Hummingbird Plants

Large intense deep blue flowers emerge from tall spikes beginning in spring and continuing throughout the growing season and into fall. Van Remsen Salvia, an Anise Sage or chance hybrid, is an excellent nectar plant for hummingbirds and may also be visited by larger butterflies. Unlike many of the Salvia guaranitica selections available Van Remsen is a clump forming vigorous growing perennial that can hit 7' high bringing the flowers closer to the hummingbirds and towering over most other garden perennials. This cultivar was discovered in the garden of James Van Remsen of Louisiana and was named and introduced by Salvia guru Richard Dufresne of North Carolina. Provide a full to mostly sunny location in an average moist, well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 12118

Beautiful white edged to pink tinged, succulent variegated ovate foliage adorns the upright, zig-zagging stems on an upright growing succulent. The beautifully variegated foliage of this Red Bird Cactus, actually a Euphorbia or Pedilanthus and not a true cacti, makes this plant worth growing although the plant gets it's name from the clusters of tiny red bird-shaped that may be produced in summer. This is an easy and forgiving succulent that develops into an architecturally pleasing specimen plant suitable for a semi-shaded porch or patio and it tends to have more pink foliage coloration where it receives some direct sunlight as well as during cooler weather. Allow the soil to become somewhat dry between waterings although it can tolerant more moisture when in active growth and less during winter. Item# 598

The Variegated Red Shrimp Plant produces a continuous display of upright to arching spikes composed of large showy maroon bracts from which the individual maroonish-red and white tubular flowers emerge in spring and summer to year round under warm tropical conditions. This plant has exceptional flower power along with beautifully variegated foliage that is flecked and splotched with creamy white. Use as a container plant specimen and in mixed container gardens as well as in the garden and landscape. The common Shrimp Plant, Justicia brandegeeana, is a heat loving, naturally evergreen, bushy, tropical plant with dark olive green foliage and grows to about 24" high by about 18" wide. It is both full sun and bright shade tolerant but tends to have the densest branching habit where it receives at least 4 hours or more of direct sunlight. Provide an average to well-drained, moderately fertile, average moist soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Attracts hummingbirds and the occasional larger butterfly and is an RHS Award of Garden Merit winner. Caterpillar host: Cuban Crescent, Texan Crescent, White Peacock, and Malachite. Item# 710

Clusters of 3-4" long, tubular, waxy buds open to display the long-lasting starry white wonderfully fragrant flowers that are held against equally beautiful ovate foliage that is edged and randomly splashed in creamy yellow that matures to white and silver as well as often having a silvery overlay. Flowers on and off throughout the warmer months of the year to year-round in warm tropical conditions. Variagated Stephanotis or Madagascar Jasmine, a selection of Stephanotis floribunda, is an evergreen tropical twining vine that makes an easy container plant and is readily trained to small to medium sized trellises although it can climb to 12-15' high where it has a support. This is an old favorite and as Liberty Hyde Bailey states in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture "is one of the best greenhouse climbers" and "There are few plants that have all the good qualities of S. floribunda. It is a splendid grower, has good foliage, is very free flowering, and the flowers last well on the plant or when cut for decorative work." Provide a quality well-drained fertile soil in light shade to full sun. Stephanotis is an RHS Award of Garden Merit winner. Item# 9394

Worth growing just for its randomly variegated bright white and green variegated foliage that is a standout in the garden. The sleepy, deep red 1" blooms glow like Christmas lights against the white and green foliage. Super easy to grow and care for and your Hummingbirds and Butterflies will show their appreciation for this attractive plant as well. Caterpillar host: Glassy Winged Skipper. This selection does show solid green new growth from time to time which should be pruned away. Item# 712.

Large rounded clusters of medium to light pink, honeysuckle-like fragrant flowers are produced in early spring atop the still bare winter stems attracting larger butterflies, hummingbirds, and the hummingbird like Sphinx moths with its fragrance and nectar. Varnadoe's Phlox Pink, a strongly pink selection of the native Piedmont, Mountain or Pinxterbloom Azalea, Rhododendron canescens, whose flowers are more commonly a light pink to near white, at least here in the Pineywoods. This is a medium-sized deciduous native shrub and is often still fondly called Wild Bush Honeysuckle. Like most Azaleas, it will do best in an average moist, acidic, well-draining soil that is top dressed with a breathable organic mulch like pine straw. It can tolerate full to mostly sunny sites under good conditions but is generally best grown in an area that receives filtered to partial shade. Item# 13078

Vibrant glowing fuchsia, 1" long two-lipped tubular flowers are borne along short spikes from spring to fall on this vigorous Salvia hybrid. Vibe® Ignition Fuchsia Autumn or James Sage is hybrid of Salvia greggi x S. microphylla garnering the best of both species and boasting exceptional flower power and a naturally compact tidy rounded habit to 2'x2'. It is sure to make an easy and forgiving colorful low-maintenance container plant or add it to the garden and landscape where its flowers will draw in hummingbirds, butterflies, and larger bees throughout the growing season. Provide a full to mostly sunny site with good drainage for optimum vigor and flowering. Vibe® Ignition Fuchsia Salvia is moderately drought resistant once fully established but may flower best under average moisture conditions. Images courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12417

