Plant hummingbird-friendly flowers this year

One of the signs of spring in Delaware is the arrival of the hummingbirds, usually the ruby-throated hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) and the rufous hummingbirds, (Selasphorus rufus). These amazing birds can hear better than humans, see farther than humans, even seeing ultraviolet light. Thanks to wings that rotate 360 degrees, they can fly backwards, sideways and even fly upside down. They are famous for being able to hover in midair.

Yet for all their tricks, hummingbirds have almost no sense of smell. If you want to attract them into your garden, forget about fragrance and plant flowers in bright colors, especially red. Hummingbirds are nectarvores and can eat half their body weight in flower nectar a day. Tube shaped flowers are best. Try bee balm (Monarda) , columbine, daylilies, lupines, butterfly bush (Buddleia), scarlet sage salvia splendens, foxgloves and hollyhocks, four o’clocks (Mirabilis) cleomes, impatiens, flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata) and petunias. Many, but not all hybrid flowers have less nectar than their rougher, wilder cousins, so plant a wide variety of blooming plants. Don’t forget vines as sources of nectar. Morning glories and honeysuckle are obvious choices, but also trumpet creeper (Campis radicans).

Aim for continuous blooms from April through September when the hummingbirds migrate to warmer climes.

Even though much of their diet is nectar hummingbirds also eat soft bodied insects as a good source of protein, so try not to use herbicides or other poisons in the garden. The same goes for fertilizers; many chemical fertilizers are poisonous to both insects and the hummingbirds themselves, so it is always good to stick with organic fertilizers or just plain compost.

These tiny birds love water, especially mists or sprays. A sprinkler will often be host to hummingbirds bathing and drinking. Besides flowers try to provide trees for them to perch on. Shade as well as full sun is appreciated.

You can of course add hummingbird feeders. Mix your own nectar by mixing one cup of plain white sugar with four cups of water. Heat this sugar water solution two minutes to help the sugar dissolve. This will also kill bacteria,and your nectar will last longer before it ferments or spoils. Let the sugar water nectar cool completely before filling feeders. If your tap water has strong odors or lots of chlorine try using bottled water.

With the largest brain relative to body size of any bird, hummingbirds are extremely smart. Their amazing memory lets them remember not only each flower in their territory but also how long before those flowers produce more nectar. They even recall which gardens have the best feeding, even after they have been gone over the winter. Hummingbirds will also remember which person is the one who fills the feeders, and anxiously await that person in the garden and ignore all others.

Plant hummingbird-friendly flowers this year and your garden will literally be the buzz of the town. If people ask how you learned to plant such things tell them a little bird told you.