Natalie Jordan grows a lot of plants for hummingbirds and butterflies, here in Raymond Mississippi. Many of them also offer great garden color and even a tropical appeal.
A couple of the more unique are in the mint family. The first is the Lion’s
Tail, known botanically as Leonotis. The plant reaches 3 to 4 feet tall and
produces
fiery- orange, tubular flowers that are grown in whorls along the stem.
The other mint family plant also has a feline reference. It’s called Cat’s Whiskers. This white variety yields spikes of blossoms featuring long, exotic-looking white stamens protruding outward.
A couple of shrimp plant relatives are really showy this time of the year. The first is the Firespike. This plant is one of the most loved by hummingbirds. It produces spikes of scarlet-red blooms with foliage that is almost succulent in appearance.
The other shrimp plant relative is the Philippine Violet. It is a short-day or fall blooming plant that reaches 3 to 4 feet in height. It produces scores of icy blue flowers, a rare color in the fall garden.
Lastly, is the Firebush. This plant never stops blooming, producing scarlet, tubular flowers from spring through fall. This time of the year the leaves change to red giving it an even more striking appearance in the garden.
Natalie Jordan has shown there are a lot more hummingbird and butterfly plants than we ever imagined. I hope you give some of them a try. I’m Norman Winter for Southern Gardening.