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The Heat-Tolerant Flower That Attracts Hummingbirds To Your Yard
By KATE NICHOLSON
Geraniums from the vibrant, red spectrum-hued Maverick, Ivy League, and Fantasia series are known for their heat tolerance and can attract plenty of hummingbirds to your garden.
Cultivars from the Maverick F1 series bloom from June through September and, due to their drought tolerance, do as well in containers as they do in garden beds.
Ivy League is also popular with gardeners. They’re often used in hanging baskets and patio containers, but they’ll also thrive if planted directly into your garden beds.
For a hummingbird garden, it’s best to consider planting Red, Hot Coral, or Arctic Red from the Ivy League series. The third geranium series to consider is Fantasia.
When it comes to Fantasia, Strawberry Sizzle and Violet in particular are the top cultivars for blooming strongly through the summer heat.
In order to optimize blooming for any of these flowers, make sure the plant sees at least six hours of sun daily. Consider this when deciding on your planting location.
Once the hot season is in full swing, feed your geranium with a fertilizer designed to encourage flowering twice a month. You’ll also need to deadhead the plant regularly.
While geranium blooms may invite hummers to visit, make sure there are multiple hummingbird feeders or plants with more satiating blooms nearby, like begonias or salvias.