This Shade-Loving Plant Attracts Hummingbirds

This Shade-Loving Plant Attracts Hummingbirds

Being in the sun helps plants make flowers, which is why flowers and sunshine often go together. But if you want a garden full of flowers that hummingbirds love but don't have a spot that gets a lot of sun, meet your new favourite plant: foamy bells (x Heucherella).

The coral bells (Heuchera) and foamflowers (Tiarella) plants were crossed by humans to make foamy bells. Some things about both plants are the same. They are native to the US and are known for growing well in shade. Their bright flowers and lots of nectar make them very appealing to hummingbirds.

This last trait was passed down from parents to foamy bells. The flowers come in pink and white, but if you want to attract hummingbirds, choose the pink variety. Foamy bells have more different kinds of flowers and leaves than either coral bells or foamflowers because they have the bright leaves of coral bells and the small flowers and leaves of foamflowers.

How to make foamy bells

There is a wide range of climates where foamy bells can grow. Depending on the type, they can survive in USDA zones 4 to 11. Most of them stay green all year, and they grow slowly and closely together, which makes them great for shady areas and as a ground cover, border, container plant, or hanging basket.

If you can get some morning sun, that's great for fluffy bells, but these hardy plants can also do well in deep shade. The soil should drain well and have a lot of organic matter. They like steady moisture at first, but they can handle drought once they're established. Additionally, they are resistant to pests like rabbits and deer, and their flowers in the spring and summer feed butterflies and songbirds.

In the past few years, there have been many new types of foamy bells to choose from. 'Alabama Sunrise' has bright gold-green leaves with red veins that change colour with the seasons, while 'Buttered Rum' has leaves that look like pumpkins and turn rosy red in the autumn. You can look at "Dayglow Pink" for bright pink flowers and bright green leaves, or "Plum Cascade" for purple leaves with pink flowers. There are lots of others for you to pick from if you want.