This Beautiful Flower Will Have Hummingbirds Flocking To Your Yard

The six species of flowers belonging to the genus agapanthus, originally native to southern Africa, are ideal for attracting hummingbirds to your yard. Despite being known by the common names African lily or the lily of the Nile, agapanthus is not a true lily, but shares some characteristics. Members of the agapanthus genus can be easily recognized by their vibrant colors, typically in shades of blue and purple. This perennial flower grows in hardiness zones 9 through 11, with the best results in gardens in the U.S. south with warmer climates similar to its native home. If you're looking for a stunning plant that will attract hummingbirds to your garden in summer, consider the graceful agapanthus.

You can recognize an agapanthus by the clumps of flowers growing together, suspended above the long, ribbon-like, green foliage. These one to two-inch, bell-shaped flowers easily capture the attention of wandering hummingbirds, who use their long beaks and tongues to siphon nectar out. Flowering varieties bloom in summer from June to July, but can take a few years to establish themselves before providing optimal blooms. Overall, if you have patience, agapanthus is an easy-to-grow and well-rounded flower. While you can rely on overripe fruit to have hummingbirds flocking to your yard, agapanthus is a pretty and less messy option.

Agapanthus is not a very picky flower when it comes to maintenance and will grow well in full sun or partial shade. When modifying the soil, make sure it is well-draining. Although they grow best in warmer climates, you can take precautions to protect them from frost for areas further north than zone 9. For example, evergreen varieties can be taken inside and grown as a houseplant in the winter. There are only two evergreen species, Agapanthus africanus and Agapanthus praecox, but it might be difficult to find them for sale under those names. Check instead for one of the many beautiful cultivars of agapanthus, like 'Baby Blue' or 'Bressingham Blue.'

You don't need a large garden or open space in the ground to grow agapanthus. Many cultivars of this genus grow happily in containers with the correct care. It makes agapanthus a great addition to a deck or patio spot if you want to provide more reasons for hummingbirds to visit. For agapanthus grown in pots, it is best practice to allow them to become root bound (when roots become tangled together limiting growth). Although hummingbirds flock to your yard with the help of stunning red flowers, they also love the vibrant purple and blue flowers characteristic of agapanthus. Choose varieties like 'Elaine' to capitalize on its rapid growth and purple-blue flowers or the 'Queen Anne' with its tall, bright blue flowers.