The Spider-Esque Flower That'll Fill Your Fall Garden With Hummingbirds

Although there are quite a few myths and truths to where hummingbirds really go in the winter, they will usually hang around your yard from spring through fall if their needs are being met. Watching their antics and seeing their beautiful colors never gets old, especially for avid birders. There are several things you can do to make your yard the place to be for these little fliers starting with adding the type of birdbath hummingbirds are absolutely obsessed with for a reliable water source. It is also important to ensure they have plenty to eat by planting an array of plants that hummingbirds love. One beautiful and unique flower that is sure to fill your fall garden with hummingbirds is cleome, also known as the Spider flower (Cleome hassleriana). This lofty annual can grow up to about 5 or 6 feet and produces a striking display of large flowers that bloom from early to mid-summer until fall.

The unique blooms are made of groups of small flowers in purple, pink, or white that have long, wispy stamens giving it a decidedly spidery look. The spiny stems and medium green leaves contrast beautifully with the bright colors and unique appearance of these blooms. The flowers' scent is appealing to hummingbirds and other pollinators including bees and butterflies making it a great addition to a pollinator garden. Because of the height these flowers achieve, they do not make good choices for container planting unless the containers are particularly large, and are instead best planted in the ground as the backdrop of borders, mixed with other annuals or as part of a layered look in your garden, paired with shorter flowers.

Spider flowers are easy to grow once they establish, making them a great fuss-free plant great for gardening beginners. If you plant your spider flower in full sun you will not need to stake it to keep it upright, which is pretty significant seeing as it can reach heights of 3-5 feet. Another benefit to planting this hummingbird attractor is that it largely repels diseases and pests on its own, making it a pretty low-maintenance plant across a wide range of hardiness zones (2 through 11). While they are young and first growing they can be susceptible to slugs and snails so be on the lookout for these pests in the beginning days. Once it blooms in early summer, you should have flowers until the first frost.

Soil needs are simple, just average garden soil is fine, or you can plant them in well-drained loamy soil. Once the spider flower is established they are tolerant to drought conditions. While the plants are getting established, water them regularly for the first few weeks and make sure to water them during long dry spells. Spider flowers don't need a lot of fertilizer when planted in the ground. When grown in large containers, a slow-release fertilizer can be beneficial to its blooming habits. Pruning is also not really necessary. If you want the plants to be bushier rather than taller, trim them back during the growing season.