Gardening for Hummingbirds

The hummingbird garden in Henderson, MNYour garden can offer hummingbirds sweet treats and in return be pollinated.  Most types of flowering plants can’t self-pollinate.  Therefore, they depend on insects, animals and the wind.  Plants that rely on pollinators to reproduce lure them in and reward them with sweet nectar.  Nectar flowers have reproductive parts positioned so that when hungry visitors reach down into for the nectar, they brush against the reproductive parts and become dusted with pollen.  As they move on to another flower, they inadvertently drop off some pollen and picks up more, and continues the process from flower to flower.  When designing a garden that will attract hummingbirds you need to plant as many nectar flowers as you can in your beds, pots, and hanging baskets.  Nectar-producing flowers are not all created equal.  Some blossoms attract short tongued insects like ants, beetles, flies, wasps, and some butterflies.  Others blooms attract longer tongued insects, butterflies and hummingbirds.

When designing a garden that will attract hummingbirds you need to plant as many nectar flowers as you can in your beds, pots, and hanging baskets.  Plan a continuous blooming schedule to give hummingbirds a reason to be in your yard all season. Hummingbirds are attracted to deep tubular shaped blossoms where the nectar is hidden away from most other pollinators.  They also prefer flowers whose plant parts don’t interfere with flight, ones with outward facing flowers arranged around the stem of the plant.  Flower color is also a quality that attracts hummingbirds.  Though they will visit flowers of every color; red, orange, and purple blossoms grab their attention.  Below are recommended hummingbird plants for Minnesota by our speaker and bander Donald Mitchell.   If you are not from the area, check with your local nursery to learn what plants are best suited for your location.Color splash!

Perennials

Coral Bells (Heuchera sanguinea)

Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)

Scarlet bugler (Penstemon barbatus)

 

Native Wild Flowers

Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

Royal Catchfly (Silene regia)

 

Annuals

Canna (Canna indica)

Standing Cypress (Ipomopsis rubra)

Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana langsdorfii, Nicotiana mutabilis)

Salvia (Salvia coccinea, Salvia splendens, Salvia guaranitica)

 

Climbing Plants

Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans)

Chilean Glory Vine (Eccremocarpus scaber)

Small Red Morning Glory (Ipomoea coccinea)

Cardinal Climber (Ipomoea x multifida)

Cypress Vine (Ipomoea quamaclit)

Honeysuckle (Lonicera brownii ‘Dropmore Scarlet’ and Lonicera sempervirens)

Spanish Flag (Mina lobata)

Scarlet Runner Bean (Phaseolus coccineus)