immediately went out and put feeders up. I think the same ruby throat stayed in our neighborhood all summer making the rounds and one was back early May this year. Only once did I see another hummer, and he was promptly chased off. I have planted cuphea igna, salvia elegans and coccinea (sp?), buddleia, zinnia, heliotrope, moonflower, hibiscus, russian sage ( bees love), veronica, verbena, geranium, and impatiens, all of which have been recommended somewhere for hummers. The only plant that has distracted him so far from the feeder was Monarda, a tall brilliant scarlet one. It was so fun to see him at the plant, I am going to try agastache which I saw today at the US Botanic Garden. It is very attractive in it's foliage as well as being a reputed favorite of hummers...so I will enjoy it even if he does not! | MD | Ellicott City |
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| 05/20/02 | Tim | Last year we first saw the female ruby-throat hummer in our columbine. During the summer it also visited the buddleja(butterfly bush). But the very best flower that had the hummers going to it constantly was the trumpet-shaped fuschia, with the red salvia and the red canna right behind. If you get these 3 flowers, you won't be disappointed! | Illinois | Wheaton |
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| 04/28/02 | Karen | Last fall I purchased a trumpet vine, (among many other perenials), in hopes of attracting hummingbirds to my yard. My concern is, is that it's the Madame Galen variety. I read somewhere that hummingbirds aren't as attracted to this variety, because it is low on nectar. I've read otherwise at a different site. It had a few blooms on it last fall when I purchase it, and they looked identical to the campsis radicans variety. Does anyone have any personal experience with this variety or any information? By the way, I purchased a campsis radicans variety yesterday just to be safe...in a few years I'll be overrun with trumpet vines. :) | PA | King of Prussia |
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| 04/02/02 | Lizz | Living out in the country, my hummingbirds seem to prefer the wild flowers over most of the flowers that I have planted for them. Their favorite is wild honeysuckle. When it is in bloom, you might as well take your feeders down for a good cleaning as they will disappear for 2 weeks during the early honeysuckle blooming. They also like the wild trumpet vines and wild verbena that we have here. But within my yard I have seen my jewels at my azalas (pink, red and lavender), Scarlet wiegela, petunias, red salvias, mandevilla plant, Sweet Williams, Empiress Tree, money plant blooms, cardinal vine, hummingbird vine, and my bee balm (lavender). I planted cannas for them last year and only saw 1 hummingbird feeding off them. I regularly have 8 to 12 different hummingbirds visit my feeders daily in the summer and on occasion more. | Arkansas | Antioch |
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| 03/12/02 | John | My hummer's seem to prefer red salvia, butterfly bushes, lilacs, snapdragons, currants, nicotiana and cleome. I have read that they like impatiens but never see them feeding on them. I was surprised to see them drinking from sedums, which I thought were more for buttterflies. The strangest encounter I saw was last September when a hummer was hovering around my pyracantha bushes, apparently attracted by the bright orange berries.
In the fall I have noticed orange and green colored hummers which are definitely not rubythroats. These birds have avoided the feeder as I've only seen them at flowers. | CT |
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| 03/02/02 | Haji Warf | Summer 2001, near Washington, D.C., zone 7a:
(listed in order of preference, as indicated by frequency of visits)
• Justicia brandegeana (Shrimp Plant)
• Fuchsia 'Gartenmeister Bonstedt'
• Stachys coccinea (Scarlet Hedgenettle)
• Lonicera x heckrottii 'Gold Flame' (Trumpet Honesuckle)
• Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon, tree form)
• Pelargonium peltatum (Ivy Leaf Geranium)
• Ipomopsis rubra (Standing Cypress, Skyrocket)
I actually have many, many more plants touted as hummingbird-attracting, (Salvia ssp., Agastache ssp., etc.) but the above list were the favorites of my summer resident female ruby-throat (she appears to be returning every year). | VA | Arlington |
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| 03/01/02 | Derald | We have good luck with hummers on Bleeding Heart,Coral Bells,Bee Balm,and of course Honeysuckle and Trumpet vine.We have nests every year in pear trees close to our house.Hope this helps someone attract our favorite little friends. | Wa.(East of Cascades) | Wenatchee |
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| 02/25/02 | Dianne Sorrell | We were surprised last year to see hummingbirds feeding from our Bonica roses! They fed from petunias in our porch rail boxes, daylilies, foxgloves (digitalis purpurea), garden phlox, lantana, verbena, and snapdragons. Their hands-down favorite, though, is the hummingbird mint (agastache), which I want to find more of this year. | North Carolina |
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| 02/01/02 | K.C. | I don't really have a comment but I am writing a story and i need some information on humming birds and anything you can tell me will be helpful. My e-mail address is- kcruleseverything@hotmail.com
-Thanks | New Mexico | Albuquerque |
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| 01/18/02 | Gayle Hendricks | I have a Cape Honeysuckle that Hummingbirds seem to love. | Arizona | Phoenix |
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| 01/03/02 | Shane | Over the last few years, I have incorporated several Hummingbird flowers in the yard, trying to emphasize the xeric (low water using) species when available. The most popular has been Sunset Hyssop (Agastache rupestris). I have other Hummingbird mints in the yard, but A. rupestris seems to be the most popular (When the migrating rufous came last fall, they picked fights with the black-chinned over these flowers). Also fairly popular was hummingbird flower/ fire chalice/ California fuchsia (Zauschneria latifolia or other sp). I found some plants of Scarlet Gilia (Ipomopsis aggregata) and Firecracker Penstemon (P. eatonii) at a garden fair this last summer; I have heard that they are popular among hummers as well. These are all increasingly available locally.
