Hummingbirds are a joy to watch as they hover and dart around flowers. Their bright, iridescent colors and fast fluttering wings make them a delight for any backyard. If you want to attract hummingbirds to your yard, planting flowers they love in a window box is an easy way to do it. Window boxes allow you to place nectar-rich blossoms right next to your window so you can observe hummingbirds up close as they feed. This article will discuss what the best flowers are for hummingbirds and how to properly plant and care for them in a window box.
What Flowers Do Hummingbirds Like?
Hummingbirds are attracted to tubular, brightly colored flowers with ample nectar. Some of the top flowers loved by hummingbirds include:
- Fuchsias – These weeping, bell-shaped flowers come in shades of red, purple, white, pink, and orange. Hummingbirds can’t resist their bounty of nectar.
- Petunias – These bright, trumpet-shaped annuals bloom spring through fall in colors like red, pink, purple, and white.
- Nasturtiums – With their spurred, vibrant red, orange, and yellow blossoms, nasturtiums are a hummingbird favorite.
- Scarlet sage – Tall spikes of brilliant red tubular flowers draw hummingbirds to scarlet sage.
- Lantanas – Clusters of small, multicolored flowers bloom on lantanas throughout summer, providing nectar for hummingbirds.
- Bee balm – Hummingbirds enjoy inserting their long bills into bee balm’s shaggy petals to reach the nectar-rich base.
- Cardinal flower – Hummingbirds can’t resist the bright red, tubular blooms of cardinal flower that bloom mid to late summer.
- Columbines – These spring bloomers have elegant, spurred flowers in colors like red, yellow, purple, white, and pink.
- Trumpet vines – As the name suggests, trumpet vines produce large, tubular, trumpet-shaped orange/red flowers that hummingbirds love.
- Gladiolus – The tall flower spikes of gladiolus offer nectar-rich blooms that appeal to hummingbirds.
The most attractive flowers for hummingbirds are tubular in shape with bright, solid colors like red, orange, pink, or purple. Having a variety of bloom shapes and colors in your window box will appeal to the most hummingbirds.
Choosing a Window Box
When selecting a window box for your hummingbird flowers, look for one at least 6-12 inches deep. Shallow window boxes may dry out too quickly to keep flowers happy. A good material choice is wood or a wood/metal composite that won’t crack or warp in weather extremes.
Make sure to use a window box with drainage holes so the roots won’t get waterlogged. Opt for a length that fits your window space, generally from 24-48 inches long. You can always connect multiple window boxes together for a longer display.
When positioning your window box, mount it below the window ledge so the flowers don’t block your view. East or south-facing windows are ideal to give your flowers ample sunlight. Just make sure the box itself won’t get overly heated in full sun.
Planting Your Window Box Flowers
Soil
Use a potting mix formulated for containers, not garden soil which may contain diseases. The potting mix should contain perlite or vermiculite to improve drainage.
You can buy pre-mixed potting soil or make your own by combining:
- 1 part peat moss or compost
- 1 part perlite or vermiculite
- 1 part bark fines or coconut coir
Fertilizer
Potting mixes are nutrition poor so your window box flowers will need regular feeding. Use a balanced liquid fertilizer like 10-10-10 mixed at half strength every 2 weeks. Slow release pellet fertilizers added at planting time will provide longer nourishment.
Plant Selection
Choose a combination of the flowers listed above that bloom in early summer, midsummer, and fall. This sequence of blooms will attract hummingbirds from spring through frost. Allow 8-12 inches between plants so they have space to fill out.
Some great flower combinations for hummingbirds include:
- Nasturtiums, petunias, and fuchsias
- Bee balm, verbena, and scarlet sage
- Lantana, zinnias, and geraniums
- Cardinal flowers, impatiens, and lobelia
Planting Steps
Here are the basic steps for planting your hummingbird flower window box:
- Fill your window box with potting soil about 2 inches below the rim. Pat down gently.
- Space out your plant selections evenly down the length of the box according to their mature widths.
- Remove each plant from its nursery pot, loosen tangled roots, and position in the window box.
- Fill around plants with more potting mix, firming the soil gently around the roots.
- Water thoroughly until the soil is moist but not saturated.
- Add a 2-inch layer of mulch like bark chips, pebbles, or moss on top to prevent weeds.
Caring for Window Box Flowers
Proper watering, fertilizing, pruning, and cleaning will keep your hummingbird flowers thriving all season:
Watering
Check soil moisture daily, watering when the top inch becomes dry. Early morning is best so leaves dry quickly. Add enough water to moisten roots thoroughly.
Fertilizing
Use liquid fertilizer every 2-3 weeks per label directions to fuel growth and blooms. Scratch slow release fertilizer into the soil surface in spring and midsummer.
Pruning
Pinch or trim back spent flower stems to encourage reblooming. Cut back any overgrown, leggy growth to keep plants compact.
Cleaning
Remove fallen flowers and leaves which can harbor pests and diseases. Wipe dust from flower and leaf surfaces so plants can properly photosynthesize.
Extending Bloom Season
To maximize the flower show in your window box, plant a new crop of hummingbird flowers every 2-3 weeks until early fall. Some great choices for staggered planting include:
| Planting Timeframe | Flower Choices |
| Early Spring | Nasturtiums, columbines, petunias, fuchsias |
| Mid Spring | Bee balm, verbenas, scarlet sage |
| Early Summer | Lantana, zinnias, cannas, impatiens |
| Mid Summer | Cardinal flowers, lobelia, bee balm, gladiolus |
This succession planting will ensure you have lots of flowers opening throughout the growing season to feed your busy hummingbirds.
Conclusion
A window box planted with the flowering plants hummingbirds love provides an up-close view of these fast-flying delights right outside your window. Follow the tips above for creating a beautiful, easy-care container garden that will attract hummingbirds all season. The flashing, iridescent colors and constant motion of hummingbirds darting from flower to flower will a joy to observe.
