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Morning Glory
for Hummingbirds
Ipomoea
By James & Ruth White
Morning Glory for hummingbirds is one of the best hummingbird flowers.
I can still hear my mother’s gentle voice waking me up for grade school with these words............“Good morning glory”,
she would say, using an expression that originated from the unique
tendency of these flowers to curl up in the heat of the day (appearing
asleep).
They would awake and open up again in the early morning.
I’ve loved these flowers since childhood and don’t mind that they are often referred to as old fashioned.
The hummingbirds don’t mind either, as I see them regularly frequenting these colorful blooms that I grow on a trellis in front my garden and on a corner of my house.
These flowers, also called Ipomoea, are tubular in shape, just perfect for hummingbirds to easily access the nectar.
This vine couldn’t be easier to grow.
In our cold climate, we
generally do not grow annuals but these flowers are an exception.
They grow rapidly, covering our arbor and the corner of our house by mid summer.
In a milder
climate, you can and your hummingbirds can, enjoy them even longer.
How to Plant Morning Glory for Hummingbirds
- Purchase the seeds. The seeds come in a variety of
colors. Keep in mind that the hummingbirds do prefer the color red.
Hummingbirds do not have a sense of smell but are attracted to the color
red.
- Another option that we do yearly: In the Fall when
the flowers have all gone by and the plant is actually dead and dried
up, we pick the seed pods from the vine and save them for the following
Spring. We have never purchased seeds since our first planting!
- Soak seeds in warm water for 24 hours. This speeds up the germination.
- Prepare the soil by loosening. Well-drained soil is best.
- Plant after the last frost.
- Locate them in full sun. (Yes, we know that does
sound contrary to their tendency to close in the hot sun. It seems that
Mother Nature has her own plan.)
- Provide a trellis, wall or other support for these
lovely flowers that can grow up to 20 feet. There are so many lovely
trellises available today and they can add beauty to you garden.
All I am left to say now is Good Morning Glory!
Visit Our Flower Shop for a Long List of
Hummingbird Attracting Flowers to Buy!
James
and Ruth White are Certified Hummingbird Habitat stewards with the
International Hummingbird Society, specializing in backyard hummingbird care,
behavior, and conservation. With 45+ years of hands-on experience, they have
cared for over 1,000 hummingbirds, built two large perennial gardens, and
support a community of 30,000+ subscribers through hummingbird-guide.com, their
widely followed migration map, and active social channels. They observe
hummingbirds daily across 12 home feeders and document their behavior through
photography and video.