Cigar or firecracker plant (Cuphea ignea) have been very popular in my hanging baskets. Since these are NOT xeric, their performance is directly related to my remembering to water them! | UT | Salt Lake |
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| 09/28/01 | Tim Detterline | This summer, hummingbirds loved our red Pentas which were planted in pots located on the ground as well as on the rails of our deck. I also noted that they enjoyed feasting on the butterfly bush. | Indiana | Indianapolis |
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| 09/23/01 | Faye Carlisle | I was so surprised when I saw hummingbirds go to our zinna's. | S.C. | Florence |
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| 09/22/01 | George Grefe | On August 25, 2001 for the first time since moving to Watchung NJ in 1982, I saw humming birds feeding on nonstop begonias in my second-story window boxes. I have also watched them feed on the abelia grandifolia and balsams that grow in the shade in my yard.
A friend in Westfield, NJ has a huge flower garden with many different varieties of flowers. The flowers the hummingbirds seem to prefer include red cardinal creeper vine, and Mexican sunflower, tithonia rotundifolia. We have also seen them feed on nicotiana.
A friend in Warrenville, NJ reports many hummingbirds come to his Butterfly Bushes (Buddleia).
In Quebec, Canada I have observed they are very fond of both the native honeysuckle (lonicera) and impatiens. A friend who grows masses of flowers for the cut-flower trade reports the hummers fight over the gladiola in preference to lilies and other flowers! | NJ | Watchung |
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| 08/03/01 | Barbara | My mother (TN) used to have good luck with fuschia and salvia (common red--scarlet sage--annual, growing 3-4' tall). Am new in our area in VA (1st year). I was told we were in migration flyway and to not expect hummers to spend the summer. Planted varieties for the bees and butterflies, instead of specifically for hummers. But we began seeing the hummers regularly in mid-July (this is Aug 3). Will make concerted effort with feeders for rest of season. We have a bed with 7 buddleia bushes--my husband has seen hummers in that area; I saw them in an area with daylilies and bee balm. We also see them frequently nearly 30' up in the tulip poplars (possibly a nesting/feeding venue?). We have not seen them feeding, perhaps just bad timing on my part. We have scarlet sage blooming, 4 o'clocks, monarda (bee balm), different types of herbs that bloom, and lots of hosta. I also have cannas and was encouraged to see that others have had luck with them. | VA | Stafford |
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| 07/21/01 | Richard Good | Flowers I have observed them feeding on are 4 o clocks,portculaca,cardinal climber,gladiola. | Va. | Elkton |
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| 07/07/01 | Mary | I have never seen anyone list this plant as a favorite of hummers, but they really love ours. Cana lillies. We have multiple colors: red, yellow and pink. The little guys also check out our evergreen wisteria. | LA | Prairieville |
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| 06/19/01 | Judi | Each year I hang a fuschia plant next to my himmingbird feeder and I get at least a half a dozen hummingbirds each day. They go to the plant first, then to the feeder. | New Jersey |
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| 06/18/01 | Mikey | The only plant I have ever seen a hummingbird visit is the foxglove (Digitalis purpurea). It was a female ruby throat and it visited many times. It seemed to start with the fushia colored ones first. Hope that helps someone. | IL |
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| 06/17/01 | Lisa | I have seen hummingbirds for the past few years feeding on hot pink impatiens in my yard. Last year they came to my red tropicanna plants.This year I hung a feeder and have had 3 sightings so far. | NJ | Absecon |
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| 06/13/01 | babs | The only hummer we see here is the ruby throat.
