Hummingbirds are on their way!
They will happily feed on spring bloomers such as Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Columbine, Coral Honeysuckle (Native) and Virginia Bluebells, but you can always grab some annuals to help along! Plants like Petunias and Fuchsias are among their favorites for hanging baskets! Lantana and Verbena are also great choices but our temperatures may not be up to par to keep those outside.
If you keep a hummingbird feeder, there are some very important things to know!
- Make nectar using 1 Cup Granulated Sugar to 4 Cups Water, boil water and add sugar and stir until well dissolved (DO NOT add Food Coloring or Sugar Substitutes)
- Clean your feeders with hot water and make sure to rinse thoroughly, do not use soap. Diluted vinegar or Hydrogen peroxide may be used but must be thoroughly rinsed, to be safe, rinse 3x with clean, hot water. Scrub any evidence of sugar build up, mold, mildew or any other suspected grime. Feeders should be kept as sterile as possible as molds can make hummingbirds ill or cause death. You must clean feeders every time you refill them.
- Add fresh nectar regularly, whatever does not fit in your feeder can be refrigerated for safe storage until you need to refill
Nectar Refilling Schedule by Temperature:
- 86 Degrees or Highter (Hot): Daily or every other day.
- 80 – 85 Degrees (Warm): Every 2-3 days.
- 70 – 80 Degrees (Temperate): Every 3-4 days.
- Below 70 Degrees (Cool): Once a week.
Other Plants You can add to Your Garden to Feed Hummingbirds all Season Long!
Native Plants:
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis): A top choice for late summer, thriving in moist spots.
Bee Balm (Monarda didyma): Red varieties are preferred, bringing in hummingbirds and bees.
Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis): Excellent early-season nectar source.
Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens): A native vine favored by nesting females.
Foxglove Beard Tongue (Penstemon digitalis): Early summer bloomer with tubular white flowers.
Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa): A fragrant, native perennial.
Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica): Excellent late-summer option.
Top Annuals & Perennials (Non-Native):
Salvia (All types): Especially red, deep tubular types.
Vermillionaire Cuphea: Continuous blooming, heat-tolerant, and a known favorite.
Agastache (Hummingbird Mint): Tall and aromatic.
Petunias & Impatiens: Good for hanging baskets or borders.
Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana): Especially red and white varieties.
Verbena: Purple varieties
Lantana: All varieties
Fuchsia: All varieties, hanging baskets are best
Top Shrubs & Vines:
Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia): Early spring red blooms.
Butterfly Bush (Buddleia): A reliable, fragrant attractor.
Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans): A vigorous climber.
Abelia (Abelia sp.): Early and mid-summer blooms, fragrant
Weigela (Weigela florida): Long blooming through the summer
Viburnum (Viburnum sp.): Early bloomers and late bloomers, many varieties