Native Plants

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A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

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Wednesday - May 21, 2008

From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Butterfly Gardens
Title: Butterfly plants for Austin
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Hummingbirds come to our Mexican honeysuckle early in the spring, and then come late in the summer when the Turk's caps bloom. We have rocky soil, and a fairly shady garden. What could we plant that would bloom and provide food for the hummingbirds in between the times when the honeysuckle and the Turks' caps bloom? Thank you.

ANSWER:

Luckily, Mr. Smarty Plants knew you were going to need help with that, so a list was compiled of Hummingbird Plants for Central Texas. This list is in our Recommended Species section, under "Just for Texans". We're going to go through the 30 plants listed, and list below 12 choices blooming in late Spring and Summer, some calling for sun to part shade, and some for part shade. Be sure and read all the description, growing conditions, etc. before you make your choice. When you are ready to start collecting plants, go to the Suppliers section of our website, and on the line "Enter Search Location" type in the town and state where you live, and get a list of native plant suppliers in your general area.

Amorpha canescens (leadplant) - blooms blue, purple June and July

Amorpha fruticosa (desert false indigo) - blooms orange, yellow, blue, purple April to June

Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii (Wright's desert honeysuckle) - blooms red, orange June to October

Bignonia capreolata (crossvine) - blooms red, yellow March to May

Erythrina herbacea (redcardinal) - blooms red, March to November

Ipomopsis rubra (standing-cypress) - blooms red, orange, yellow May to July

Lobelia cardinalis (cardinalflower) - blooms red May to October

Monarda citriodora (lemon beebalm) - blooms white, pink, purple May to September

Penstemon baccharifolius (baccharisleaf beardtongue) - blooms red June to Septemer

Salvia coccinea (blood sage) - blooms white, red, pink February to October

Salvia roemeriana (cedar sage) - bloooms red March to July

Stachys coccinea (scarlet hedgenettle) - blooms red March to October