We have been gardening with this great plant for 12 years now and it always is a hit with hummers in our yard. It's easy to grow, indestructible, etc., and its only downfall are those darn Japanese Beetles loving it so much.

Anyhow, this season our Cuphea DV plants are doing great, growing like crazy, and blooming in the same locations as any other year (I am a strong believer in site fidelity for plants), but NO HUMMER HAS USED THEM EVEN ONCE!! I tried doing a nectar test the other day and the nectar is definitely there. We have had a great hummer season with hummers in our yard just about every day since late April, but still no Cuphea DV use. Other years, hummers are all over the plants just as soon as they are blooming, even as early as late May, but not this year. We've used the same potting mix, pots, etc. and our overwintered plants are not getting any use either (and, we purchased the plants from the same nursery as other years, Avant Gardens.)

It was a cold, wet spring, but all of that is definitely a thing of past now as we enjoy temperatures in the upper 80's every day and watch our lawns turn brown from lack of rain. Hummers have moved on from the feeders to Monarda 'Jacob Kline' and Catmint, but no use of Cuphea DV.

What's really dismaying is that we so strongly recommend this plant in our "Gardening for Hummingbirds" program and now it's not attracting hummingbirds.

Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated.



Kathi and Michael Rock
Madison, Wisconsin
Zone 4/5

My experience with David Verity is that the hummers like it, but it isn't their first choice.

Right now I have the native and dwarf Hamelia Patens (Firebush) in full bloom and they are all over those bushes. They also prefer the various Stachytarpheta and of course the salivas are getting lots of attention.

I think your recommendation of the DV is a good one. It is a plant that is constantly in bloom, easy to grow, pretty and attractive to hummingbirds. It just may not be their favorite at all times of the year.

Tom Byrnes
Clermont, Florida
Zone 9b

That's odd, Kathi. My DVs just started blooming. I've seen a couple hummers use the potted DV on the patio, but nothing on the in-ground one, yet. Who knows why they choose one plant and ignore another. My hummers have been all over the jacob cline, but they are ignoring the larger patch of nearly identical gardenview scarlet.

Dan
Zone 5
East-central Iowa

I've had hummers visiting my David Veritys regularly - saw some feeding from it just yesterday - and I do have blooming Monarda and other favorites, as well. Maybe you are just missing them when they feed from it? I think, as a hummer plant, it is still a winner because it blooms all season. My garden wouldn't be the same without it. I have at least 15 planted this year.



Wilmington, Delaware
USDA zone 7a
Heat zone 6
Sunset zone 32

Mine hasn't even started blooming this year....just one more big disappointment and I put all new soil in the container this year when I repotted it.

Penny
NY
USDA hardiness zone 6
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Up here in BC we have had a cool Juneuary, another one....3 in a row now?
David V. is soooo slow to get going in its pot. New soil etc, yup.
Yes, the last one to get going of the overwintered tho I think there are seedling DVs coming along faster than dad, in with a fine verbena it shared a pot with last year.

They left the catnip completely alone this year while they have loved it in the past....go figure.

Kathi

Like Tom DV has never been their fav but they do use it and I was of the opinion that they had not used mine, but one day as I was standing near the plant I saw a hummer dive in and use the flowers but it was like getting them from underneath almost on the ground as that is the growth habit this year. I get the feeling if it was taller it would be used more. But on the other hand when cuphea schumannii blooms they seem to be crazy about this one but as small as this plant is I cant see it blooming by migration. Year in and year out salvia guaranitica are their first choice here with tutti frutti also high on the list along with all the s. greggii choices. To tell you the truth though I have seen a hummer use everything in my garden that has an open bloom on it this year, no exceptions.

Steve
Martinsville, In
Heat zone 6
Sunset zone 35

Dave is a favorite here. Maybe compared to the greggii and microphylla salvias it is a little behind, but not much. For easy bulk food production it is hard to beat because it is so reliable. A male was buzzing me this evening as I was staking the peppers mixed with the DV. If this year is like all the others with large numbers of DV in the garden I can expect a really big uptick in usage as more and more hummingbirds filter through on their way south.

To be honest the Cuphea that is really getting action is schumanni. The oldest plants are choked with flowers and have been for weeks now.

I saw very little use year before last when I had it. I bought it again to try since it does bloom non stop & stays in nice form. This year I'm getting use but today, a female flew right over it to get to the few new blooms that just started on schumannii that sits right next to it. I am a firm believer that, like people, they are individuals with different likes/tastes. I saw use on Catmint the first year I started attracting & haven't seen use since.

Joni
Elwood, IL
Zone 5

I would say this one is a favorite in our yard. It does not look as nice as last year but I think it may have had some freeze damage, or our current drought. Either way, I typically see a hummingbird feeding over there every other day. I have been seeing more hummingbird activity May-present as opposed to last year.

Courtney

Austin, Texas