Subject: Winter hummingbird plants (was: birdseed and such)
Date: Nov 5 15:53:01 2001
From: Mike Wagenbach - wagen13 at yahoo.com



In early summer 2000 I planted a Pine-apple Sage (a Salvia from Mexico,
IIRC, whose leaves smell and taste rather like pine-apple) in our
garden, not really noticing (or much caring) that it is not supposed to
be winter-hardy in Seattle's climate. It bloomed very late last year,
not really putting on much of a show, but it did survive the winter. I
also was able to root 2 of 2 cutting successfully in pots.

This year it is doing better. It has stalks of a dozen or more red
flowers opening on each stem. I think the blooms were earlier this
year. Some have been out for several weeks, and more are opening or
budding now, so it should keep going if the weather doesn't really
deteriorate. I haven't actually seen any hummers at the flowers, but I
have spent almost zero time in the back yard in the last month. I have
been thinking I should budget an hour to watch that plant. I did see a
hummer in the yard recently, so that might be a good sign.

The garden area soil was really improved by the previous owner of our
house, and the plant has become quite large, about 5 feet by 5 feet. I
have been neglecting the cuttings in small (half gallon?) pots, so they
are not growing very big, and I'm not sure if they are flowering.
OTOH, they are drought-hardy, despite the small pots.

If I was going to try this plant in containers sincerely, I'd choose
the largest practical pot, then brutally prune the plant and drag it
inside for a few days if a hard freeze was predicted. The stems are
not very woody or strong (a couple have broken under their own weight
plus a little wind), but they seem to come back well after cutting
back.

I also planted some red Penstemon this year, which are blooming now for
some reason. I thought they would be done by now. I don't know if
these would work in pots.

Good luck.


=====
Mike Wagenbach wagen13 at yahoo.com
wagenATuDOTwashingtonDOTedu Seattle WA

"When I hear postmodernist jargon, I reach for my pistol.".

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