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Hummingbird Garden

Super nectar plants.

21 years ago

The champion nectar sources this year are caesalpina pulcherrima (which also attracts lots of butterflies) and erythrina bidwillii. Luckily I started more caesalpina this spring from last year's seeds and they are just beginning to bloom. The big plant is over 7' tall and has had lots of continual bloom since late May. I don't know how hardy it is, but I would guess that it should get through most of Z8 with minimal protection.

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Comments (2)

lindaskyview
21 years ago
Ted, just wondering..... do those plants have popular names, as well? I have no idea what these are. Please share.

Thanks. LindaSkyview
tedlyxx
Original Author
21 years ago
I'm not familiar with any popular names for these plants. They're semi-tropical and most semis and tropicals usually go by their botanical names, which is nice because a lot of plants have several common names. I always try to use botanical names to zero in on exactly what I'm talking about. You can do web searches on these names and lots have pictures. A good commercial site which has descriptions and pictures is Yucca Do Nursery in Texas.

By the way, I planted Cosmic Red Cosmos for butterflies, but the hummers are giving it lots of activity too and these can be grown in your area whereas the tropicals would have overwintering problems.
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