Hummingbird and Butterfly plants

If you look closely at this photo, you will notice that there are no Hummingbirds or Butterflies in this picture. But behind the camera there is a photographer that is planning Hummingbird and Butterfly plants for 2010. I'm jealous of all you people that are still photographing Hummers and Butterflies in December!

This year's favorite Hummingbird plant was probably agastache, but they liked the penstemon, silene, and runner beans, too. Next year I'm going to try Crocosmia, Honeysuckle vine, and Cardinal flower.

Butterfly garden has been a bust so far - I have a hard time attracting butterflies to this too-dry-for-most-weeds area. I have had the most luck with Black Swallowtails on dill, but little predators get most of my little caterpillars. Next year I'm going to try more varieties of milkweed, and more legumes since Sulphers seem the most likely to be passing through. I'm going to continue to plant buckwheat and violets - I need a groundcover anyway and maybe a larger patch will help. I have good luck attracting adults to nectar on Rabbitbrush in the fall.

keep your head up! the rewards of a succcesful butterfly garden will keep you going.

You go!! Where there is a plan you have hope.

not sure about the plan part but I always have hope!

Dare I mention the hummies are zipping around down here even though the temp is in the mid 50's - with no snow of course :o)

Several live in the big oak tree in my front yard all year around and when I open the garage to drive off in the early morning or come home when it's dark out I probably wake them up because they start chirping and squeaking at me.

Snicker...snicker :o)

~ Cat

ps...I think south Texas is the only place in the US where it can be 40 something at night and heat up to the high 80s or 90s during the winter season!

I'll have you know I do some of my best gardening in December. It is all theoretical, and I never leave my easy-chair to do it. No pests, no weeds, and it is all beautiful.
I admit I envy you having hummingbirds, but I do have little birds in the winter that I don't see in the summer and they are cute. I have to drive to a indoor butterfly garden to see any butterflies this time of year.
I checked Edinburg TX climate compared to Pueblo CO. You are warmer, but we are sunnier.
It is all in how you look at it.

cold and rainy here boo hoo!!!

54 and drizzling here...brrrrrrr!!!

~ Cat

79 degrees tomorrow 85 on Sunday, Looookin Goood!!!

Well, 40's and drizzle here. Cat, we haven't even seen the 80's here for quite a while. I'd be happy to see the 70's. I guess we're doing the El Nino winter thing. I brought the GF cats that were in the shed into the house today...I don't think they would ever grow enough to pupate out there. Most of them are going to have to switch to P. caerulea because the Incense in the yard is toast now. Most of what's in the yard looks so sad and no blooms at all! No butterflies seen since the big freeze.

We saw some little skippers and snouts, and one lone Queen today when we warmed up this afternoon. Got out and finished the leaves and cleaned up around the pond. One more flower bed and we are done with the outside.

Still cool and cloudy - nary a butterfly in my yard! The short freeze did a number on the plants - most of the tender plants, outside leaves of big bushes and blooms are dead or dying.

On a good note - the hummingbirds are always dependable. Have been keeping their feeder stocked with fresh nectar since there's very few flowers for them. I don't know how those tiny birds stay warm when the weather gets down into the 40's at night. They must be tucked deep inside the big old oak trees in my yard. They are awake chirping and squeaking when I leave for work in the mornings and zipping around the yard when I get home. At least they bring a smile to my face since the butterflies are scarce.

~ Cat

Have not seen too many hummers, but they are still hanging around the lavendar. Bees too. Need bees to go to other side of the house where there are new tomato blossoms on new and old plants.

And, BTW, here in inland SoCal we can also have days in the 80's and nights in the 40's and even 30's. Frost to Sunburn!

I had never seen a hummingbird, so last year I tried to attract them. I grew beautiful agastache (3 kinds!), lobelias, monarda, standing cypress, and zinnias. I did finally see a couple of hummingbirds... visiting a hanging basket of CATNIP.

it is a Great feeling when all the work pays off!!

We put a "standard" red hummingbird feeder outside our main (backyard-facing) window this summer-fall and really enjoyed watching the hummingbirds come to feed. I don't know much about them and it was our 1st time doing this, but it seemed like one of the birds was territorial and would chase away any other hummingbirds. I'll probably get 1 or 2 more feeders for next year.

