The envelope face somewhat mysterious . Someone had scrawl the news “ hummingbird plant ” on the outside .
in spite of appearance I saw several thin , papery - look germ mixed with what appeared to be dried leaves or , perhaps , flower petals .
My neighbour gave me the envelope last fall . At the time , he ’d necessitate me whether I would start the seeds for him in the spring . I secernate him I ’d do my best and require him what he knew about this particular works . He said a unlike neighbor had pass the seeds along to him and that he ’d hopedIwould know what they were .
I did n’t .
The Usual Suspects
I pondered the foreign seeded player and their brief descriptor . hummingbird are drawn to vivid red blossom — particularly those with pipe - like blooms .
The seeds inside the envelope differentiate “ hummingbird flora ” could be old - fashioned zinnias , a deep magenta bee balm , cardinal flowers or maybe red salvia . But these seed looked unlike the germ for any of those tried - and - true hummingbird attractants .
If I wanted to successfully grow whatever these works were , I would need to make out how difficult the seeds might be to get going and whether they required anyspecial treatment . After a few clicks online , I realized I ’d been thinking about these little semen all amiss .
give a corridor to help out your neighborhood pollinator !
The Green Birdflower
This “ hummingbird plant ” does n’t leave sustenance for hummingbird and other pollinators . But it does bring about unusual , green flowers that look like little hummingbirds .
Common in Australia , Crotalaria cunninghamiiis a shrubby plant that can get up to nine feet tall under the proper precondition . An 1869 printing ofCurtis ’s Botanical MagazinedescribedCrotalaria cunninghamii :
Though untempting as to the color of the flower , this is a very peculiar and outstanding greenhouse plant , the soft velvety pubescence that raiment all the open with a uniform glaucous chromaticity at once arresting the attention . It is a native of the dry , almost desert regions of northwestern and central Australia , growing on arenaceous ridges , from Shark ’s Bay to the Gulf of Carpentaria , and interpenetrate southward through central Australia towards Spencer ’s Gulf .
Glaucous hue ? Hmm … .
Before I grab my seed - starting provision , there was at least one other period to hold . I would involve to set whether the green birdflower is an invasive coinage in my area .
It ’s always a beneficial musical theme to check your ownlocal and regional encroaching species databasesas well as thefederal “ Introduced , Invasive , and Noxious Plants ” databaseto see whether a specific plant life — especially a novelty industrial plant with which you are unfamiliar — is actually unwished-for .
Where I live , the green birdflower does n’t come along to be a threat to forests and other natural habitats . However , its relative , Crotalaria spectabilisor “ showy rattlebox,”isincluded as an “ put in ” mintage in much of the southerly U.S.
Read about the invasive ( and tick - support ) Asiatic bush honeysuckle .
Pots or Plots?
I soaked the germ , set them all in a sterile potting mix and hold off . ( And look ! ) sprouting can take up to three week .
( unripened birdflower seeds are somewhat fussy and will do best in temperatures in the mid 60s . )
finally , I managed to coax up six seedling . I gave most to the neighbour but keep a duet out of rarity .
Green birdflowers can flourish in U.S. hardiness zone 10 and 11 — far from my semi - frosty Midwestern clime . With that in mind , I credibly could have plant the tropical visitant straight in my garden , where it might succeed in short and then die back .
But what if it smothers my spotted celandine ? ( Also know as touch - me - not , that is a native plant life thatactualhummingbirds really enjoy . ) Or what ifCrotalaria cunninghamiiproduces and drops such prolific sum of money of seed — seeds that find purchaseeverywherenext spring ?
Some of our more infamous invasive coinage like Asian bush honeysuckle come here similarly innocently . Its fragrant blossom made it a favorite ornamental . It was so appealing , in fact , that it ’s easy to imagine neighbors reach other neighbors their own secret envelope stuffed with seeds . ( Maybe they were just label “ Smells amazing ! ” )
Until I truly realise just how aggressive my newfangled plant could become during the blistering summer months , I ’ll be keeping these dark-green birdflowers in check by growing then in large pots or else . That ’s a good practice foranynovelty flora you ’re not so sure about .
Early accounts aboutCrotalaria cunninghamiialso suggest that it may take a while before I even see my first bloom . So , have the power to bring my plants indoors for the winter just might help me bribe the needed fourth dimension I want to finally experience this unusual green “ hummingbird plant ” for myself .
