Every Pollinator Garden Needs This Hot Weather Impatiens To Attract Hummingbirds

Pollinators come in all shapes and sizes, but hummingbirds bring a special type of joy when they visit a garden. These jewel-toned birds transfer pollen as they move from one flower to the next and are attracted to the blooms in pollinator gardens. It takes certain types of flowers to create a garden that entices these colorful birds to stop by for a sip of nectar. One such flower is the SunPatien. It's a heat-tolerant flowering plant that's a garden must have for hummingbird lovers to add to their pollinator garden. SunPatiens are showy flowers from the Balssminsceae family cultivated by crossing traditional New Guinea impatiens with wild species. 

Their bold red and orange colors are known to attract hummingbirds to the yard and will not disappoint in your home garden. Plus, they were cultivated to be much more heat tolerant than traditional impatiens, making them the perfect addition to a sun-filled, pollinator garden. Some reasons why you'll love having the SunPatien in your garden to attract more hummingbirds is because it blooms freely, provides lots of nectar for hungry hummingbirds, and it thrives in high heat.

SunPatiens aren't your typical impatien that needs protection from full sun in order to thrive. In fact, SunPatiens were specifically cultivated by a Japanese seed company to withstand hotter temperatures and full sun exposure. They are hardy to zones 10 to 12 and flourish in locations with lots of sunlight, high heat, and high humidity. Although they grow in full sun, they can also be placed in partial shade. Putting the plant in full shade, however, is one of many avoidable mistakes that will hurt your SunPatiens if you're not mindful, as too much shade limits how abundantly the flowers bloom. SunPatiens even bloom during the hottest parts of the summer, making them a delectable treat for buzzing hummingbirds zipping through your garden on a warm afternoon.

Although they do tolerate the heat and sun's rays well, they still require consistent watering during the warm season months. They require medium water levels and fall on the low maintenance scale. Regular watering will help them provide their biggest and brightest blooms, but they won't lose their flower buds when stressed from lack of water. It's important to know, however, that if the plant dries out, leaf scorch can happen, so you don't want your SunPatiens to be drastically underwatered. The flowers are self cleaning, so they don't have to be deadheaded, but for those grown in partial shade, it's best to prune them in mid-summer to prevent them from becoming spindly.

SunPatiens are an excellent addition for attracting hummingbirds to your pollinator garden for a few reasons. First, SunPatiens bloom heavily in spring, summer, and fall. Hummingbirds going into nesting mode, in particular, need nectar from March to September, so SunPatiens are a great fit! Plus, their blooming period is much longer compared to that of traditional New Guinea impatiens giving hummingbirds a better chance to feast on your garden florals well into the first frost. 

Second, they come in different hues, but their warm shades of red and orange are especially prized by hummingbirds who adore these colors over others, so planting SunPatiens with these tones are sure to draw the birds into your yard. Third, is the growing habit of SunPatiens, which take on a bushy appearance. Hummingbirds are fans of plants like shrubs and bushes that provide excellent perching spots, especially those that grow tall. To manipulate the height of your SunPatiens, plant them closer together, about 12 inches between each plant, to achieve a taller SunPatien that hummingbirds can call home. Don't forget to add an easy DIY swing as an alternative perching spot for hummingbirds to enjoy in your garden.