Hummer flowers--Final year's summary

17 years ago

Earlier, I posted a list of what was working, and what wasn't. Now that all of my hummers seem to be gone, just thought I'd post this season's final list of the successful and unsuccessful offerings.

VISITED FAIRLY OFTEN TO FREQUENTLY:

Monarda didyma "Gardenview Scarlet" Hummers were crazy about them, but bad mildew!

Campsis radicans var. "flava"--Visited fairly often

Salvia coccinea--Visited fairly often but got crowded by other plants

Ipomoea multifida--Quite attractive to them once they got going in August

Ipomoea (Cypress vine)??? Had one in pot with multifida, but only ever noticed birds at multifida.

Aquilegia canadensis--Definitely a good spring hummer flower

Agastache "Pink Panther" Shorter than "Big Bazooka," but still attractive

Agastache "Big Bazooka" Taller than "Pink Panther." The birds really enjoyed working these over!

AT LEAST ONE VISIT:

Lobelia speciosa "Fan Blue"

Lobelia cardinalis--Thought this would be more of a draw, but droughty August was hard on it.

Fuchsia "Billy Green" Thought I saw a bird visit it early in the year, but nothing later in year.

Dicentra spectabilis--Saw my first bird of the spring (a male) feeding from this.

Zinnias "Cactus Flowered" One bird went from Agastache to this.

Salvia splendens--A late summer acquisition with lots of nectar.

NO ACTIVITY NOTICED AT ALL:

Petunias (Bright red ones) Did have nectar inside, but I noticed no visitors all year

Dianthus chinensis (magenta ones) Lots of nectar. Not in the best viewing location, so may have missed activity.

Hibiscus "Fireball" No nectar at all! Noticed bird inspecting huge flower, but did not feed.

Snapdragons (Mixed colors, conventional shape)

Impatiens (magenta and red) Lots of nectar, but no visitors. This surprised me.

Mirabilis multiflora (Mixed colors from Burpee) Big disappointment--no nectar

Lilium (Mixed orientals)--In past have seen hummers at "Casa Blanca," but nothing this year

Of course, I can't be sure that some of the no activity flowers didn't get visited. It's possible I just didn't notice. However, it seemed that the hibiscus, Four o'clocks, and Snapdragons just didn't have any nectar to offer. Although the petunias, lilies, Impatiens, and Dianthus did, I never did see any activity at these flowers. I was really surprised that the Impatiens were apparently ignored. They were in plain sight by the door, and every time I tore one open, there was a plentiful supply of nectar inside. Perhaps they did not want to feed from a flower that was only about a foot tall. That is the only downside to the Impatiens that I can think of.

If anyone else would like to publish their final lists, it might be useful in helping others to plan for our gardens next year. What else can we do to console ourselves through the long, hummingbirdless fall, winter, and early spring?

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Comments (12)

bob64
17 years ago
I did not make detailed observations but Jewel Weed was definitely on of their regular favorites.
christy2828
17 years ago
Visited:

Morning Glory
Petunia - Red, Pink and Purple
Nicotiana - Red
Lobelia Cardinalis
Black and Blue Salvia
Lady in Red Salvia
Monarda
Hosta
Million Bells - Red

Never Visited:

4 o'clocks
Snapdragons

I've been losing hummers over the last two weeks. I'll see them again next year, though! Christy
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pinwheel
17 years ago
Visited:

bee balm (a purplish red - don't have a name for it, it was a gift)
gladiola "atom"

not visited
cardinal flower - I believe they migrated before this bloomed
salvia
jenny_in_se_pa
17 years ago
Since my resident hummers have now left, I guess I can summarize how things fared to date, updating my previous posting on it:

OBSERVED USED
Syringa patula 'Miss Kim' (lilac)
Syringa prestoniae 'James McFarlane' (lilac)
Weigela florida 'Red Prince'
Weigela florida 'Wine and Roses'
Heuchera x brizoides 'Firefly'
Annual Dianthus (dark pink/white center)
Salvia coccinea 'Lady in Red'
Salvia coccinea 'Hummingbird Red'
Salvia nemorosa 'May Night' (believe it or not...lol)
Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'
Salvia elegans 'Golden Delicious'
Salvia elegans (species)
Salvia microphylla x greggii 'Red Velvet'
Monarda didyma 'Jacob Cline' (bee balm)
Morning glories (seedling volunteers from 'Grandpa Ott' & 'Scarlet O'Hara')
'Snow White' cherry tomatoes (tomato blooms nectared from!)
Toma verde tomatillo blossoms
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis 'Edward LaPlante'
Agastache rupestris
Lonicera sempervirens 'Blanche Sandman' (coral honeysuckle)
Lonicera x mandarin (mandarin honeysuckle)
Scarlet runner beans
Cypress vine (lost behind B&B but used)
Pentas lanceolata 'New Look Red'

