Many of the flowers and shurbs you named mostly bloom in early or late summer. In some areas hummers pass though in mid spring. This spring plant colorful annuals, such as petunias and salvia to attract hummingbirds as they make their way north. I have also heard that hummingbirds like to nest around water, such as ponds and streams. You may want to instal a water feature to attract hummingbirds (and other wildlife as well).

i agree with gardenatthegap. You definitely need more plants that will bloom all summer. I strongly suggest salvia coccineas such as Lady in Red, coral nymph, scarlet sage. They are very easy to grow from seed if you can't find them locally. Also try Jacob's Cline Bee Balm. It doesn't bloom as long as salvia but the hummers love it. Gartenmeister Fuschia does well in hanging baskets or in ground and will bloom all season. Zinnias are another good annual.

Penny

Gardenatthegap and Penny 1947, Thank you very much for the suggestions. I already have a water feature- 50 gal livestock tank converted to an above ground birdbath with a fountain so at least that part is done. Being generally lazy, I have avoided annuals so as to avoid planting them yearly but now I know the price I pay.

What I've experienced is that hummers won't be as frequent a visitor if there are lots of song birds in residence. Try separating the area of song bird feeders and hummers feeders. BTW, hummers use spider web to start their nests, it's what makes them expand as the babies grow. I got lucky one day, actually saw a momma hummer taking spider web off my evergreen bush. Funny, how she swiveled her head, in order to get it wound around her beak!

I know this sounds funny, but I have seen hummingbirds "chase" song birds away from their feeders. The hummingbirds appeared to work together to scare off the much larger bird (which was a finch). I know hummingbirds are territorial. I have seen them chase each other, but never another type of bird. Has anyone else ever seen this strange behavior?

The hummingbirds in my yard also love liatris and sweet pea vine. I kept my songbird feeders and hummingbird feeders approx 12 feet apart and had no trouble, although I had two pairs of ruby-throateds competing for one feeder (although I had three that held nectar) - it was really interesting to watch. It also took me three years to get the hummingbirds to my yard while my neighbor across the street had them every day over that period of time. I've heard that once you have them and you keep up the nectar supply, they will keep coming back. Good luck!!

Jenn

I had my first sure nester last summer. I bought red impatiens and had a feeder up as soon as they were starting to hit my area on the migration map.

They like lilac and blueberry blossoms (in some people's yards) and native columbine and native azalea. They are also supposed to feed at sapsucker holes if you have those. For actual nesting materials, lichens, spider webs, cinnamon fern frond stuff, and pussy willows.

I think the females check out sites as they migrate southward, so if they liked it in the fall, they might be back.

Lisa

Carolssis- Thank you for your suggestion. I suppose I have garden beds with shrubs and perennials that are not near other birds' nests (approx 20' away)- maybe the plants do not have the right structure to attract hummingbirds. Fortunately we have spiders webs everywhere in the yard.

Gardenatthegap, I have only seen them chase each other.

Jenn b, Thank you for your plant suggestions. As the earlier repliers suggested, I need plants that cover the entire summer for nectar availablity. Glad to hear you have got a all-summer hummer now.

pankhi

Some annuals reseed very easily. The salvias mentioned above should reseed for you so once you plant them the first time, they will be as good as planting perennials, A lot of Agastaches are perennial and they bloom about the same time as salvias. The Jacob's Cline Bee Balm is perennial. Petunias may reseed and sometimes impatiens will reseed.

penny

Penny1947, Thank you again for your message. It is comforting to know that the salvias will reseed. In your first message you had said that I needed plants like salvias that bloom summer long. In order to keep the salvias blooming for most of the summer, do I need to pinch off the dead flowers or will they maintain long-term blooming on their own?

I break of the flower spikes only after all the flowers on that spike finish blooming as it does help to increase the flower production. Once they start flowering they will keep going all summer right up until they are killed by frost.

Penny

Penny1947,
Thank you again for the information.

Pankhi,
I have a lot of Lady In Red (salvia coccinea) seed if you want some...I have lots of plants coming up that I wintersowed, and some I've done inside under lights so I should have tons of plants. Email me and I can send some seeds if you'd like.

glo

I found my 1st hummingbird nest in a droopy iceberg rose bush. The long canes fell over and made a natural sheltered canopy.

Glok, Thank you very much for the offer, I have emailed you.

Steviedon, How exciting, sounds like you have several nestings.

Last summer I was also amazed to see how brave the little hummers were chasing birds twice their size through the branches of the trees if they came too close to their feeders. Yes, Gardeninthegap - they can be very brave!

Pankhi...This year was the first nesting in our pine tree that I have ever seen.This Mama Hummer is on her second batch! She made 2 nests in 2 different pine trees about 20 ft apart, so I guess I can say they like large pine trees and some bushtits are about 5 ft from her in the same tree!! The nest have been within 10 to 12 ft off the ground in the lower branches so we can see the nest real well. The first babies did great despite all our rain and hail the last of Feb.I was worried.I will try and post a picture in the gallery!I have a small pond that has been in about 6 years, so you have to be patient. I have a feeder and other plants that attract hummers.I am not too sure how many species you have in your area and the likelyhood of them breeding in your area. Check out hummingbirds.net it has ALOT of hummer info! Happy bird watching! Pam

hi, i live in central TX & we have a patch of woods (which includes a creek) behind our backyard. i know there is a hummingbird couple hanging around, and the male has been visiting my feeder- i only saw the female once. i'm pretty sure they are the black-chinned species. in the woods we have huge live oak trees, a few smaller pecan trees, lots of hackberries & chinaberries, mexican buckeye, cedar, & a very large old fig tree. i would love to look back there to see if i can locate their nest (carefully & unobtrusively of course). any ideas about where i should look, or what trees they might prefer? thanks!

Dear Hummer Forum,
In San Diego, CA, I saw a 12' high nest on a 2" in Diameter, horizontal OLive tree branch in 1975, 30 years ago. I'm 38. I could swear I updated my file to Vancouver, WA, US.

Romerofinley@yahoo.com al_compost

I noticed a nest in the horizontal "v" of a branch of our monterey pine. It is 10 feet off the ground and the branch is long and slender. Other branches kind of provide cover from above. I climbed a ladder this morning and took 2 pictures. The hummer mother was home. At least I think it was the mother. The nest is very small but well made. I will keep an eye on it. Anyone know when the babies are usually born?

I discovered this nest because I noticed a hummingbird was always hanging around this area, which is far from my feeders. So I kept my eyes peeled and was rewarded.