I'm on the gulf coast and I stopped putting the hummingbird food out because I assumed the hummingbirds were gone... I need to do some research on this, and maybe just put the food back out and see what happens.

We get hummies all year around out in the deep south tip of Texas. Our warm climate and mild winters provide a comfortable haven for a large variety of birds and butterflies.

There's always hummies wanting to control the feeders. Although they are wee birds they are still quite territorial. Even placing one feeder higher than another can get them to squeaking and fussing over who gets dibs! If you also make one sweeter - they'll soon realize that and stake out that feeder!!! The birds will bicker amongst themselves but it all works itself out.

During the winter days - when we do get chilly or dreary weather I'll make up a batch of 3 to 1 instead of the usual 4 to 1 nectar to help them out.

Depending on how many hummies frequent your yard it is best to put out two or three feeders and spread them out between the front, sides and back yard. If the feeders are out of view from the other feeders it slows down the territorial fights.

Enjoy having them in your yard and keep them fed :o)

~ Cat

Thanks for the info, Cat. I did not know a 3-1 mix was better vs. 4-1 during colder weather. I'm sure there is a good reason for it, so I will keep that in mind.

I've probably seen, at most, 4 hummingbirds in my backyard at any given time. Usually its the one dominant bird, and maybe another will buzz in for a quick drink and buzz right back out. They nest in my neighbor's tree, and they'll swoop down to my feeder, loiter around for a minute or so, then swoop back up to the tree.

I will put out another feeder or two and strategically space them as you suggested.

There was a special on PBS Nature. Full hour on hummingbirds. When it is cold, they puff up there feathers and slow down their metabolism so they do not use up all their reserve calories. You could probably find the program on their website. Showed that in their migration from Africa and Mexico, quite a few take off over the Gulf of Mexico, where prior they went up the west coast to Canada and Alaska. Then there is a migration in to the NE. Find it and enjoy. The birds were beautiful and the photography was outstanding.

My Hummingbird will be glad to see this - my frozen back Firespike with a bloom spike coming. It looks' like my Firebush are done for, though :(

Wow - my Firespike hasn't even BEGUN to put out new growth yet here in South Georgia - zone 8b. Tuesday was our only "normal" day - warm & sunny, but still not anywhere near usual temps. It was in the low 70s - normally by now we are in the 80s at least. I am not truly complaining, because come July & Aug I will be longing for some relief from the upper 90s & 100s, with humidity to match! I just am missing my flowers, hummers & Bflies! It was supposed to be (at least according to the forecast yesterday) to be clear & sunny today, but so far is still very cloudy - looks like it could storm at any moment. : (

There is growth on my wonderful Firebushes, but way down almost to ground level. My biggest one was about twelve feet.

Gardenpom - I planted 3 in a group - a staggered line, & last summer, they formed a 4' tall x 8' wide "mini-hedge" & bloomed continuously!! I can't wait to see what they'll do when they wake up!!

Are you talking about Firespike or Firebush, graceful_garden?

gardenpom- Oops - I didn't notice that your 2nd post was referring to fireBUSH! I am talking about fireSPIKE - not sure I even know what fireBUSH is!! I'll have to look on Plantfiles -thanks for setting me straight!!

OK - I checked Plantfiles! WOW - BIG difference! The fireBUSH is beautiful, too - I especially like the pic of one that cactuslover posted that is tree form, pruned up into a lovely shape!! might have to get me one of those - any sacrifice for the hummer!! LOL

Firebush has always been the big draw for my Hummingbirds, although they will go to the Firespike. This nasty winter did so much damage in the South. Never seen anything like it. It will take years for them to recover.

I agree!! But, for the silver lining - the plants that HAVE survived are TRULY hardy - just what I want in my garden - plants that can survive all kinds of abuse & neglect!

Hello everyone.. I am new to this thread but not to DG... some of you I know, so you know I have a butterfly garden..so this thread picqued (sp?) my interest.

Pollengarden, have you decided on what you want to grow?? Or perhaps the questions should be.. have you found out what will grow in your area??

