These 2 Hanging Basket Flowers Keep Hummingbirds Coming Back All Summer

If you're looking for a surefire way to attract hummingbirds to your yard, plant hanging baskets filled with colorful, nectar-rich flowers. Not only are the hanging baskets elevated above common hummingbird predators like cats, but they also give the birds an ideal height from which to feed on their favorite flowers like bidens (Bidens ferulifolia) and lantanas (Lantana camara). And if you plant these two flowers together in the same basket, you'll have hummingbirds coming back all summer long.

Hummingbirds are attracted to bidens and lantanas because both species have exceptionally colorful flowers filled with the nectar that serves as fuel for these small birds. Bidens have a sweet, honey-like scent that draws the hummingbirds, as well as butterflies and bumblebees, to their daisy-esque orange, yellow, white, or red flowers. They are aggressive growers, and will quickly fill a hanging basket with their luscious blooms. 

Lantana are members of the verbena family of flowers, which are proven hanging basket champs that will attract hummingbirds all summer and into fall. Their bulbous flowers come in numerous shades of pinks, yellows, purples, reds, and many more. The leaves of the lantana give a citrusy scent, which serves as a great contrast to the sweeter bidens. For success in hanging baskets, look for trailing varieties of both flowers as they will expand horizontally and droop over the rim of the basket, making it easier for the hummingbirds to reach the tasty flowers.

Both bidens and lantanas are among the best heat tolerant flowers that you can plant for gorgeous hanging baskets. Bidens are perennial in USDA zones 9 through 11, while lantanas can withstand slightly cooler temperatures down to zone 7. Both need a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight and require well-draining soil to prevent standing water that can cause root rot. 

One of the things you need to be careful of when planting both bidens and lantanas in hanging baskets is that they will likely need more frequent fertilizing. This is because the nutrients will be washed out through the bottom of the container during watering. Feed the flowers every 4 to 6 weeks, and water only once the first few inches of the soil begins to feel dry.

Another reason you will want to make sure that these flowers get all the sun that they need is, in addition to encouraging flowering, it will optimize their scent for hummingbird attraction. Bidens especially smell their best in direct sunlight because the sun warms up the essential oils inside of the flower, thereby making the scent stronger. Other than occasional fertilizing and watering, bidens and lantanas don't need much maintenance. Their blooms will last well until the first frost of your region. So expect to see hummingbirds visiting your property all summer long.