In The Garden

by Kerry Heafner
pictures by Monica Boudreaux, Bayou Photeaux

Springtime in the ArkLaMiss means, among other things, the return of hummingbirds to our landscapes. I saw my first hummingbird just a couple days before Easter. The rapid-fire of shrill, staccato chirps is unmistakable and you may even get “buzzed” if you’re in an area where they’re feeding. Hummingbirds rely on carbohydrate-rich nectar to supply the energy that allows them to beat their wings up to 80 times per second.

Hummingbirds are infinitely fascinating to watch and are easy to attract to your landscape. Like any other wildlife, they need food and cover, and you can design an entire landscape around attracting them. Pack your landscape with plants that produce flowers specifically adapted for attracting these tiny, and this can include everything from trees down to herbaceous annuals. Hummingbirds are attracted to flowers that are brightly colored (especially red), tubular or trumpet-shaped, and have a strong scent, and of course, are producers of copious amounts of nectar. There are some exceptions to the rules. Roses, petunias, and zinnias, for three examples, produce brightly colored flowers, but they produce little nectar. Their color might attract hummingbirds, but pickings will be slim when it comes to feeding them. Another exception is Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) which produces a white or yellowish flower, but also produces copious amounts of nectar that hummingbirds will often pass up a feeder for.

Trees and shrubs

• Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia), a small understory tree that flowers in very early spring and may be finished up by the time hummingbirds arrive back in our area.

• Tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), a large tree that will need plenty of space. 

• Althea or Rose of Sharon (Althea syriacus), a member of the Hibiscus family, try the Louisiana Super Plant ‘Aphrodite’ in a sunny location with good drainage.

• Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus sp.), a popular pass-along plant will produce bright red flowers hummingbirds won’t pass up.

• Texas Star Hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus), an herbaceous perennial included in this list because of its size, loves our summer heat and attracts hummingbirds to our kitchen garden at the zoo!

• Silk Tree or Mimosa (Albizzia julibrissin), the familiar mimosa-like tree that produces fluffy pink flowers in early summer.

• Coral bean or Mamou (Erythrina herbacea), a leguminous shrub producing bright red flowers and said to have medicinal properties.

• Azaleas (Rhododendron sp.), both native and cultivated. 

Vines

• Coral and Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera sp.)

• Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans)

• Cypress vine (Ipomea quamoclit)

• Scarlett runner bean (Dolichos lablab)

• Clematis

• Mandevilla 

• Morning glories (Ipomea sp.)

Bedding Plants for Hummingbirds (annual and perennial)

• Impatiens, and look for ‘Compact Hybrid’ SunPatiens® and the ‘Beacon’ series, both Louisiana Super Plant selections.

• Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

• Bee Balm (Monarda didyma), specifically, look for ‘Jacob Cline’ for prolific red flowers and vigorous growth. Our native lavender Bee Balm, Monarda fistulosa, will also attract hummingbirds.

Salvias deserve a category all their own for attracting hummingbirds. There is perhaps no group of plants better suited for doing so and the varieties of Salvia that can be placed in the landscape range from annual to perennial. These members of the mint family will not fail to draw hummingbirds into view. Put the familiar annual salvia (Salvia splendens) in sunny flower beds, and don’t be afraid to really pack them in. Think about putting them in the front of taller, perennial salvias like the tried and true ‘Mystic Spires,’ or ‘Black and Blue.’  Don’t be afraid to mix colors when it comes to the perennial Salvias. ‘White Flame’ and ‘Roman Red’ are also great options, and don’t forget Russian sage (Salvia yangii, formerly Perovskia atriplicifolia) for an indestructible source of flowers in the very back of your beds.

Obviously, this list is by no means exhaustive. In fact, it barely scratches the surface!  Visit our local garden centers throughout the ArkLaMiss and get creative with colors and textures and make selections based on the goals you have set for your landscape.

Now, all this said, don’t worry if you don’t have room for beds of flowering plants if you want to attract hummingbirds. They will still find plants in pots and containers just as easily, if the flowers have what they’re looking for. Also, tempting hummingbirds to your yard can always be achieved with hummingbird feeders, and the question of whether to use red dye always comes up. The truth is red dye isn’t necessary. Fill your hummingbird feeders with a simple sugar solution of one cup of regular, granulated sugar to four cups of boiled water. Bring the water to a boil first, then remove from the heat and dissolve the sugar into it. Dissolving the sugar into the water off the burner will prevent it from caramelizing. Let the solution cool and it’s ready to use! Refrigerate unused portions to slow the growth of mold, which will be inevitable as our daytime temperatures warm up. 

Finally, don’t forget to catch In the Garden on Tuesdays at 4:30 on Louisiana Living on KARD Fox 14, and every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 8:45ish on KWCL 96.7 FM or listen online at www.kwclfm.com! To suggest a topic for In the Garden, send an email to inthegarden@agcenter.lsu.edu.