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Health & Fitness

Paradise in the Two Parks #4: What's Blooming in Your Yard?

Plants That Hummingbirds Can't Resist! Plus Butterflies Love Them Too.

Two plants that hummingbirds can't resist: Tutti Frutti Agastache and Black and Blue Sage.  And, Big Surprise — the flowers are not red. Plus butterflies love them too! 

Like most people, I used to believe that hummingbirds liked red flowers best. But now I don't think it's true. Sure they visit my red flowers and  they've visited my hummingbird feeders for years, but since I found out about  Tutti Frutti Agastache and Black and Blue Sage they hang out in my yard all day long!  Even if I didn't have a feeder, the hummingbirds would be feasting on these  blossoms. And as an extra plus, butterflies love them too!

   I wasn't all that impressed with Black and Blue Sage when I first saw it. But when Anita in the Annuals department at Behnke's Nursery in Beltsville, Maryland told me it was the best plant for attracting hummingbirds, I figured it was worth a try.  The first year I planted it in some containers on my deck. Watching the hummingbirds fly from plant to plant all summer made me a big fan of Black and Blue Sage.  You do have to keep the plant well watered and provide the right location of sun to part sun. But it is worth the extra care because the Hummers can't get enough of this plant.  Above the green foliage, the blossoms are  blue bordering on purple. But the real flowers of this plant are the jewel-like iridescent birds hovering, fighting and doing acrobatics to get to the nectar!  

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With Tutti Fruitti Agastache, also known as hummingbird hyssop, you could  say that the real flowers  are the butterflies.  The tall spires of lavender- pink blossoms are not spectacular by themselves but mixed with other plants, covered with yellow swallowtail butterflies or with a ruby throated hummingbird feasting on them--they are spectacular!  Plus Tutti Fruitti Agastache is fairly drought tolerant. It will bloom from mid summer into the fall. Although it is not reliably  perennial  in our area, most of the plants will come back year after year if you don't cut them down in the fall or too early in the spring and if they are given good drainage.

 

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So what do you plant to attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your
University Park or Riverdale Park garden? Tell us: "What's Blooming in
Your Yard?"

You can contact Lydia directly at broccolydia@gmail.com or comment below.

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