Sally Scalera

Brevard County Horticulture Extension Agent
3695 Lake Drive -- Cocoa FL 32926 -- 321-633-1702

Hummingbirds need help

January 23, 2010

The damage from our record breaking cold spell is evident all over the county. ne thing that may not come to mind though is the situation that the hummingbirds are in right now. A lot of hummingbirds have lost their food source due to the freezes and they could really use our help. I have watched hummingbirds feeding at my neighbors Clerodendrum speciosissimum (pagoda flower) but all of the flowers (and foliage) are gone now so, I have put out a hummingbird feeder them.

I have often been asked if we really have hummingbirds here in Brevard County and my answer is always yes we do. The good news is that, just because you haven’t had the joy of watching them in your yard doesn’t mean they aren’t around. The main way to attract hummingbirds to your yard is to plant a lot of red-colored, nectar-rich flowering plants. Now, to be able to sit back and watch them you will want to plant these hummingbird plants near your house or around your outdoor sitting areas.

Here are some interesting facts about hummingbirds that you may or may not know.

  • They only live in the Americas.
  • 338 species are known, 16 are found in the US, 3 occur in Florida (Black-chinned & Rufous are winter visitors and the ruby-throated is our only nesting hummer in Florida.)
  • The nest is walnut-size and adorned with lichens, moss and are bound by spider webs or fine plant fibers.
  • Nesting begins in April.
  • Hummers have among the largest appetites in the bird world. They feed every 10- 15 minutes from dawn to dusk.
  • The ideal flower colors are red, orange or pink.
  • Hummers start eating as early as 45 minutes before sunrise and they really need energy after a cold night.
  • Hummers also need protein and other nutrients so they also eat soft-bodied insects & spiders.
  • Try setting out some overripe fruit (like banana peels) to attract flies for the hummers to munch on!

If you are interested in planting some hummingbird approved plants to your landscape here are some trees that will work: Coral bean (Erythrina herbacea), Red bottle-brush (Callistemon citrinus), and Geiger-tree (Cordia sebestena).

If you are interested in planting some new shrubs to attract hummingbirds here are some choices to consider: Butterfly bush (Buddleia spp. but not davidii), Coral porterweed (Stachytarpheta speciosa), Firespike (Odontonema stricta), Pagoda flower (Clerodendron speciosissimum), Fiddlewood (Citharexylum spinosum), Firebush (Hamelia patens), Florida azalea (Rhododendron austrinum), Florida pinxter azalea (R. canescens), Necklace pod (Sophora tomentosa var. truncata), Pagoda flower (Clerodendron paniculatum), Rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos), Scarlet hibiscus (H. coccineus), Swamp hibiscus (H. grandiflorus), and Turks-cap (Malvaviscus arboreus).

Here are some vines that you can plant for the hummingbirds: Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera empervirens), Cross vine (Bignonia capreolata), Scarlet morning glory (I. coccinea), and Trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans).

But wait, you can also plant some perennials like Aloe (Aloe spp.), Baby sun rose (Aptenia cordifolia), Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Firecracker plant (Russelia equisetiformis), Red milkweed (Asclepias lanceolat), Shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeana), and Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata). Last but not least, here are some wildflowers that have nectar for hummingbirds; Beardtongue (Penstemon multiflorus), Blue curls (Trichostema dichotomum), Blue sage (Salvia azurea), Four o’clocks (Mirabilis jalapa), Lyre-leaf sage (Salvia lyrata), Pink beard tongue (Penstemon australis), Prairie phlox (Phlox pilosa), and Tropical sage (Salvia coccinea).

If you want to use a hummingbird feeder here are some tips:

  • Only use this as a supplement and not as their only food in your yard.
  • Hang it where you can see it :o)
  • Promise to keep it CLEAN – flush it out with hot tap water, use a bottle-brush and don’t use soap.
  • Don’t use red dye! Buy a hummingbird feeder that has red colored plastic to attract the hummingbirds.
  • For a simple recipe mix; one part ordinary white cane sugar to four parts water.
  • Don’t want to worry about keeping a feeder clean? Then, just plant baby sun rose in a hanging basket and hang near a window!!

An easy way to check out these plants is to type the scientific name (found within the parenthesis) into the Google search window. Next, click on the search button and you will find website links that will have cultural information for the plant listed. If you would also like to see pictures of the plant, just click on the word images above the search window, and using the scientific name again, click on the search button. This will give you photos of the plants.

So, if you have seen hummingbirds in your yard in the past, and their plants have been hurt by the cold, you may want to hang up a hummingbird feeder for them. Even if you have never seen hummingbirds in your yard before you can still hang up a feeder. You never know, there may be a starving hummingbird nearby that would love to pay you a visit or two!