Re: Hummingbird plants (was Feeder)

In a message dated 11/8/00 5:08:37 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
paul@nevco.k12.ca.us writes:


> So, since this is a Medit-Plant discussion group, I'd like to encourage
> listers to gradually abandon their feeders and grow hummingbird-friendly
> plants.....<clip> With lots of mint family
> plants and native plants in my garden, I have just as many hummingbirds
> as when the feeder was hanging nearby. With many more places to poke
> their tiny tongues, there seems to be more cooperation and patience and
> less fighting.....<clip> .I'm observing the birds in their habitat and 
> noticing all kinds of behaviors not seen at the feeder, like hummingbirds 
> chasing bees away from flowers and standoffs with praying mantises, etc.
> 
> Why don't we discuss our favorite "hummingbird magnet" plants instead of
> sugar recipes? Just trying to be environmentally responsible...
> 
> 

Great idea! -- Hello Paul, and all:

Thought I would chime in here with an observation I've been making of late in 
the nursery where I work.  One of our employees who is **bird crazy** keeps 
many hummer feeders around the premises.  They have been popular feeding 
spots for the little flyers.  Yes, they are guarded voraciously, like Paul 
mentioned, each by a different hummer and major wars do occur. Although I 
hate to admit it, their aerial antics can be quite entertaining.  But, it was 
not until the hummers started to visit my section regularly that I developed 
a renewed appreciation for watching them feed in a more *natural* way.

The section I look after at the nursery is a corner where we carry a lot of 
unusual and specialty annuals and perennials.  This fall I decided to order 
in a very large selection of Salvias, along with other late bloomers like the 
Agastaches and Fuchsia magellanica.  Well, what a delight -- I certainly had 
not imagined what I was in for!  My corner is now constantly buzzing with 
hummer activity and there is no fighting at all.  

I've even had the great pleasure of watching a single male Anna's work his 
way down the entire length of the salvia table without stopping, sampling 
every salvia species along the way.  Although they do tend to sample all the 
varieties, they seem to favor the S. greggii's, especially when there is a 
big block of color sitting there, like a fresh batch of S. g. 'Rose Pink' -- 
they will zoom in first to the Rose-Pink, then move on to the 'Moonlight' 
(pale yellow) next to it, and then on to others, every time.

Mid to late summer we had a huge flowering container on display that inclued 
an Agastache 'Apricot Sunrise'.  It was situated smack dab in the center of 
the nursery and when that Apricot Sunrise went into full bloom, the hummer 
activity was unbelievable -- that pot was a hub of activity -- what a magnet! 
 Customers shopping in that area would regularly get their heads buzzed by 
swooping hummers that were coming in for their visitations.  It was a total 
delight to watch.  Lined up in the beds underneath were other Aggies, like 
'Pink Panther' and mexicana, and they all received the same attention.  I 
cannot recommend this genus enough (along with the Salvias, of course) for 
attracting hummers to the garden.

Just my 2 cents.  Am enjoying this thread, thanks,

C. Carter
Martinez, CA, Z9
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