Recently, as I watched a sweet little hummingbird swoop from flower to flower, I thought about the amazing little creatures' favorite blooms, and the ones I'd actually seen them enjoying.
One flower that specific little hummer was nectaring on was Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), which is very high in sugar content. Known to be one of the birds' favorites, Jewelweed is an annual that re-seeds itself and tends to have good years and "meh" years here. This was a good summer for this plant because we had plentiful warmth and rain.
Another plant I saw that particular bird visiting was Hyacinth Bean vine (Lablab purpurea). It's not hardy in my climate--the seeds or the plant--so each fall, I collect the seeds from the pods and replant them in the spring.
Mexican Sunflowers (Tithonia rotundifolia), including 'Goldfinger' shown here, are bright orange-red, which hummingbirds are known to notice. The little buddy in the first photo in this post, from a few years ago, was perched on a patch of Tithonias.
In prior years, I've also seen hummingbirds enjoying Cosmos (C. bipinnatus). And I can see why: They're certainly inviting little beauties with a platform for landing.
Fuchsia 'Marinka' has been a standby in my garden for decades, and I've overwintered two baskets of it in the sunroom for many years. I've enjoyed watching hummers nectaring up through the centers of the flowers, like poetry in motion.
Finally, Zinnias, like Cosmos, offer the little friends perching places and plenty of real estate with rich nectar. To see a previous post with hummingbirds enjoying Zinnias, visit this link.
The hummingbirds will soon be gone, and I will miss them. Their migration activity has been particularly busy the past couple of weeks. I noticed today there are fewer of them visiting. :(
It's "Six on Saturday"! Check out other "sixes" from around the world over at Garden Ruminations. Thanks to Jim for hosting!
I love the little guys too! In my garden, they visit Lobelia cardinalis, which is amazingly still blooming, Monarda fistulosa, Echinacea purpurea, and Asclepias incarnata. But I have no jewelweed and was sad that during my trip up north, no seed has set, as I grew up knowing it as touch me not and loved to make the seed pods explode I also noticed my feeder getting low more quickly. Bumblebees have been at the feeder too, which is kind of funny to see.
ReplyDeleteI don't have Lobelia cardinalis in my garden, but I've seen them enjoying the plant at the Arboretum here in town. I've also seen them on the other plants you mention, too, but I had to limit it to six. LOL. 'Touch Me Not' is a great nickname, as well. I love to pop the seeds and watch them fly. :)
DeleteThe Mexican sunflower is very pretty.
ReplyDeleteI so enjoy the bright orange-red of those flowers. I wish they were around much longer than they are here (July-first frost).
Delete