ghoghunter,

Although I have no personal experience with them, I have seen Ribes odoratum listed as a hummer plant. Black currants seem to be species nigrum, and I'm not sure if it's attractive to hummers or not. I even found a photo of a western hummer feeding on one at http://www.pbase.com/wilmot/image/40826667. The flowers are clearly pink in this one.

"Ben Lomand," from what I can read, is a black currant, and I found a site that describes the flower color of all black currants as being "blush pink." Just scroll down to the heading "DESCRIPTION," then "flowers."

I don't know if this helps much, but you're right, most of the writing about it concentrates on the fruits because that is what they're mainly grown for. It seems that black currants are European. Although they have better tasting fruit, I don't know if the flowers are as attractive to hummers as American species.

You're either going to have to find someone with direct experience, or hunt around on the internet.

Here is a link that might be useful: Currant flower description

You want to get Ribes sanguineum which is the red flowering currant. The fruit is black but the flowers are red. There is also a white flowering currant. They are native to the pacific northwest. I am trying to root 6 hardwood cuttings now and so far have not been very successful. They have leafed out but have not even thought about striking any roots. If I am not successful I will be ordering one online as I have not found anyone that sells them locally. They are banned in some states and PA may be one of them. NY recently lifted the ban on currants. Another equally good source for the eastern half of the country is the red flowering quince.

Penny

I just found the information about them on the internet. The thing is they bloom from Feb through May and so far I haven't seen a hummer yet so as far as attracting hummers go it might be a lost cause anyway. If my hummers aren't here that early I may not want to go to all this trouble. I did find a source though. Do you get hummers that early?

Did you see this? I'm not sure all of these are hardy in zone 6, but I enjoyed looking at the pictures and reading about them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Las Pilitas site

Normally my hummers arrive the very end of April or Early May (I am still waiting this year). I may try some flowering quince also.

Penny

Kristen - that's a wonderful site!!! Thanks for finding it! So many to chose from now I don't know what to do either!!! I have to laugh too because I spelled the original message header wrong. Here I am keeping current about currants!

Here out west, red-flowering currant is one of the earliest blooming plants that Rufous Hummingbirds use when they return from migration. It is often the only flowering plant in their high elevation mountain habitat when they arrive in the spring. Down lower in elevation, they take advantage of wax currant (Ribes cereum) along with the Calliope Hummingbirds.

BN

ghoghunter - just to followup on what Penny wrote, Penn State has a section in their fruit-growers manual that explains the deal with currants here. Apparently they are permitted here in PA although they mention that the main problem was its harboring white pine blister rust.

I was briefly looking at the gardening journal you had on your website and there was a mention of Bucks County? If that's where you are, you could potentially see hummers earlier - including around the end of April and into early May. The one thing that I seem to now consistently see reported as a plant that our area hummers go to this early, is the red horse-chestnut (buckeye). It is a very pretty ornamental tree - particularly when it is in bloom - and it looks like the ones I've seen in the area are slower growers, so that might be another to look at if you don't already have one. That one plant and its bloom time appears to be an indicator plant for this area for when the bulk of hummers suddenly make their presence known - before the japanese honeysuckle gets going and they suddenly disappear to nectar on that.

I would really like to try this but with so many white pines in my yard and my neighbors', it would be too risky to take a chance even with the resistant varieties.

Maybe some other garden, some other time.

Jenny in SE PA - Thanks for the tip on Red Buckeye. I don't have one. I never seem to see any hummers until the honeysuckle and bee balm get going. If they are here they aren't in my yard anyway. How big does a buckeye tree get?

Dwarf red buckeye gets about 15 - 20 ft. but is a slow grower. Eastern Red Buckeye can get to about 35ft. from what I have been told.

Penny

I've seen some of the bigger buckeyes that Penny mentions but they are also pretty old too, so they definitely are slow growers... I've driven by a house with a dwarf one for at least 10 years and I don't think the tree is much taller than about 8ft. The owner has it in the front yard in a very formal setting and it makes for a very staid specimen. Plus it is growing well in the understory of a high canopy of old sycamores and other trees. I did also notice yesterday that the shrub/tree honeysuckles (Lonicera maacki) are blooming now so the vining japonicas can't be far behind.

I was looking at some pictures of the red flowering currant and those are some pretty flowers! I'm a sucker for dark pink. LOL The panicles sortof remind me of wisteria panicles (but alot smaller).

I've been thinking about getting a dwarf red buckeye. I do live in Bucks County PA. Would anyone know where I could purchase one in this area? I wouldn't mind driving a ways..say a few hours. I am a school nurse and am a free woman!!! at least until September rolls around!

The link below lists Aesculus pavia, but you may want to call first to check price and availability. It's in Delaware County, just North of Media, PA.

Here is a link that might be useful: Redbud Native Plant Nursery

rjm 710 Thank you very much! I'll give them a call. My hubby's family is from Delaware County so we drive out that way a lot. I had never heard of the nursery though. I'll have to give them a try!

Well I am now the proud parent of two little aesculus pavia trees! I made the trip out to the Red Bud Native Plant Nursery and the little trees were so cute I got two! Now I have to figure out where to plant them! I'll probably put one in my front yard and one in the back yard. If only my hummingbird will visit them. I can't figure her out at all. She has only ever visited my Penstemon and my Bee Balm as far as I can tell. I got the most beautiful BLack and Blue Salvia, posts full of Lady in Red, Coral Nymph Salvia and She never goes near any of it! I read all these messages of how everyones other hummers use all these other plants and mine won't touch them! Was it something I said? They are right next to the bee balm for goodness sake! She is the shyest thing ever!!!

My hummers aren't using the flowers much this year for some unknown reason. Usually they are all over the bee balm, coral honeysuckle, Salvia coccineas and the Black and Blue. This year they are making very very few visits to the flowers and sticking with the feeders.

Penny