Vibrant dark purple, 1" long two-lipped tubular flowers are borne along short spikes from spring to fall on this vigorous Salvia hybrid. Vibe® Ignition Purple Autumn James Sage is hybrid of Salvia greggi x S. microphylla garnering the best of both species and boasting exceptional flower power and a naturally compact tidy rounded habit to 2'x2'. It is sure to make an easy and forgiving colorful low-maintenance container plant or add it to the garden and landscape where its flowers will draw in hummingbirds, butterflies, and larger bees throughout the growing season. Provide a full to mostly sunny site with good drainage for optimum vigor and flowering. Vibe® Ignition Purple Salvia is moderately drought resistant once fully established but may flower best under average moisture conditions. Item# 11987

The large 3-4" wide, funnel shaped, white flowers are neatly edged in a broad band of contrasting rich reddish-pink and seem to nearly glow against the foil of dark green, medium textured foliage. Flowering is in midspring attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Vibrant Evergreen Azalea, a Harris hybrid, is a rare dwarf with a dense and compact habit that lends itself to bonsai culture but is sure to be a low-maintenance conversation piece in the garden and landscape.  Azaleas do best in average moist, acidic soils that are rich in organic matter but have good to excellent drainage and should be top dressed with an organic mulch such as pine straw and pine bark. We recommend using a slow-release, non-burning fertilizer that is labeled for acidic loving plants. Item# 12576

Large clusters of lightly fragrant, 1 to 1-1/2" wide, 4-'petaled' white flowers often with light green accents are produced in mid to late summer attracting bees, hummingibirds, and other pollinators. The Virgin's Bower, Clematis virginiana, is a vigorous, deciduous, woody native vine climbing via tendril-like leaf petioles up to about 20' high where it has support. It is deer and rabbit resistant, is adaptable to soil types and moisture levels, as well as sunlight, although, plants grown in sun to part shade may flower more profusely. This is not to be confused with the invasive Sweet Autumn Clematis, Clematis terniflora, which has entire or smooth leaflet edges and the foliage is thick and leathery, whereas, Virgin's Bower, C. virginiana, has toothed leaflets and the foliage tends to be a darker green. Female flowers may be followed by densely 'bearded', long lasting seed heads. Note: These are seed raised plants which may have only male, only female, or both flower types on the same plant. Flower and overall plant images courtesy of North Creek Nurseries, all rights reserved. Item# 13179

Yellow trumpet shaped flowers are heavily accented by deep brick red in the throat and are produced in mass in spring to early summer with flowering coinciding with the arrival of migrating hummingbirds. The flowers have a fragrance similar to the candy Bit O' Honey that my mother often enjoyed as we were growing up. The flowers also attract larger bees and other pollinators. The Wabash Valley Crossvine, a selection of Bignonia capreolata from its northern most regions in Wabash County in southern Illinois and was selected by the late Dr. Wesley Whiteside and was introduced to the nursery trade by Ellen Hornig via Broken Arrow Nursery. It was selected at least in part for its reliable zone 6 cold hardiness. The Crossvine is a vigorous semi-evergreen, clinging native vine that produces pads at the ends of its tendrils that can attach to most surfaces without harming brickwork and masonry. These native vines make a low maintenance choice for fences, posts, arbors, and larger trellises. Item# 13055

A Louisiana Super Plant selection! The large 3-4" wide, coral pink, funnel-shaped flowers are produced beginning in late spring with sporadic summer flowering and another nice show in fall with the flowers attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Watchet Azalea, an evergreen Satsuki type, has a neat and compact, densely branching, naturally rounded habit that lends itself to use in low-maintenance gardens and landscapes, including formal settings. Its small size also lends Watchet to use in bonsai as well as for low-maintenance container plants. Provide your evergreen Azaleas with a well-drained, average moist, humus rich, acid soil and topdress with an organic mulch for the best results. Item# 12575

One of the most exciting new Hardy Hibiscus introductions for 2024! The medium to large, 7" wide, heavily ruffled, bright magenta flowers with a slightly darker eye are set against a foil of deep green, bronze tinged foliage. Watermelon Ruffles Hardy or Perennial Hibiscus is an indeterminate type meaning that they both begin flowering earlier and flower all up and down the stems instead of just on the upper half of the plant creating a knockout display in the garden and landscape. Provide a full to mostly sunny location in moist to average moist to wet, moderately fertile soils. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 13298

