Hummingbird Fans Should Add This Striking Orange-Red Flower To Their Garden

If you're a fan of hummingbirds and want to see more of them in your garden, you need to add flowers that the little birds will be attracted to thanks to their color. These birds prefer blooms in red and orange tones, as these florals often contain the most nectar. Then, once they've been lured in, you can get them to stay by providing lots of other nectar sources. One such vibrant orange-red flower that hummingbirds are attracted to is arkwright's campion (Lychnis x arkwrightii 'Vesuvius'). This outstanding perennial flower will create an eye-catching focal point in your garden that hummingbirds will flock to once they discover the brightly-colored blooms.

This lovely plant can be grown in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 8 in either full sun or part shade. It reaches a height of around 15 inches and has striking blooms with orange to red petals that are deeply notched. The foliage is also quite attractive as the leaves are almost purple in color and are covered with short hairs. As a bonus, this plant is a relative to rose campion, which is one beautiful ornamental plant that deer and other pests will leave alone because they don't like the texture of the hairy leaves. For a few weeks from early to mid summer, arkwright's campion will attract hummingbirds with its masses of blooms that occur in clusters on tall stems above the foliage. Ensure you also add feeders and other perennial plants that will fill your yard with hummingbirds to make it a hummer paradise.

As 'Vesuvius' is a cultivar and a complex hybrid between different species and hybrids, it's best to purchase named plants from your local nursery or garden center. It can be planted in your garden in spring so that you can enjoy the colorful foliage until you wait for the flowers to appear. Interestingly though, this plant is also available as seeds, which is uncommon for hybrids. You might want to consider starting this plant indoors from seed six to eight weeks before the final frost. When it reseeds in your garden, it will produce plants that are similar to the parent plant.

To ensure hummingbirds notice the plant, make it bushier by tip pruning or pinching back the tip growth early in the season. Keep your plant well-watered, as it does prefer plenty of moisture. It's also a good idea to mulch around the plant's base, as this will help to keep the soil moist. You can help it thrive and bloom freely by giving it some additional balanced fertilizer, or add compost to the soil to give the flowers a boost. To encourage constant blooming, deadhead the spent flowers regularly. Then, once the hummingbirds are attracted to your yard by the bright blooms, sit back and watch them flit around your feeders and other nectar-rich flowers. While you're at it, you might also want to build a hummingbird nest box that they will actually use and like.