Best Hummingbird Nectar Plants for Southern Gardens

I saw that there was a thread for Northern Gardens, so thought I'd start one for Southern Gardens.

Since I have my very first hummer this year, I am looking to add more nectar plants to attract more hummers. I need suggestions for plants that like the southern gardens and grow zones. I am in zone 9b.

The little bird that has been visiting my yard every day rarely uses the feeders I have hung in the "Hummingbird Garden" part of my yard. But it IS using several of the plants I have there. I watch it zip around that area to the different blooms. What I see it going for first is the Red Shrimp Plant. It always hits that plant first. It also seems to like all the different Morning Glories I have growing in pots. I had no idea they liked MGs, but I watch it go up and down the tall stakes that the vines are growing on looking for blooms! It also likes my Flame Bush, Cape Honeysuckle, and Purple Porterweed. And then it usually flies off.

I do have red canna in other parts of my yard and I think it hits those too. But I would like to have more plant suggestions. I would like some plants that like partial to full shade. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. And of course, any plants that you have seen the hummers use would be great whether it would be shady or sunny plants. Thanks!

Great thread! I'd love to learn about some new hummer plants. :)

Here are a few things they liked here:

Salvia coccinea
Salvia guaranitica - blue, 'Argentina Skies', 'Black & Blue'
Salvia greggii
Salvia vanhouttei
Salvias in general
Phygelius
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii
Malvaviscus drummondii
Ixora
Pachystachys lutea
Abutilon
Coral Porterweed

The best plant that I had this year for hummers and for every flying insect around. The tiny tubular flowers attracted butterflies, even as I was trying to take my plant out of the car.

Note: I included several links, with basically the same info on each, just worded different, some with more pictures. I also included two links to companies that sell seed of the magnificant perinnial.

Carol

Blue Vervain (Swamp Verbena)
Verbena hastata

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2302/

http://www.missouriplants.com/Blueopp/Verbena_hastata_page.html

http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=Z370

http://www.prairiemoon.com/store/template/product_detail.php?IID=413&=f0cc7b4b1e5a624a0986683c68f62981

http://www.dianeseeds.com/verbena-hastata.html

Ummmm... close my eyes and hush my mouth! That is beautiful!

Looking in the PlantFiles link, I noticed no one below KY reviewed it. It also shows it doesn't like to be any warmer than zone 8. I wonder if it took extra water? Shade? Any special care in the heat?

I was wondering the same thing as I was checking each link that Carol listed. It certainly is a pretty plant. Has anyone grown Verbena hastata in zones higher than zone 8?

Here is Pachystachys lutea...

and Malvaviscus drummondii...

Hmm..... That Golden Shrimp Plant is beautiful. I want.

As for watering the Vervain. When I first planted it, it was insatiable and I had to water it daily. I kept telling myself it was worth it, because of all the hummers and buterflies that were flocking to this plant. By the end of the second week, it was more eastablished in its home and I was able to cut watering down to three times a week. It's not bashful, when it's thirsty, it visibly droops until it is watered. I can't hardly wait for Spring, when it starts all over again. Sigh...

Carol

and Salvia vanhouttei...

This plant gave me a funny memory. A hummer was drinking from a flower when the flower fell off the plant and stuck on his face. He was flitting around like crazy trying to flick it off his bill. Pretty funny! It didn't stop him from visiting it though.

I really like that Blue Vervain too! :)

Danita,

You're killing me with all the beautiful plants. Lol. I am flat broke and now I want more plants.

Carol

P.S. I found a very beautiful Salvia, while I was looking yours up Danita.

Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'

Great idea for a thread Becky..
My hummers loved my Cypress Vine, Impatiens, Phlox the best. And they really loved the Cypress Vine (it can be weedy, but I just pull it or mow it) They also like my red salvias. And the black/blue salvia Mine get shade/some sun.
Elaine

This message was edited Dec 9, 2007 9:45 PM

Lots of great suggestions everyone! Thank you! I am open to hearing of even more good southern nectar plants! (Hint, hint!)

They love the bottle brush the jatrophy plus the butterflys like both!!!!

Lee - Really??? Jatrophy?? Cool, I have that on the other side of my yard. I bet the hummer is using some of the plants over there but I just don't see it. I don't have Bottle Brush, but I do have Powder Puff that the bumble bees sure love. I wonder if the hummer might like that one, too?

What is jatrophy? I couldn't find anything by that name. Do you mean jatropha?

My Hummers loved my bright red petunias. I had them in hanging pots and so enjoyed seeing them there. I also had a feeder there next to it that they enjoyed. I can't wait to get more stuff going for Spring to draw in more hummers and flutterbies! LOL

Ah sorry ... yes Jatropha is the correct name for this bush/tree. (Duh! Smacking forehead!)

I need some information. I have ONE hummer. Do more follow with each passing year?

Only one, that seems odd? We have so many that they are always fighting like children on "I get to eat there, no, I do!" LOL I have feeders all around the house and outbuildings, so maybe that helps to bring them in? Do you have other neighbors that garden as well? I have a lot around me that have flowers out, so that may be why I am lucky? Good luck! They are sooooooooooo much fun and a joy to watch!

Oh, I forgot...
Cuphea 'David Verity'
Batface Cuphea
Stachys coccinea
Monarda
Agastache - yellow and orange kinds

According to what I have read, hummers will revisit your feeder year after year.

