The Low-Maintenance Vine That Attracts Hummingbirds To Your Yard All Summer & Fall Long

Hummingbirds are a treasured pollinator. Most gardeners try hard to invite hummers into their yards from spring through fall. While every gardener has their preferred methods, planting flowering vines that will keep hummingbirds coming back to your yard is often a favorite. After all, flowers, perches, insects, and water — in that order — all beat out nectar feeders when it comes to accommodating visiting hummers. If you're leaning toward the flowering plant route, consider planting a cypress vine (Ipomoea quamoclit). The quirky, fast-growing climber takes the cake — or, perhaps more appropriately, the nectar-filled bloom — when it comes to adding long-lasting, hummingbird-attracting flowers to your yard. The blooms are a vibrant red, which is the one color that instantly invites more hummingbirds to your garden. Plus, it's low-maintenance.

The Cypress vine isn't native to the U.S., and is technically a short-lived perennial in Zones 11 to 12. However, this tropical plant is almost always grown as an annual in gardens. It's prone to prolific self-seeding in the fall, with new vines appearing the following year when the weather warms. In fact, the plant is established in the wild in southeastern and eastern U.S. Each vine produces hundreds of flowers in a long blooming season, from mid-summer until the first frost in late fall. Due to its rapid growth, it can quickly reach between 6 and 20 feet, making it ideal as a ground cover, for climbing trellises, or as a spiller in a container. No matter how you grow a Cypress vine, hummingbirds are certain to browse the red, trumpet-shaped flowers throughout the growing season.

The Cypress vine might honestly be one of the easiest plants you've ever grown — as long as you plant it in a sunny location with well-draining soil. The biggest concern you will likely face when growing a Cypress vine is managing its growth and spread. Help it stay tidy by growing it up a trellis, actively training the vines over an arbor, or planting it in a large, tall pot to create a cascading, waterfall effect. To create the hummingbird garden of your dreams, you need flowers about 6 feet off the ground — keep that in mind when planning the placement of this vine. If you need to cut back vines that grow beyond your intended space, simply prune away the unwanted growth with sharp garden shears.

It is easiest to grow cypress vines from seed. Sow them in your garden in spring, after the last frost date has passed. You can also start the seeds indoors about eight weeks in mid-winter. Water consistently, especially while the seeds are still germinating and seedlings are establishing their root systems. The vines don't mind heat or humidity, but they won't last long in dry soil. Water your plants deeply if the soil starts to feel dusty. As an annual, a Cypress vine will only last one season, but you can collect the seeds for replanting nearby or in other spots around your garden. This can also help to manage the plant's spread.