Plants & Flowers for Hummingbirds

This information was supplied to me by a lady while I was sitting in a Doctors office in Manhattan Beach, California.   She was Known as the Hummingbird Lady of Manhattan Beach.   She took in and cared for injured Hummers.

 

Buying Hummingbird Flowers

When buying hummingbird Flower, go to your local garden center or nursery and ask for someone knowledgeable about their plants.   Show the person the enclosed list and ask for their advice on which plants would be most successful in your area.
    
You will notice that each plant on the list has both a common name and a scientific name.   
          
The common names that plants in nurseries and garden centers are called by often vary depending on what part of the country you live in.   The scientific names are more constant, but sometimes may not be on the labels of the plants.   After the scientific name of some of the plants on the list there are the letters "spp.," which stands for "species."   This means that many species in that genus will be useful in attracting hummingbirds.   Thus, the list's including begonia sap. means that most begonias will be good for your hummingbird garden.   When this is the case, try to choose species that are red or orange, for they will probably be more attractive to the hummingbirds than the other colors.

Hummingbird Seed Mixtures

An alternative to buying hummingbird plants is to buy the seeds of these plants. a convenient way to do this is to buy one of the commercially available seed mixtures.   There are some on the market that are specifically designed to contain lots of hummingbird Flowers.
    
When using these mixtures, you must prepare the soil carefully, just as would if you bought plants.   If tended well they will result in a lovely mixture of Flower color and height.

Cats

If you have cats around your yard, place your plants in hanging baskets where cats can not reach or jump to them.
 

Do not spray Flowers with insecticides



       
Some Hummingbird Wild Flowers of the West


Bleeding Heart Family

Bleeding Hearts --------------------------------- Dicentra Formosa
************************************************************************
 
Bluebell Family

Cardinal Flower ---------------------------------- Lobelia Cardinalis
************************************************************************
 
Buttercup Family

Barrel Columbine ------------------------------ Aquilegia Triternata
Canadian Columbine --------------------------------- A. Canadense
Canon Delphinium ------------------------ Delphinium Nudicaule
Comet Columbine -------------------------------------- A. Elegantula
Crimson Columbine -------------------------------------- A. Formosa
Scarlet Delphinium -------------------------------------- D. Cardinale
************************************************************************
 
Evening Primrose Family
any of the many Red Fireweeds including:

Parched Fireweed ---------------------- E. Pilobium Paniculatum
Red Fireweed ----------------------------------------- E. Angustifoliun
Sticky Fireweed -------------------------------------- E. Glandulosum
Watson's Fireweed ---------------------------------------- E. Watsonii
Arizona Trumpet ----------------------------- Zauschneria Latifolia
*************************************************************************
 
Four o'clock Family

Devil's Bouquet --------------------------------- Nyctaginia Capitata
**************************************************************************
 
Gentian Family

Lady Bird's Centaury ------------------------ Centaurium Texense
Mountain Centaury ----------------------------------------- C. Beyrichii
**************************************************************************
 
Lily Family
(any one of the many lilies including)

Coast Lily ---------------------------------------------- Lilium Maritimum
Columbia Lily ----------------------------------------- L. Columbianum
Western Tiger Lily -------------------------------------- L. Occidentale
**************************************************************************
 
Mallow Family

Texas Mallow --------------------------------- Malvaviscus Arboreus
**************************************************************************
 
Mint Family

Coyote Mint -------------------------------- Monardella Odoratissima
Mintleaf Beebalm ------------------------------- Monarda Menthifolia
Scarlet Betony -------------------------------------- Stachys Coccinea
Scarlet Sage ---------------------------------------------------- Salvia spp.
**************************************************************************
 
Morning Glory Family

Scarlet Creeper --------------------------------- Ipomoca Hederifolia
**************************************************************************
 
Pea Family

Coral Bean ----------------------------------------- Erythrina Herbacea
**************************************************************************
 
Phlox Family
(any one of many Red Phloxes including)