The pure white 1" long tubular flowers emerge from mealy-white calyxes along dense 18-24" high spikes from spring to fall attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. White Flame Salvia is a vigorous and mannerly intermediate height hybrid of Salvia longispicata x S. farinacea that revels in the heat and sun of summer when many other plants are seeking shade. Provide a full to mostly sunny site with average or better drainage in containers as well as in the garden and landscape. Although, White Flame Salvia is considered hardy to zone 7, it will likely do best if planted out in spring once the danger of freeze and frost have passed. Image courtesy of Ball Horticulture, all rights reserved. Item# 12176

White Lightening Turk's Cap is a new Greg Grant introduction with a more vigorous growth habit and produces loads of pure white blossoms that are held against the dark green foliage. Mix this one in with your red flowered Turk's Caps for a wonderful contrast where it will flower from late May to November. Caterpillar host: Glassy Winged Skipper. Item# 9738

A rare or at least uncommon color form of the ever popular Blue Pea Vine producing large white blossoms held against medium green to blue green foliage on a small vine with excellent flower power. The White Pea Vine makes the perfect vine for container culture on small trellises, mailboxes, and fences that will flower from spring nearly all the way until frost. By some accounts it is a tender perennial in mild winters but is more generally grown as an annual and it readily returns from seeds saved the previous winter. Provide a full to partial sun location in a moderately fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Caterpillar host: Longtail Skipper. Item# 11952

Beautiful and unique spidery white flowers absolutely cover this semi-dwarf evergreen shrub in mid-spring. The rare Koromo White Azalea's naturally compact growth habit, durability, and rare flower form make this a definite conversation piece. The lavender form of this Azalea, Koromo Shikibu or Purple Spider, lines the eastern border of the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Gardens at Stephen F Austin's Mast Arboretum. Azaleas do best in average moist, acidic soils that are rich in organic matter but have good to excellent drainage and should be top dressed with an organic mulch such as pine straw and pine bark. We recommend using a slow-release, non-burning fertilizer that is labeled for acidic loving plants. Item# 10813

Clusters of pure white flowers are borne from spring to frost on this easy and adaptable perennial. With a low, naturally spreading to weeping habit White Trailing Lantana makes an excellent choice for the garden or as a spiller in mixed containers. Excellent for butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Evergreen in mild winter climates and makes a wonderful freely flowering groundcover. Item# 10791.

Large dense panicles of 1" long, pure white, foxglove-like flowers are held atop upright to arching, 24-36" high stems and are produced beginning in mid to late spring and may continue well into summer attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. This wildflower's popularity for bouquets has made it nearly endangered in some areas. White Wand Penstemon, Penstemon tubaeflorus var. tubaeflorus, is a rosette forming, herbaceous, native perennial whose rich green foliage often exhibits deep maroon tinges, edges, or the entire rosette may be maroon during portions of the year. The small black seeds may be utilized by smaller songbirds and small mammals. Provide a full sun to partly shaded site in well-drained, average moist to dryish, fertile soils for optimum vigor and flowering. White Wand Penstemon is a component of the Tall Grass Prairies and makes an easy addition to naturalistic settings like roadsides, meadows, and prairies as well as in the perennial garden or landscape. Item# 9542

Only one of two Amsonia species to receive a 5-star rating in the Chicago Botanic Gardens trials! Showy clusters of light blue star-shaped 1" wide flowers are produced in spring atop sturdy stems cloaked in dark green willow-like foliage. The Willowleaf Eastern Bluestar has the same basic habit and growth requirements of the more common Eastern Bluestar, Amsonia tabernaemontana var. tabernaemontana, but with larger showier flower clusters that seem to cover the plant, a neat dense vase-shaped habit, and clean disease resistant foliage. An easy to grow, clump-forming native perennial that is tolerant of wet to average moist soils preferring a full to mostly sunny site in the garden and landscape. The flowers of Bluestars attract butterflies and hummingbird moths. Images courtesy of North Creek Nurseries, all rights reserved. Item# 11945

Clusters of medium to large cupped white flowers that are centered by a deep burgundy eye are produced in summer and sit atop a sturdy stems cloaked in grayish to nearly white foliage. The Woolly Rose-Mallow or Swamp Mallow, a form of Hibiscus moscheutos var. lasiocarpos, is sure to be a standout hardy clump-forming perennial that will produce more and more flowering stems each year eventually developing into a rounded mass of nearly white foliage topped by clusters of flowers. The flowers normally remain open until about midday but may stay open nearly all day on overcast or cloudy days. The Woolly Rose-Mallow is adaptable to moist to wet to average moist, fertile soils and is an easy choice for pondside and bog plantings. The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Provide a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 12197

A beautiful clear yellow Cape Honeysuckle that produces masses of 2" tubular flowers in large clusters in summer and fall or nearly continuously throughout the year under frost free conditions. This easy heat and sun loving tropical can be grown as a medium to large arching shrub or hedge, vine or espalier, and can be trained into tree standards. The tubular flowers are a treat for hummingbirds and larger butterflies. Where not hardy it is easily maintained as a container plant. Item# 746.