Moon Valley Texas Blog

Top Trees & Shrubs To Attract Hummingbirds & Butterflies

Written by Garrett Cleverly | 7/21/16 8:23 PM

When you walk around any of our Big Tex Tree Nurseries locations you can’t help but notice all of the ‘activity’ surrounding all of our flowering trees and plants. Our nurseries are a haven for our pollinating friends, especially for hummingbirds and butterflies, which are always a special sight to see. Hummingbirds usually prefer flowers that are shaped like trumpets while butterflies prefer flowers that are short and narrow and clumped together in a group.. 

Your landscape can be filled with hummingbirds and butterflies too and below are our top flowering shrubs to attract them. 

Vitex


This multi-trunk tree is known for its eye catching displays of purple blooms on long spikes that jet out at every growth tip during the late spring and into summer. The Vitex’s twisting trunks under the bright flowering canopy gives this tree a unique, grand appearance. Its canopy is large and layered, which allows sunlight to penetrate the ground below. The Vitex requires minimal water and little maintenance. Vitex trees establish quickly and are exceptionally strong in full sun locations.

 

Agapantha


Hummingbirds and Butterflies love this flowering shrub. It blooms beautiful blue flowers on its eye catching bright green stems that can grow to knee high. It performs best when planted in partial sun. Agapanthus like slightly acidic soil so deep water and regular applications of Moon Dust will help them look and bloom their best. Water deeply and keep soil slightly moist in warm weather.

 

Desert Willow


Named only for its resemblance to willows, the Desert Willow produces magnificent blooms of exotic trumpet shaped purple flowers that look fantastic when planted in accent locations. The Desert Willow has an airy canopy and is visually appealing in many landscape styles.

 

 

Desert Bird of Paradise


This open-canopied plant produces some of the most unique blooms around. It blooms yellow flowers with red filaments on terminal spikes in the spring and fall. It's feathery type of foliage is what makes this Desert Bird of Paradise such a great choice to soften hard desert landscapes or in transition areas between green and desert landscaped areas. It can grow in full sun and requires little maintenance.

 

Hibiscus


These medium to large growing shrubs bloom large bright tropical flowers with dark green foliage. They thrive in pots but need well-prepared garden soil that drains well for maximum potential.They grow great in partial sun and will acclimate to full sun easily. Fertilize monthly from March through September to encourage the best growth and a prolific blooming season.

 

Yellow Bells


This shrub can grow 8 feet tall and wide.Yellow Bells display many yellow, trumpet-shaped flower clusters starting mid-spring all the way to winter. This shrub is drought-tolerant and is very fast growing. Yellow Bells are great for focal points, fence or borderlines, and color accents in desert and tropical landscapes. To maximize blooming cycles, be sure to prune off dead blooms occasionally.

 

Bottlebrush


One of the most visible plants around because of its showy, bright red bushy flowers, the Bottlebrush is drought-tolerant and just loves the western climate. It blooms in the spring through the fall and is a great way to add extra privacy to your home due to its dense foliage. Big Tex Trees has the Bottlebrush in tree and shrub variations.

 

Orange Cape Honeysuckle


One of the most versatile plants for any landscape, the Orange Cape Honeysuckle has bursts of bright orange, trumpet-shaped blooms. This shrub trims into a medium to large bush or hedge and is frequently used as a vine to cover posts or fences. Plant in well prepared soil with good drainage and water moderately. Fertilize with Moon Dust mid-spring through early fall to keep them looking their best.

 

Orange Jubilee


This shrub loves the sun and blooms all summer and fall. It is drought-tolerant once established and has large clusters of orange trumpet-shaped blooms. The Orange Jubilee is fast growing and can reach 10 to 12 feet high and needs an area where it will receive at least a half day of sun.

 

 

Lantana


This drought-tolerant shrub exudes a variety of colors and is the perfect plant to include in your landscape and garden. The Lantana thrives during the hot summer months and grows quickly requiring little to no maintenance. They bloom from spring through the fall and are very easy to grow in any situation. Depending on the Lantana, it can bloom purple, white, pale yellow, red, gold, or pink colors.

 

When you are at one of our nurseries, be sure to talk to our experts about ways in which you can get your flowering shrubs to bloom to the max with any of our beneficial fertilizers. While you’re at it, simply follow our flying friends to their favorites and get the planted in your yard today.