Many plants in North America are adapted through co-evolution to pollination by Hummingbirds. Some of the ones we grow in our garden South-eastern Pennsylvania are shown here.

The only species of hummingbird we have here is the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, but they like these red tubular flowers from all over the continent. Seeing humming birds feeding at plants like these is very exciting. If you grow a lot of these red-flowered plants then the large amount of color will attract and help keep hummingbirds coming to you feeders.

I will be adding more pictures soon.

Aquilegia canadensis (Wild Columbine) is a wonderful wildflower native to the eastern USA. This is the first hummingbird plant to bloom for us. It is always out when the Ruby-throats return in early May.

Last summer was the first time we grew Mimulus cardinalis, (Scarlet Monkeyflower) a hummingbird flower from out west. One plant grew and bloomed very well in the house under fluorescent lights. No hummingbirds came to visit though!	Ipomopsis rubra (Standing Cypress), an annual or biennial native to the Southeastern USA.
Monarda didyma (Bee Balm, Oswego Tea) is the most abundant source of mid-summer hummer food here in our Pennsylvania garden. It is native to Northeastern North America	Zauschneria latifolia v. garrettii (California Fuschia) the seed for this plant came from southwestern Wyoming so it is quite hardy here in Pennsylvania. When grown in full sun it blooms in August and September.

Penstemon cardinalis,western USA native, grows well in dry sand beds.	Penstemon pinifolius, southwestern USA native, needs full sun to bloom well here in Pennsylvania.
Come back and visit soon, more pictures and information about growing plants for hummingbirds will be added in the near future. 19-April-1997	*Return to Jan & Mike Slater's HomePage*