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In spring 2023, horticulture staff replanted an area of the Children’s Discovery Garden along the Hummingbird Walk with plants that they’ve seen to be some of the favorites that hummingbirds visit.  The area was designed and planted as inspiration of what might be done and used in a home garden, with winding step stones that take one into the planting to enjoy and tend to the plants easily.  Enjoy this picture guide to help identify the plants in that area (click on pictures to enlarge).  Notes about plant growing as a perennial or annual are in relation to our location (USDA Zone 7a)

Be sure to also visit the ramped path that leads to the Tree Fort to look for hummingbirds visiting the Turks cap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii) with bright red blooms in late summer. 

Have questions or comments? We would love to hear them!

Agastache Kudos™ Yellow – Kudos™ Yellow Hummingbird Mint Perennial  Likes well drained soils, especially in winter
Agastache Kudos™ Ambrosia – Dwarf Hummingbird Mint Perennial Likes well drained soils, especially in winter
Buddleia davidii ‘Black Knight’ – ‘Black Knight’ butterfly bush Perennial  Fragrant flowers
Canna ‘Robert Kemp’ – ‘Robert Kemp’ Heirloom Giant Canna Perennial
Canna ‘Kreta’ – ‘Kreta’ Canna Lily Perennial Dwarf, grows 3-4′ tall
Canna ‘Omega’ – ‘Omega’ Canna Lily Perennial Grows 7-10 ft. tall
Lantana camara x ‘Dallas Red’-‘Dallas Red’ Lantana Annual
Monarda didyma ‘Jacob Cline’ – ‘Jacob Cline’ beebalm Perennial
Monarda didyma ‘Raspberry Wine’ – ‘Raspberry Wine’ beebalm  Perennial
Ruellia elegans ‘Ragin’ Cajun’-Ragin’ Cajun False Petunia Annual  Short, good for edges or front of borders
Salvia ‘Amistad’ – Amistad Salvia Annual
Rockin’® Deep Purple Salvia Annual
Salvia coccinea – Texas Sage Annual, but reseeds readily
Salvia coccinea ‘Yucatan’ Gets 4-6′ tall. The tall height is great for hummingbirds! Annual, but reseeds
Salvia darcyi – Darcy’s Mexican Sage Perennial
Salvia guaranitica ‘Blue Ensign’ – ‘Blue Ensign’ Anise-scented Sage Perennial in our Zone
Salvia microphylla ‘Hot Lips’ – ‘Hot Lips’ Sage Perennial
Salvia subrotunda – Hummingbird Salvia or Red Argentina Salvia Annual Flowers are shaped differently than S. coccinea
Sinningia ‘Cherries Jubilee’ – Cherries Jubilee Hardy Sinningia Annual
Stachytarpheta ‘Nectarwand Coral Pink’ – False Vervain  Stachytarpheta ‘Nectarwand Red’ – Porterweed Tender tropical  Wait to plant it until the soil warms up (just like tomatoes). It does not like cold weather
Stachytarpheta frantzii – Purple Porterweed Tender tropical Wait to plant it until the soil warms up (just like tomatoes). It does not like cold weather