Native Plants

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Thursday - April 24, 2008

From: Driftwood, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Wildlife Gardens
Title: Native nectar plants for hummingbirds in Central Texas
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Ref: Cen.Tx. Hummingbird plants I am seeking a list of appropriate plants with lots of nectar to attract hummingbirds in Central Texas. I live in Hays County between Kyle & Wimberley in a mostly wild & native yard, but I would like to plant some vines for an arbor & also some pots for my porch & balcony. (Water is an issue as we are on a well & do not water the yard, but do water my planted pots.) The general 'red & tubular blooms' idea doesn't always lead to plants with quality nectar which will help hummers, or that can deal with our Cen.Tx. heat. I have done some searching online & at garden centers, but the results are poor. Any ideas you could offer would be greatly appreciated by me & "my" hummingbirds! Thank you for your help.

ANSWER:

Happily, someone has already thought of this. In our Recommended Species section, under "Just for Texans" is this list of plants "Hummingbird Plants for Central Texas." This gave us 30 plants from which to choose. We picked out 8 of our personal favorites, but you should look at the webpage description of each of the 30 to make your own decisions about whether it can be planted in a pot, whether it will work in your landscape and whether it needs the right amount of water, light, etc. Since you are in Hays County, near Austin, we have this list of Native Plant Suppliers in the Austin area.

Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii (Wright's desert honeysuckle)

Bignonia capreolata (crossvine)

Hesperaloe parviflora (redflower false yucca)

Ipomopsis rubra (standing-cypress)

Lantana urticoides (West Indian shrubverbena)

Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii (wax mallow)

Monarda citriodora (lemon beebalm)

Salvia coccinea (blood sage)