My Hummingbirds Voted These Their Favorite Dinner!

Here in the MidWest in May we see Ruby Throated Hummingbirds pass through on their way to Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan.  I we want them to stay with us in town we have to make an effort.  The good news is that once you have hummingbirds camp at your house you can expect them back every year.  Hummers like to go back and live where they grew up.  You have a chance at many generations living with you.  Popular wisdom has it that hummingbirds like red tubular flowers.  I read somewhere the theory that flowers that are the closest to their native form produce the most nectar and so are the most popular with the birds.  I don't know if it's the quantity of the nectar, the flavor or the amount of energy that varies.  I do know that the birds in my yard visit some flowers more than others.  I make an effort to offer a combination of annual and perennial flowers so the landscape is constantly changing and there is always something to eat.  While there are many choices, I am showing you some of the flowers I have seen hummingbirds dine from in my yard in the last few years.  I will be offering these plus some new varieties I'm trying this year.  We have to keep these little guys fed.

Gardenmeister Fuchsia Hummingbird Magnet! These must taste really good!  My hummingbirds visit them three or more times a day and they never seem to run dry.  I would suffer if I had to live a summer without at least one.  Upright, bushy growth.  Part sun.  Low maintenance.  None of the problems the more popular fuchsia have.  Our plant manager had to hunt to find these for me.  They are special!

	Hummingbird Feeders I always offer a feeder as a choice of food.  Frankly, my birds prefer the flowers.  But, there are times when there are not as many blooms.  If you have a bunch of hummingbirds, hang separate feeders out of site of each other so they won't fight over food.  Always hang you feeder in exactly the same place every year.  Your birds will be looking for it there.
Hummingbird Food Keep it clean and change it often.  It is especially important to change the food often in hot weather.
	Bleeding Heart This perennial starts the season for me.  It is in bloom when the birds are migrating.  I think the old fashion variety in pink makes the best juice.  I have a huge old Tulip Tree that was planted too close to the house many decades ago.  It worries me every storm.  And it's very messy.  But, it is in bloom now and I think that's where my little birds like to hide in early spring.
Columbine I don't actually have one of these in my perennial garden right now, but my next door neighbor does.  Sometimes my birds go visiting with the neighbors.
	Geraniums Plain old geraniums will bring the little birds in.  I suspect that red is the best here as I believe the red geraniums are stronger.  White geraniums seem to be the weakest.  I am experimenting with a light salmon geranium this year.
Black And Blue Salvia This one sure breaks the red rule.  Hummingbirds like salvia.  They like Black and Blue Salvia even more.  This grows to a tall bush like plant.  This annual is a must have.  It really works!
	Pinapple Sage Annother tender salvia.  These fragrant leaves smell of pinapple.  The blossoms are an intense red.
Canna If you can find the space and the light you should have Canna.  If you hang around a Canna long enough you are bound to see a hummingbird near it.  I don't really know if they care what color it is.  I have seen them at red and at yellow.
	Bee Balm This is one of the most important perennials you can grow.  It blooms around July 4th here.  If you deadhead it you can get a second blooom.  It is troubled by powdery mildew here and you may have to fight that.  I don't know if the Monarda nectar is superior or if it is popular because there is so much of it.  Being a member of the mint family, it wants to spread and take over the whole garden.  I have to pull it back, but I let a lot stay as it is such a joy to watch the hummers buzz from one blossom to the next.
Lily I am thinking it is the later blooming Orientals rather than the early blooming Asiatics that they like the best, but I may be wrong.  Do take your left over Easter Lily and plant it outside next year.
	Hosta As the season progresses the Hosta come into bloom.  I am thinking Royal Standard and Honeybells are favorites.  My hummingbirds visit these often.
Impatiens I live in a woodland setting.  I have very little sunshine.  But I have pots and pots of impatiens.
	Mandeville This tropical vine is grown as an annual in the Midwest.  It will put on rapid growth in a season.  Mandeville is most often seen in pink, but there are other colors available.
Jewel Weed If you have this growing in your woodland, you have good news and bad news.  Also called medicine plant, Jewel Weed is native impatiens.  Grows tall with small yellow flowers in late summer.  One of the most important food sources for migrating hummingbirds.  Good news is the sap is said to cure poison ivy.  Bad news is, if you have it growing, you probably have Poison Ivy growing, too.  If you have this plant, try to keep some of it for the birds.