The Perfect Ground Cover Plant To Naturally Invite Hummingbirds To Your Garden

Hummingbirds are not only fascinating to watch, they also play an important role in the natural world. These tiny speed demons are the sole pollinator for 160 native plants, and they are a bellwether for changes in the health of the environment. These amazing birds flit from flower to flower, sometimes visiting 2,000 in a single day, searching for nectar. Hummingbird sage (Salvia spathacea), native to California, is the perfect ground cover to attract the hungry foragers alongside bees and butterflies. The plant spreads by rhizomes, underground stems that send up shoots to make new plants, allowing it to spread across large areas. Its bright blooms in shades of red stand out above the fragrant leaves, lasting from late winter through summer.

Hummingbird sage, hardy in USDA Hardiness zones 8 to 11, is a low-maintenance hardy perennial that's a drought-tolerant ground cover that's easy to grow. In the natural landscape, it's commonly found growing under trees and shrubs. Single plants grow in a clump about 4 feet in diameter and spread through their underground rhizome system to form more clumps, eventually becoming a solid mass covering the ground. The flower spikes reach as many as 30 inches above the plant's fuzzy-looking leaves and stems, a visual effect created by the tiny hairs covering the leaves and stems.

While hummingbird sage is found as an understory in the wild, it also tolerates full sun and a variety of soil types. Because of the plant's deep rhizome system, mature plants generally don't need additional irrigation, but occasional watering may keep the foliage brighter in drought conditions. If you do decide to irrigate, use a drip line or soaker hose to water established plants to a depth of 3 feet. New plants should be watered frequently until they're established. Hummingbird sage is an evergreen, so the foliage will remain an attractive ground cover even after the flowers have stopped blooming. When that happens in late fall, cut the flower stems as close to the ground as possible. This strengthens the roots.

Hummingbird sage can be propagated by seeds or rhizomes planted directly in the soil in the autumn, or you can find them ready to be transplanted at the nursery. If you're planting from seed, or propagating through rhizome or root division, keep the soil moist until you're ready to transfer the plant to your landscape. Prepare the soil by turning it to a depth of about 15 inches, and mix in compost. Dig a hole two times as wide as the pot the plant is in, turn the pot upside down, put your fingers around the stem, and gently shake the plant out into your hand. Loosen the root ball before placing the plant in the hole. Be sure to water the transplant thoroughly and spread a layer of mulch that's good for pollinators mixed with compost around the plant.