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How To Use Vibrant Azaleas To Attract Hummingbirds And Cardinals
By DEBBIE DEROMA
While both cardinals and hummingbirds are drawn to feeders, you can increase your chances of a sighting by planting flowering shrubs like azaleas.
Azaleas produce vivid colors, thrive in a wide range of climates, and attract insects that are appetizing to hummingbirds and cardinals. Most grow between 3 to 6 feet tall.
To attract hummingbirds throughout the spring and summer, plant azalea varieties that bloom at different times. To welcome cardinals, look for taller shrubs with dense foliage.
While many gardeners opt for evergreen azaleas, research suggests that diverse assemblages of native plants result in more frequent hummingbird visits.
Sweet azaleas and swamp azaleas are endemic to eastern states and are a food source for ruby-throated hummers. Swamp azaleas also have dense foliage and attract nesting cardinals.
For an all-around evergreen azalea that will attract both cardinals and hummingbirds to your garden, Encore azaleas are popular and bloom three times per year.