NOT USED
Red verbena
Red Petunias
Hosta albomarginata
Sweet peas (they may have but hard to see it)
Dicentra spectabilis (may have been used but didn't observe it)
Methley Plum (bloomed before first hummer arrived)
Gloriosa lily (red-flowering - was looked at though!)
Blueberries (Patio, Elliott, Nelson, Bluecrop - may have used though but not observed directly - one perched there)
Annual snapdragons (magenta)
Asiatic lilies (assorted)
Yellow (unknown type) orientpet lilies
Calla lilies 'Majestic Red'
Aquilegia sibirica 'Biedermeier' (siberian columbine)
Dianthus 'Cheddar Pinks'
Penstemon 'Sunburst Ruby' (only had a couple blooms so far)

HAD NOT BLOOMED
Salvia guaranitica x gesneriiflora 'Purple Majesty' (only had a couple blooms early but now about to bloom fully)
Salvia subrotunda (seedlings)
Crocosmia 'Lucifer'
Daylily 'Pardon Me' (won't be blooming this year)
Canna 'The President' & 'Red King Humbert'
Phlox paniculata 'Starfire' (won't bloom this year)
Hyacinth bean Vine
Asclepias incarnata 'Cinderella' (seedling from last year)

I'm considering doing some geraniums (pelargoniums) next year. I used to grow them all the time but kindof got tired of them since they often quit blooming when it's very hot. I understand that they are supposedly a good hummer plant and I know they sell all colors (including red) at just about every place that sells plants, so I'll give them another shot! I also want to try some lobelia cardinalis too - I did try looking for it locally and couldn't find it.
jane729
17 years ago
Thanks to you all for the great flower summaries. For the first time, I've had a hummer feeding from my yellow butterfly bush. Has anyone else seen this?

I still have some visiting my feeders, but I suspect they are passing through.
I'm so glad I found this site!
Jane
jenny_in_se_pa
17 years ago
Hi Jane - yes, they do like the butterfly bushes. One of my sisters has a purple one and she says she sees them use it as well.

I haven't spied any migrators yet but am still trying to be hopeful and have kept my feeders up. I have a number of plants blooming too, including my coral honeysuckle that just started up again with a rebloom and my Purple Majesty salvia now fully blooming. My B&B has some blooms on it too and the S. coccineas are continually make new spikes.

There are quite a few birds still being reported coming down from Canada and southwards, so you may still be seeing some into October.
trey77
17 years ago
Here's what's used. I'll try to put in in order from favorites to rarely used:

Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'
Lobelia Cardinalis
Turk's Cap
Salvia coccinea 'Lady in Red'
Salvia splendens
honeysuckle
Lobelia 'Fan scarlet'
Salvia greggii
Hamelia
salvia microphillia
Salvia azurea
Hosta
flowering maple
pentas
Aloe
Trumpet Creeper
Seaside Mallow
Coral Snakeroot
Daylillies
Agastache 'Blue Fortune'
Petunias - red
marjoram
tomato
impatients
penny1947
17 years ago
My residents are all gone also but I did have a migrant last week. Here is my list of plants:

Most Used
Salvia guaranitica 'Black & Blue
Salvia guaranitica 'Van Remsen'
Salvia coccinea the species
Salvia coccinea 'Coral Nymph'
Salvia coccinea 'Lady in Red'
Salvia subrotunda
Lornicera sempervirens 'Coral Honeysuckle
Fuchsia 'Gartenmeister Bonstedt'
Ipomopsis mix (Standing Cypress)
Crocosmia 'Lucifer'
Monarda 'Jacob's Cline'
Salvia Greggi sport of 'Teresa' Magenta pink
Agastache 'Desert Sunrise'
Agastache rupestris
Cypress vine
Cuphea Ignea (David Verity would have been a better choice)
Lantana 'Dallas Red'
Million Bells (red)not a lot of use but enough
Impatiens wallerana
Lobelia siphilitica (Great Blue Lobelia)
Impattiens capensis (wild jewelweed) late summer
Cannas bloomed later this year but used a little
Hostas in late summer they ignored the early blooming wild ones.

Not Used
Red hanging verbena
Petunias
Impatiens balsamina
hybrid columbines
Jacob's Ladder
Liatris
Malvia sylvestris
Hardy hibiscus red although they did come check it out.

I also had quite a few agastaches that were planted where I couldn't see how much use they were getting along with maltese cross which is a close relative to dianthus and I did seem them down there but couldn't tell if they were using them or something else. The maltese cross will be much bigger next year so I will be able to see it better.

Penny
jenny_in_se_pa
16 years ago
I am bumping this list up to alert newbies and those of us who just can't get enough of hummer plants and are still buying and planting. LOL

Today I managed to finally find a Lobelia cardinalis, Salvia Van Houtii, and a Gartenmeister fuchsia (first time finding these at local nurseries). This year I also added a Silene regia that I bought online, so we'll see how that goes.

These birds should go wacky with all this nectar food here but alas, they have been hitting the feeder mostly, with some pecks at the LIR & Weigelas, but that's okay. Occassionally they will stop to taste the flowers (I think they have been waiting for the coral honeysuckle to fully open its flowers). Maybe I can brainwash some juvies. LOL
dakster
16 years ago
OMG..this is a wonderful thread for someone like me.. thank you for starting it!!! :D :D :D
lionsfan
15 years ago
/bump
mehitabel
10 years ago
I'm still trying to learn what plants they want, so I'm bumping this.

Hummer flowers--Final year's summary

Comments (12)

bob64

christy2828

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