I notice here that they migrate. We get a wave in Mar/Apr, then it slows. I suspect they have gone further north. Then we get a wave that will spend the summer here, nesting and raising juveniles. Late summer the population drops ~ I think they are heading south and from then on there is heavy traffic early am and late in the evening mainly. Again, I think these are the northern hummers migrating south and stopping overnight and for food.

When you say you only have one, do you mean right now? Right now, I have none.

I just found in another thread where they also love the sweet almond verbena. Once ours arrive they are here til it starts getting cold. Here we actually have to either remove the feeders or make sure they are empty just to get them to go to where it is warm before it is too late.

They really like firecracker plants http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1274/
and parrot lilies http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1274/

What about hummingbird moths? I grow moonflowers every year and the hummingbird moths are really fun to watch in the evening.

Good to know on the firecracker plant. I was given one earlier this summer and it has blooms right now.

I had noticed hummers and the hummer moths around these crinum bulbs when in bloom.

As for hummingbird-moth Pie; look into growing Pentas! The Pentas as I learned is host plants to Tersa Moths. Ooooh and they're spectacular. Hummer loves those bright color blooms as well.
Here in my zone, I've to overwinter my Pentas. But they continue to bloom indoor for me over the winter, so that's another bonus for those of us, just a tad "North" of everyone else in the deep South. lol

I just googled tersa moths, I've seen those around here before they are really neat. Now I'll have to look up Lunas and what they like. My kids are facinated by Lunas.

I forgot azaleas and amaryllis (st. joseph's lily). I caught hummers at mine this year.

Butterfly Bush (Buddellias), are great for both b.f. and hummers as well. :-)

This message was edited Dec 11, 2007 5:21 PM

Lantana horrida is the #1 hummer attractor in my yard. They also love any kind of salvia, Flame Acanthus, Cigar Plant, Canna, Mexican Firebush ... just to name a few things. But Lantana seems to be a particular favorite for them.

Carla

I found they like this plant- so much they came round front close to the house. There is nothing else up there for hummers so it must have smelled pretty good. I know when I tasted it, it was drippy sweet. Mine is growing/flopping in dappled shade. I bet it would flop less if it had more sun. It's so pretty though that I'll just get a ring on a stake for it if it continues to flop. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/41/

Maggie

Maggie;
Those blackberry Lily are lovely, best of all for my garden? They're hardy here. Woooohoooooo! I love them, I'm surprised not many gardeners discovered those lilies!
Kim

They are definitely gorgeous.! I love it when the flower recedes and curls into a twist- lovely!

Maggie

Great list so far of hummer plants everyone!

I happen to love Morning Glories ... particularly Ipomoea nil. They don't seem to have the invasive quality that some MGs do and have large leaves and amazing blooms. I have noticed different paintings of MG vines and blooms with hummers hover next to them which I found very interesting. I had heard they were good nectar plants.

Well, this past weekend I watched as my lone hummer hit the Red Shrimp Plants and then flew over to the 5 pots of MGs that I have growing up 6' stakes in each pot. The hummer started at the top and went down and then back up to the next vine looking for blooms! It was so cool to see it searching out each and every bloom on these vines! Just another reason to grow MGs! LOL!

I sure wish I had some Blackberry Lilies... sighhhhhh I need to get busy and make a list of seeds I have to trade.
I sure hope Becky gets some more hummers. She sure has worked on it. I think it just takes time.. Hey,, maybe water nearby plays an important role Lakes, rivers.
Elaine

Great info people - thanks for sharing.

I've had a family of hummers for a few years now, and here's what I've had that has made them stick around.
In my yard, they like:

Althea - Rose of Sharon (Syriacus)
Sunflowers
Zinnias

They were glad to see that I've had more of an offering for them, and continue to offer more and more each year.
but so far, those three plants were all I had to offer, and they gladly accepted.
Paul

Thanks, Elaine!

I have been growing 2 Blackberry Lilies that I sowed as seeds this past Spring. No blooms yet, but I was pleasantly surprised how easily they sprouted from seeds and how nice and large the foliage is. If mine ever blooms, I will certainly save the seeds to plant more and to trade. For those of you looking for seeds, I would go to PlantFiles and see who might have some:
http://davesgarden.com/community/trading/search.php?search_text=PFPID:41

There are a number of folks who have seeds for trade. You might want to d-mail some of those folks to inquire about a trade for some of their seeds! Just a suggestion. I have done that and gotten some seeds that I had been looking for. Most folks will do a trade or send you some for SASBE! Good luck!

Paul - I too have Hibiscus and Rose Mallow, Sunflowers, and lots of Zinnias! Since this hummer is new to my garden, I haven't had the good fortune yet to observe it long enough to see where else it is going for nectar in my yard. I have 2 small container ponds, plus another tiny pond with a waterfall, as well as the river close by and quite a few lakes within a mile of where I live. Plus the warm weather. So I would like to think that I have a perfect place for hummers to hang out year round. I sure hope to get more of the little birdies next year. :-)

Thanks,, I will trade after Christmas... LOL. thanks for that info. And of course, you have lots of water nearby,, what was I thinkin'? I grew up in central Florida... Must be this extra work I have been doing this week.. Nitey, nite.
Elaine

Beckygardener, are your hummers staying with you year around? Just curious as i am in zone 9b also and mine don't seem to stick around all year.

LeePerk - I have no idea if my new hummer is here year round. I am hoping so! I only noticed the hummer about a month or so ago. But I shall try to keep tabs on how long I see it coming to my garden and post here. :-)

Becky, got any Coral Bean, Erythrina herbacea? Great hummer plant! http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2724/