I have a gas plant Dictamanus rubra. I usually don't see the first hummer until this blooms in mid to late may. They love it. They also feed in my blue siberian irises and dark blue delphiniums, as well as the many salvias and petunias.
while never witnessing them in my red and yellow columbines they do feed in the blue columbines next to the gas plant. | WI |
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| 05/26/01 | Debbie | Went to the local gardening outlet this afternoon and purchased a hanging Robpatpar plant. Tiny buds begin as pale cream-white, with new florets opening as cream-white with a tiny gold throat. The florets then transition to a finale of medium pink with a small yellow throat. The mass color effect is medium pink. The gentleman said that hummingbirds love these plants. Will, within 15 minutes after hanging it, the hummingbirds were looking it over. Has anyone else ever heard of this plant. I am surfing the net trying to find info regarding it, with no luck so far. | Michigan |
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| 04/09/01 | Julie Bruner | Hummingbirds here definitely love Butterfly Bushes (Buddelia), I have a total of 11 of them now. I also had a big bed of annual red Salvia surrounding a 4 ft bed of Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia). This is also an annual, the seeds are easily germinated and 1 plant had 10-15 blooms on them, they grow about 5-6 ft high and need lots of sun. You can harvest the seed heads and only have to buy them one year. Goldfinches love the seeds too. | Indiana | Greenfield |
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| 03/08/01 | Katie | I have planted my yard just for hummers and butterflys. I have recorded over 120 hummers in yard and at feeders. Everyone comes to my house in amazement. I have 10 64oz feeders I hang that are filled daily, then their fave flowers are my 4 o'clocks, trumpet vine, purple coneflowers, black-eyed susans, bee balm is a big fave, hosta's and hibiscus. Oh can't forget the blooms from herbs, such as lemon sage, mexican sage, also almost forgot the sweet williams. thanks! | Arkansas | rogers |
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| 03/08/01 | ALISA | FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS I'VE GROWN MOONFLOWER VINES FOR OUR DEAR LITTLE VISITERS. IT'S GREAT TO SEE THEM FEEDING AT DUSK, AS THE FLOWERS ONLY OPEN IN THE LATE AFTRNOON AND STAY OPEN ALL NIGHT. I HANG MY FEEDER NEARBY AND WATCH SEVERAL AT ONE TIME FEASTING ON BOTH FLOWERS AND FEEDER. HOPE YALL HAVE THE SAME LUCK. | MISSISSIPPI |
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| 03/04/01 | Bob | For the 14 years I lived in Sacramento, adult hummingbirds constantly fed at the long red flowers of our trumpet vine! | CA | Sacramento |
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| 03/03/01 | Kathy | I have found that if I plant red petunias close to my feeders that the birds will eat at both the flowers and the feeders. They take turns going from the feeder to the petunias to the hunnysuckle. | WA | Tacoma |
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| 09/04/00 | Sue Conway | My hummers absolutely love red cardinal flowers! I also have some wild larkspur that the they like as well. The moonflowers with their extra large trumpet shaped flowers attract hummers as well, but the ones they seem to go to the most are the red cardinal. Lupines seem to draw them, but I found columbine to be very disappointing. Maybe it is the location I have them in, not sure. I just started a trumpet vine but I know hummers like this as I have seen them flock around my sister's! | Nebraska |
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| 09/03/00 | Gaye | Hi ... thank you for the opportunity to share my two great passions with others of the same ilk!
We have three types of hummers that arrive here shortly after March and stay until (usually) Mid-October. Our garden is planted with them in mind.... actaully our whole yard(back) is an edge environs that is strictly FOR THE BIRDS!
We KNOW that hummers love our NANUS Gladiola... they are attracted to them but have been found inside them many, many times... and not just the brightly colored ones! We have about 300 planted hardy bulbs of this type.
We also have a RUSSIAN SAGE: that is aa blue-purple type of flower that is an amazing plant... it is also something we have observed and gotten photos of the hummers in and at the flowers on a continuim.
We also planted Madame Galen Honeysuckle vines, Chinese Wisteria, and Trumpet vines on our Pergola.... the hummers adore these things.
I also have many Cosmos, Batchelor buttons, Ruby Moon Hyacynith bean flowers, Scarlett runner beans, Nastursiums, Hollyhocks that have also given our hummers a real treat. I have pictures of all of what I say and can attest to these flowers being favourites; but we also have Poppies that they like and several wild flowers that are a great bonus too.
I apoligise ahead of time for not including Latin names but I am simply not of a time frame where I can look them all up right now. I certainly hope this is acceptable feedback and and that it helps some of you in your planting next year.