Longleaf Phlox ----------------------------------------- Plox Longifolia
Lovely Phlox -------------------------------------------------- P. Amabilis
Stansbury's Phlox --------------------------------------- P. Stansburyi
Woodhouse's Phlox ---------------------------------- P.Woodhousei
Coral Gilia -------------------------------------------------- Gilia Subnuda
Rock Gilia ------------------------------------------------ G. Scopulorum
Grand Collomia -------------------------------- Collomia Grandiflora
Tiny Trumpet -------------------------------------------------- C. Linearis
Desert Trumpet ------------------------------ Ipomopsis Aggregata
Texas Plume ------------------------------------------------------- I. Rubra
**************************************************************************
 
Pink Family

California Indian Pink ---------------------------- Silene Californica
Mexican Pink ------------------------------------------------- S. Laciniata
**************************************************************************
 
Snapdragon Family
(any one of many Monkey Flowers including)

Bigelow Monkey Flower ------------------------ Mimulus Bigelovii
Lewis's Monkey Flower ------------------------------------- M. Lewisii
Pygmy Monkey Flower ----------------------------------- M. Rubellus
Scarlet Monkey Flower ---------------------------------- M. Cardinalis

(any of the many Red Paintbrushes including)

Applegate's Paintbrush ---------------------- Castilleja Applegatei
Bristly Paintbrush --------------------------------------------- C. Hispida
California Threadtorch ----------------------------------- C. Stenantha
Desert Paintbrush ----------------------------------------- C. Chromosa
Giant Red Paintbrush ----------------------------------------- C. Miniata
Southwest Paintbrush ---------------------------------------- C. Integra
Texas Paintbrush ---------------------------------------------- C. Indivisa
Woolly Paintbrush ---------------------------------------------- C. Lanata
Wyoming Paintbrush ---------------------------------- C. Linariaefolia

(any one of the many Penstemons including)

Arizona Penstemon --------------- Enstemon Pseudospectabilis
Bacchus Penstemon ------------------------------- P. Baccharifolius
Eaton's Firecracker --------------------------------------------- P. Eatonii
Mountain Pride ----------------------------------------------- P. Newberryi
Richardson Penstemon ------------------------------ P. Richardsonii
Southwest Penstemon ------------------------------------- P. Barbatus
California Figwort -------------------------- Scrophularia Californica
Red Figwort ----------------------------------------------------- S. Coccinea
Bird's Beak Lousewort ------------- Pedicularis Ornithorhyncha
Indian Warrior ------------------------------------------------- P. Densiflora
Snapdragon Vine ------------------------- Maurandya Antirrhiniflora
****************************************************************************
 
Vervain Family

Calico Bush ------------------------------------------------ lantana Horrida
Desert Lantana ----------------------------------------------- l. Macropoda
****************************************************************************
 
Wintergreen Family

Snow Plant ----------------------------------------- Sarcodes Sanguinea
****************************************************************************
 
Herbaceous Plants

Bee Balm ----------------------------------------------------- Monardo SPP.
Begonia -------------------------------------------------------- Begonia SPP.
Blazing Star ------------------------------------------------------ Liatris SPP.
Bleeding Heart ---------------------------------------------- Dicentra SPP.
Butterfly Weed ------------------------------------- Asclepias Tuberosa
Canna ------------------------------------------------------ Canna Generalis
Cardinal Flower -------------------------------------- Lobelia Cardinalis
Carpet Bugle ----------------------------------------------- Ajuga Reptans
Century Plant ------------------------------------------ Agave Americana
Columbine -------------------------------------------------- Aquilegia SSP.
Coral Bells ----------------------------------------- Heuchera Sanguinea
Dahlia ---------------------------------------------------------- Dahlia Merckii
Dame's Rocket ------------------------------------ Hesperis Matronalis
Delphinium --------------------------------------------- Delphineum SPP.
Fire Pink ---------------------------------------------------- Silene Virginica
Flowering Tobacco ------------------------------------- Nicotiana Alata
Four O' Clock --------------------------------------------- Mirabilis Jalapa
Foxglove ------------------------------------------------------- Digitalis SPP.
Fuchsias ------------------------------------------------------- Fuchsia SPP.
Gilia -------------------------------------------------------------------- Gilia SSP.
Geranium ----------------------------------------------- Pelargonium SPP.
Gladiolus ---------------------------------------------------- Gladiolus SPP.
Hollyhocks ------------------------------------------------------ Althea SPP.
Impatiens --------------------------------------------------- Impatiens SPP.
Lantana --------------------------------------------------- Lantana Camara
Lily ------------------------------------------------------------------ Lilium SPP.
Lupine ----------------------------------------------------------- Lipinus SPP.
Nasturtium -------------------------------------------- Tropaeolum Majus
Paintbrush -------------------------------------------------- Castilleja SPP.
Penstemon ---------------------------------------------- Penstemon SPP.
Petunia --------------------------------------------------------- Petunia SPP.
Phlox --------------------------------------------------------------- Phlox SPP.
Red Hot Poker ----------------------------------------- Kniphofia Uvaria
Scabiosas --------------------------------------------------- Scabiosa SPP.
Scarlet Sage -------------------------------------------- Salvia Splendens
Spider Flower ------------------------------------------- Cleome Spinosa
Sweet William ---------------------------------------- Dianthus Barbatus
Verbene ------------------------------------------------------- Verbena SPP.
Yucca -------------------------------------------------------------- Yucca SPP.
Zinnia -------------------------------------------------------------- Zinnia SPP.
***************************************************************************
 
