Do you love the idea of hummingbirds in your garden? You're not alone. When I'm talking to new clients about their gardens, they always light up on the subject! Luckily, besides being delightful, hummingbirds also add to a healthy garden. Those busy beauties help with pollination and do insect patrol as well. Hey...they're green!
According to the Oregon State University, "Hummingbirds are especially attracted to the color red. Good choices are plants with red or orange tubular flowers, such as fuschias, red-flowering currant, columbines, coral bells, salvias and penstemons. They also love bush and vine honeysuckles, hollyhocks, nasturtiums and petunias as well as blossoms from black locust, flowering crab apple and hawthorn. Provide a succession of nectar plants that will bloom from spring to fall, giving hummingbirds a continual source of food through the seasons." To read more, click here. Additionally, here's a list of California natives that attract hummingbirds, courtesy of the California Native Plant Society.
I love hummingbirds!! Unfortunately, my neighbor has decided to bogart all the hummingbirds in our area by hanging dozens of ugly artificial feeders in his yard!! Thanks for flower color/type info - I am going to see if I can't get some of them coming around to my yard again :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting a list of California Native plants that attract hummingbirds. I've been trying to go "native" for a few years now, so I printed out the list and now all I have to do is narrow it down to the ones that will grow in my area.
ReplyDeleteI try to plant as many native hummingbird and butterfly attracting plants in my garden and hang just a few hummingbird feeders in the windows where I can enjoy them as I work around the house. I figure the best source of nectar is nature made, but I do enjoy seeing them come up to the windows as I putter around the house.
Thanks for being such a great resource for the California natives. Although, I live in Southern CA, I have a few friends now living in Sacramento and will be excited to point them toward your blog!!
so, two opinions about feeders (but we all agree on the plants!). Shanyne should take a look at Sue's hummingbird feeder link. They have all manner of feeders. My fave, the hummingbird merry-go-round. The birdies need to play...
ReplyDeletewhoops...I mean the ferris wheel feeder. That's my fave.
ReplyDelete