Below is an article on flowers that attract hummingbirds that I thought you would enjoy.
5 Common Flowers For Hummingbirds, Flowers That Attract Hummingbirds
By Ella McGinley
Apart from being able to look at beautiful flowers, shrubs and trees, the other wonderful thing about having a garden is the birds, butterflies and bees which come to feed on the nectar and pollen from your flowers.
One bird variety that is attracted to domestic gardens is the gorgeous hummingbird with it’s lovely green plumage and, depending on gender and variety, shocking pink throat, however, you will need to plant flowers that attract Hummingbirds. There are lots of hummingbird flowers to choose from, mainly flowers that are tubular in shape and red in color.
The hummingbird is a tiny creature, the smallest of all birds, weighing between 2 and 20 grams (less and one ounce) and they are found all over North, Central and South America, from mountains to deserts through grasslands to cities, from snow to hot sunshine. There are more than three hundred varieties of hummingbird and they live quite happily as long as they have a mate and plenty to eat and drink. They have a prodigious appetite, considering their size, eating around sixty percent of their own weight per day.
Hummingbirds are tolerant of people and curious too, so once they know they can trust you, they will come right up and drink from a hand held container. There are also videos on this site that will teach you how to have the hummingbirds feeding out of your bare hand in only a very short time.
If you want to create a Hummingbird habitat with flowers for hummingbirds, you will not only need flowers that attract hummingbirds, but a hummingbird feeder, a supply of the right type of bugs that hummingbirds feed on, a sheltered spot for nesting and plenty of space for the hummingbirds to fly around. Hummingbirds are very agile and can fly in every direction and attitude including upside down but their feet are not built for walking, they have weak legs and feet that are mainly used for perching..
Hummingbirds have excellent eyesight and can distinguish colors. It has been discovered that flowers that attract Hummingbirds are often a shade of red, apparently because competing insects don’t like red or possibly because red blooms are easily distinguished from green foliage when the birds are flying overhead. That is the reason that hummingbird feeders are red in color, because they’re easy to spot by the hummingbird.
Here are 5 common flowers for hummingbirds:
Buddleia (Butterfly Bush): This shrub is easy to grow and can get quite big if not controlled. Flower spikes are commonly purple but can be pink or blue.
Lantana: This drought tolerant plant comes in many different shades of red, orange, yellow, pink and white, usually two colours together. It will become leggy if not pruned annually but take care of the foliage which can cause a rash and the seeds which are poisonous to humans and animals.
Callistemon (Bottle Brush): Needs a sunny position and regular watering but is easy to care for. This plant can be grown as a standard and the bright red bottle brush shaped blooms are attractive.
Mondarda Didyma (Bee Balm): This plant is a member of the mint family with red or mauve flowers and is hardy, liking slightly acidic soil.
Delphinium: This is a hardy perennial plant which should be planted at the back of a bed as it grows quite tall.
There are many more flowers that attract Hummingbirds but these are the most common and easy to care for. You can find feeders and houses at GardenSupplyStore.net.
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I hope you enjoyed this article on flowers for hummingbirds. Of the five different hummingbird flowers that were mentioned, I would have to say that Bee Balm is my personal favorite. They spread quickly so if you plant just a few plants to start with, in a few years you will have a large patch of Bee Balm to enjoy.
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