Hummingbirds are little birds that have vibrant colors in the male and softer colors in the female. They are nature’s helicopters and can fly up/down, forward/backward, and right/left. If you enjoy watching hummingbirds in your garden, here is some information on what they need and how to give it to them.
Description
There are more than 330 types of hummingbirds in North and South America. They do not exist elsewhere. Sixteen species live at least part time in the United States, but only the ruby-throated hummingbird lives east of the Mississippi.
All hummingbirds are tiny, with the ruby-throated hummingbird only weighing 0.2 ounces and measuring 3-4 inches long. Despite the small size, the bird flies to winter in Mexico and Central America and back to the United States in the spring. These birds are tough. They are also extremely territorial, chasing away other hummingbirds from their nectar sources.
What Do Hummingbirds Need?
Hummingbirds need the same thing everything else needs: food, shelter, and a space to raise their young. Hummingbirds feed on nectar wtih a long tongue that can reach to the bottom of tubular flowers. They also eat bugs, especially when the female is laying eggs. Hummingbirds need bushes for loafing and waiting between feedings while out of sight of predators. In addition, they need a safe space for a nest and to raise their young.
Hummingbird nests are the size of a teacup and camouflaged with parts of the plant the nest is in. They are usually attached to small twigs 5-10 feet off the ground. Hummingbirds prefer to have nothing but the ground under the nest and foliage over the nest that shields it from rain and other bad weather. Hummingbird nests are hard to see to protect the birds from predators. If you find one, be very careful not to disturb the birds or the eggs.
Many people feed hummingbirds with feeders filled with a mix of four parts water to one part granular sugar. Bring the water to a boil and pour it over the sugar. Stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Wait until the solution has cooled to room temperature before putting it in the feeder. Extra solution keeps in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Never use honey as it ferments and hosts a fungal disease that kills hummingbirds. Do not use red food coloring as that has negative long-term effects on hummingbird health.
Hummingbirds get most of their water from nectar, but love to bathe in water. A source of clean water that has a brick or stone in it for the bird to perch on will give the hummingbird someplace to drink and bathe.
Native Plants for Hummingbirds.
The best way to attract hummingbirds is to plant native plants they enjoy. Planting a range of flowering plants that bloom at different times helps provide food for the hummingbird from the time it migrates here until it flies south for the winter. Many flowers that attract hummingbirds are red. Bees don’t see red well, so they ignore those flowers. However, some long tongued bees use the nectar from these flowers vine.
Hummingbirds are important pollinators of many plants with long, tubular flowers. Here are some of the best native plants to attract hummingbirds.
Trumpet Vine
Trumpet Vine is perhaps the best-known plant that attracts hummingbirds. It is aggressive and will grow up to 35 feet over anything in its path. The flowers are long and orange, reddish, or rarely, yellow. Trumpet vines can be invasive, but they are great for erosion control. They attach to trees, wood, brick, and stone with areal roots that can damage buildings or fences, much like English ivy. However, trumpet vines make wonderful plants to grow over an arch or pagoda to provide shade.
Trumpet vines are native to the eastern United States as far north as New Jersey, south to Florida, and as far west as East Texas. They have been naturilzied over much of the rest of the United States. They bloom best in full sun. Trumpet vines are drought tolerant once they are established. They are the larval host for the Trumpet Vine Sphinx Moth.
Butterfly Weed
In addition to hosting Monarch butterfly caterpillars, butterfly weed attracts hummingbirds. This compact bush has orange flowers that last all summer. The bush gets about 2 feet high. While it is a milkweed, it doesn’t have the milky sap. It can, however, cause contact dermatitis in some people.
Butterfly weed grows wild in the eastern part of North America. It prefers prairies, open woods, canyons, and hillsides in the wild. Butterfly weed often gets aphids. To avoid poisoning caterpillars and hummingbirds, use a solution of soapy water in the evening to drown the aphids.
Indian Pink
Indian pink plants are a hummingbird favorite. They are a little bit scraggly but grow 6-18 inches long. The flowers are up to an inch across. Despite the name, the flowers are red with yellow tops, not pink. It is native to California and Oregan and grows in zones 5-9. Indian pink needs partial shade. It is a good plant to use when you need a low ground cover below your shrubs. In the wild, they grow in open brushy spaces and woods under 5,000 feet.
Tall Phlox
Tall phlox is a perennial herb that grows to be 3-6 feet tall. The long, green leaves can be 4-7 inches long. Lavender flowers are on the top of the stems and bloom all summer until frost. This phlox has widely naturalized but grows in rich, open woods; thickets; meadows; and moist roadsides in the wild. Phlox needs at least six hours of sun a day. It also needs moist, well-drained soil. It resists deer.
Let Us Help
If you want to plant things that will attract hummingbirds that are native to your area, our knowledgeable staff at Tennessee Wholesale Nursery can help you plant a hummingbird garden. Give us a call at 931.692.7325 to ger things started. Wholesale only.