We hade over forty hummers here , breeding and now we are with a few females and the juveniles left... I shall be saddened to see them go. | British Columbia,Canada |
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| 08/16/00 | Dan | During late June and most of July in northern NJ (border zone 5/6), I've noticed ruby-throats at the radish flowers more than once. Even though the flowers are white instead of the popular red, one radish plant can make a couple dozen flowers. They also grow *VERY* fast, in almost any soil. Recommended in northern climates, before more attractive annuals (salvias) are placed outside. | NJ | Newton |
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| 08/15/00 | Teresa | Last year, we planted something we'd ordered from a magazine advertisement. I don't remember the actual name, but it is popularly called a butterfly bush. Yes, the butterflies do love this bush, but the hummers regularly go from our feeders to this bush to feed. They seem to love it. The flowers are similar in shape to a lilac bush. Ours are three colors, white, light lilac and deep purple. If you see anything like this advertised, get it, the hummers love it! | WV | Wheeling |
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| 08/13/00 | Mike | I have found the following to be used regularly by hummingbirds:
Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)
Fire Pink (Silene virginica)
Stiff Verbena (Verbena rigida)
Blackberry Lily (Belamcanda chinensis)
Cypress Vine (Ipomoea quamoclit)
Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)
New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)
Azalea (Rhododendron sp.)
Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans)
Rose (Rosa sp.) | GA | Villa Rica |
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| 08/09/00 | Lori | Hummers here feed from what we call Hummingbird vine, and on Coral Bells, mostly.
I think the hummingbird vine could be what is called the lipstick vine.
I don't know the Latin names for these plants. | Indiana | Canaan |
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| 08/08/00 | Andrea | I have no idea what the botanical name is, but the very favorite in my garden is Salvia, Lady in Red. I'll give it a 10 easily since they visit each and every bloom regularly - these are tubular flowers. Next would be the crocosmia Lucifer, also a 10. Hosta - about a 5. Monarda is about a three - visited rarely. Oh - honeysuckle, a definite 10. Disappointments: Columbines, Weigela, Lobelia - seem just right to me but not my hummers. All of the above applies to ruby throats only. | Michigan |
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| 08/08/00 | Jeanne | Sighting a Hummingbird in our yard is a rare thrill. I have lived in this neighborhood for 46 years and can count the number of sightings I've had on two hands. (I don't NEED to use my fingers, I just can.) I have seen them at Impatiens, which I didn't expect....at the Firecracker Plant, which was put there for them....and at the Ivy Geranium.... I was watering a hanging plant when a Ruby Throated Hummingbird came up for a drink. I haven't seen one yet this year, but I've read that once they find a source of food they will return, and make the rounds of their territory every day. It could be that I'm just not looking in the right place at the right time. I love them, even though I rarely get to see them. | New York | Southern Westchester County |
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| 08/08/00 | Robert Weissler | At my home in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains northwest of Los Angeles, I have had Anna's Hummingbirds nesting in my front yard, once or twice in an almond tree and three times or more in a neighboring Monterey Pine. One plant whose red flowers never never fail to attract them nearby is a Grevillea banksii. In the back yard near one of the two feeders is an Albizzia tree (Albizzia julibrissin) whose similar pink flowers also attract these same hummingbirds.
Meanwhile, I notice that Allen's Humminbirds seem quite attracted to tree tobacco (Glauca nicotiniana?). I've seen both Allen's, Anna's and other hummers attracted to many types of Eucalyptus trees too. | California | Agoura Hills |
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| 08/08/00 | Gail Futoran | _Hamelia_, Mexican Firebush, has a tubular red flower that hummers love and it's an attractive bush. I had several plants in my yard but last winter added nine more along the driveway. I often see hummers working the blooms. Disadvantage: Firebushes die to the ground and come back in the spring but only in South Texas. Growing only about 2' tall & wide, they could be planted in containers. | Texas |
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| 08/02/00 | Fernando Ortiz | The most popular plant for hummers in my garden is an Abutilon hybrid shrub with reddish flowers. I have two large Delostoma roseum trees (Bignoniaceae) and an old Inga insignis (Leguminosae) which are also very popular, particularly when they are fully flowered. In the Quito area there are extensive plantings of Eucalyptus globulus trees which attract many hummers. These came originally to South America from Tasmania and Australia. | Ecuador | Cumbaya, Quito |
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| 08/02/00 | Carol Foil | In late July and August we have a gathering of Ruby-throated hummingbirds in our garden that we anticipate will last into late September. At present, there are two flowering plants used over all others in my garden ... Pagoda plant Clerodendron and Hamelia patens. It perhaps would be informative to know other hummer plants that are flowering now but not receiving much attention. This would include Salvia coccinia, Salvia guaranticia X and Cuphea 'David Verity' and Flowering Maple (Abutilon), although orioles have been using the latter. | LA | Baton Rouge |