Shrubs

Abelia ----------------------------------------------------- Abelia Grandiflora
Azaleas ---------------------------------------------- Rhododendron SPP.
Bearberry ------------------------------------------- Arctostaphylos SPP.
Beauty Bush ---------------------------------------- Kolkwitzia Amabilis
Beloperone ------------------------------------- Beloperone Californica
Butterfly Bush ------------------------------------------- Buddleia Davidii
Cape Honeysuckle ------------------------------ Tecomaria Capensis
Currant ------------------------------------------------------ Ribes Odoratum
Flowering Quince --------------------------- Chaenumeles Japonica
Gooseberry --------------------------------------------- Ribes speciosum
Hardy Fuschia ------------------------------------ Fuschia Magellanica
Hibiscus ------------------------------------------------------ Hibiscus SSP.
Honeysuckle ------------------------------------------------ Lonicera SPP.
Jasmine ---------------------------------------------------- Jasminum SPP.
Scarlet Bush ----------------------------------------------- Hamelia Erecta
Weigela --------------------------------------------------------- Weigela SPP.
****************************************************************************
 Vines

Cypress Vine --------------------------------------------- Quamoclit SPP.
Honeysuckle ---------------------------------------- Lonicera Heckrottii
Morning Glory ------------------------------------------------ Ipomea SSP.
Scarlet Runner-Bean ------------------------ Phaseolus Coccineus
Trumpet Creeper ---------------------------------- Campsis Radicans
Trumpet Honeysuckle -------------------- Lonicera Sempervirens
***************************************************************************
 Trees

Chaste Tree ---------------------------------------- Vitex Agnus-Cactus
Chinaberry ----------------------------------------------- Melia Azedarach
Cockspur Coralbean --------------------------- Erythrina Cristi-Galli
Eucalyptus ---------------------------------------------- Eucalyptus SPP.
Flowering Crab ------------------------------------------------ Malus SPP.
Hawthorne ------------------------------------------------ Crataegus SPP.
Horse Chestnut ---------------------------------------- Aesculus Glabra
Locust ----------------------------------------------------------- Robinia SPP.
Orange Tree ----------------------------------------------------- Citrus SPP.
Palo Verde ----------------------------------- Cercidium Microphyllum
Poinciana ----------------------------------------------- Caesalpinia SPP.
Red Buckeye ------------------------------------------ Aesculus Carnea
Royal Poinciana ------------------------------------------- Delonix Regia
Siberian Pea Tree --------------------------- Caragana Arborescens
Silk Oak -------------------------------------------------- Grevillea Robusta
Silk Tree ------------------------------------------------ Albizzia Julibrissin
Tree Tobacco ------------------------------------------- Nicotiana Glauca
Tulip Poplar ------------------------------------- Liriodendron Tulipifera
             


 

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Last Updated 29 June 2009

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