Attract Hummingbirds With A Stunning Ground Cover That Requires Minimal Maintenance

When you're creating a garden to attract hummingbirds, every plant counts. You might picture towering spikes of flowers covered in tubular-shaped blooms when thinking about what brings hummingbirds to the yard, but you may also want to look to the ground. While some ground cover plants are not worth putting in your yard, some ground covers can be about more than suppressing weeds. For instance, if you want to attract hummingbirds, consider manzanitas (Arctostaphylos manzanita). This California native comes in many varieties, but if you choose one of the low-growing options, they can be great ground covers with the added benefit of attracting hummingbirds.

Wild manzanitas can reach tree-height, so it's important to select a named cultivar when looking for a ground cover. These varieties typically have lower, mounding habits, forming small, evergreen shrubs with flowers that hummingbirds adore. They also have cinnamon-colored bark. Some of the shade-loving varieties tend not to flower, which makes them less attractive to hummingbirds, but could be useful in shady spots. Height will vary depending on which variety you choose, as will flower color, but they all make good low-maintenance choices that will rarely require watering and never need mowing.

There are several ground cover-height manzanitas to choose from, and each has its own pros and cons. The 'Emerald Carpet' variety is popular among landscapers for good reason. It maxes out at about 1 foot tall and can grow up to five feet wide. It boasts white flowers in the spring and dense, green foliage. Once established it only needs water about twice a month during dry seasons. If you happen to plant it in partial shade, it may need even less water, but it's generally a ground cover that prefers full sun. However, because it's only hardy in USDA Zones 8 through 10, its use will not be widespread.

If you're looking for a tougher variety, consider 'Massachusetts' and 'Green Supreme' (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) which have more leathery leaves. 'Green Supreme' has brighter green foliage than most other varieties and is known to be a fast-grower. White or pink flowers bloom in late spring and early summer, though they are not known for profuse flowering. For a more cold-hardy variety, 'Massachusetts' is hardy in USDA Zones 2 though 6. In mid to late spring, they produce lantern-shaped flowers that hummingbirds love, and then produce red berries. Both of these varieties produce berries, which provides food for other birds and mammals throughout the winter. Combining these and other low-growing manzanita cultivars could be a good way to provide a wider variety of options for hummingbirds throughout the season. Or, you can mix and match with other fast-growing ground covers that hummingbirds love.