I wish you success... as Monarchs are on the endangered species list, so every little bit helps.

I was in my back garden yesterday afternoon and this hummer would not leave me alone. I could not figure out what it was trying to tell me. The feeders are up, the nesting material bundle is up, there is moss on the Koi pond waterfall. Maybe it just wanted to say hello and let me know it was back. Not much in bloom except pansies, California poppies and violets.

Nesting material bundle? What is that? I found a nest that must have been for a hummer (about 3"). It was all catawompus and I thought the horses must have gotten it when they got out and started eating on anything in their pathway. No eggs at the bas of the tree or anything, neighbor said it was probably from another season or they were finished with it. Hope so, hate to think they went to all that work for naught.

It is something I found in a catalog. It is a wire apparatus that holds a mixture of cotton string and other materials that the "experts" know the hummer use to build their nests. This is a hummer nest from last year. The babies were getting ready to fledge.

Very cool, Sharon. Is that a baby or mom in the nest? Or is mom to the right there? The nest is fuzzy, do they fray the string? I could put stuff out there for them, but I guess they already found enough. Dryer lint is good, isn't it? Noticed at a neighbor's house bird nests under their eves where the birds had Lonnnggg hairs from the horse's tale or mane that were dangling down.

Sorry, cindylove, I just noticed that you asked me a question I didn't answer.
Hummingbird plants I have:
Agastache, Claret Cup Cactus, Ipomopsis/Gilia, Golden currant, Hesperaloe Red Yucca, Nasturtiums, Penstemon (especially pineleaf), Salvia (greggii?), Scarlet Runner Beans, Scrophularia, Silene/Catchfly, Stachys coccinea, Zauschneria.

Seeds I bought and I'm trying to start under lights: Asarina/Maurandya/Snapdragon vine, more Scarlet Gilia, Lobelia cardinalis, Indian Paintbrush, Salvia coccinea

Nectar Plants I'm going to buy (probably order them this week):
Crocosmia bulbs, Monarda "Jacob Kline", more Penstemon (an earlier red I hope), Honeysuckle vine "Major Wheeler"

Plants I am considering buying for other reasons:
Osmundia Cinnomon fern (fuzz for nests), Silphium perfoliatum Cup Plant (leaves hold water for bathing or drinking), other plants with fuzzy leaves or fluffy seeds, plants to attract beneficial insects - some attract tiny insects and aphids which are good hummingbird food (Zinnias for instance)

I think a Female Blackchinned was using cotton from a Cottonwood (I guess it is good for something), so I thought I would try putting out cotton.

Those are both babies just getting ready to fledge. Actually one on the right is hanging on for dear life, I thought, and eventually got back into the nest. This was one of 4 nests that i found last year. It was on one of the lower eves in the courtyard. I was on a ladder taking the photo. Nervous for two reasons. I have a balance problem and am not suppose to be on ladders and I as also afraid I would spook the babies. They were gone in about three days but then came back. They spend the majority of the rest of the summer in the courtyard. They also use spider webs so this time of years I let the webs be and do not sweep them off thee fence.

One clever idea I heard from another DG person is to use a suet feeder as a holder for nesting material. I want to try it for my Bluebirds.

Thanks for the info...
Gazergirl..what a good idea with the suet holder for nesting material.. I may have to try that.

I also saw a picture of someone who used a suet feeder for cut fruit such as oranges. I thought it would be good for attracting Orioles. A bird site that I have used often for feeding preferences is: http://www.birdnature.com/index.html, The Nutty Birdwatcher.

So I've got monarch caterpillars chowing down on the carrot tops. Is that normal?

I actually do have some nice healthy tropical and green milkweed, but they haven't bloomed yet, so I guess they were a little hard for the mama butterfly to find. Is there any nutritional advantage in me moving the cats over there?

Thanks

birdlady!!! YOU LUCKY DUCK!! I guess so.. I've nver heard of carrot tops before.. are you sure they're Monarchs? hahaha... I mean, I've heard of ST on carrot tops... please make sure the birds don't get at them!!! That's what happened to me last year..but then again it was my first yr doing milkweed/butterflies.. so I will know better this time around.
I am just sooooo happy for you birdlady!!