my purple firespike grows double as tall as my red one, and the hummers love that one just as much as the red variety.

Evelyn :-)

I also have a magenta and lavender one and both grow just as well. I am still looking for the pink one.

Jeez, I must have had a senior moment. I have the lavender Firespike also. It blooms in early spring for me and yes, it gets very tall and lanky. I have never seen a hummingbird visit it, though, and that is the only reason that I grow it.

It's in a shady, out of the way place in my yard, so maybe I just don't notice the hummers visiting.

okay..so...my firespike looks pretty good this year - nice blooms. um....there were two hummingbird sightings a couple of weeks ago when I only had one spike! Could you send a few over this way? Am I too close to the ocean??? (we're probably...oh.....7?? miles inland? a couple miles west of the Indian River). Am I doing something wrong??? I get maybe one or two...mostly in the winter months....but, how do I get SWARMS!??? *smile*

Hi beth,Im in Vero(mainland) and I have only a few at a time. make sure you get out early in the AM to spot them they are quick and get what they want and on their way.Once you start planting lots of stuff they like they'll tell their buddies!

have seen them on the firespike, on coral honeysuckle, one time even on duranta and maybe penta..... i have firebush but it's new this year... We are pretty much 'in town' with no woods - I don't know if that's a problem, or not. Wintertime I've seen them sitting in the naked Florida Raintree over the fence.....then dart down to the firespike. Maybe I need to have my coffee earlier so that my eyes are more open! LOL ....am usually outside on the patio before sun up..... I'll watch closer!

I don't think we really get the swarms of hummers here like you do in other parts of the country. I'm happy if I see a couple at a time.

I'm happy if I see 1 or 2! Some migrate my way about Oct/Nov and leave in March.

Coffeemom, that's when I get them too, Oct till March and just a couple. Again I am within 10 miles of the ocean, just ask my homeowners insurance company. :o(

One year one loved my pink hibiscus. Funny with all the other stuff they are supposed to like I have planted that's what she went after.

I agree with Kate, we don't get swarms of hummingbirds like they get in California or even Tennessee. I usually have one or two hanging around except for late June, July and early August when the babies come with their mothers.

As I noted on another post, there is a dividing line in the state for Ruby-throats. Roughly I would guess that if one drew a line from Tampa/Saint Petersburg across the state to Cocoa Beach that north of that line we get Ruby-throats from the annual migration from Mexico and Central America starting in early March and ending in late September or early October. The males arrive first in March and then start leaving in July.

South of this line people start seeing Ruby-throats from October through early March. I don't know where these hummers come from. They may be some of the ones that were up north earlier or they may come from further south.

I'd be interested in seeing where others are geographically and when they tend to see hummingbirds.

ahhh.. i knew i could find this thread! guess what???? Yep, yep....actually SAW a lil hummer today...it stayed for quite a few minutes, too.....at first I thought it was after the firespike, but today it was right next to that on the firebush... yipppeee! I'm so glad for all the encouragement on this forum! :) ...not a 'swarm', but one was an afternoon delight!

Tom, if you would like some of the purple firespike I could root you some cuttings if you like. I grow mine in the ground under oaks.

I live near DeLand and I get hummers from March to October. It was interesting to hear that zone 10 sees them when I don't.

Christine

I've heard that several people in z10 think their hummers stay year round. The majority of little birds may not be coming in from anywhere although some will be migrating through at various times.

I've got the red and the purple firespike and I have seen hummers on both. But in my yard there are a few plants that seem to be higher on their preference list: coral honeysuckle vine is tops, then the firebush, the porterweed, the Mexican sage and the russelia. The bigger cupheas are popular too, like the cigar plant.

Kate

I have been seeing at least two for the last month or two. By that I mean that I have not seen more than two at a time. I don't really see the red throat, but they have a green sheen on their back.

In my yard, the favorites are justicia golden flame, starburst and tall pentas and costus woodsonii (button ginger). However, I have also seen them on russelia equisetiformis, dwarf powderpuff and duranta. I also have firespike, but like Tom, mine are in shade in out of the way places, so maybe I just haven't noticed them there.

It is interesting how we see them at different times of the year. This is the longest they have hung around here. Previously I only would see one every blue moon. Now I see them several times daily when I look out or am out and about. I never tire of watching them.

Anna

Anna, you are in zone 10. I wonder if you have them all year? I don't have the justicia golden flame--it was just mentioned by a caretaker at Leu Gardens as one of the best hummingbird plants. I will need to get one or more soon.

Kate, I think my experience is similar to yours. The coral honeysuckle is the best followed by the firebush. There are different plants that bloom at different times. My coral honeysuckle starts blooming in early March, when I first see the hummers. In the late spring and summer months the firebush blooms and is the favorite. Right now the firespikes are in full bloom and seem to be the preferred flowers.

Most of us are going to get a bunch of rain; when it lets up the hummers are going to be hungry. It's one of the best times to look for them.