A hummingbird visit can turn a familiar flower border into the part of the garden you watch most closely. Encouraging that visit begins with what is still flowering when the bird passes through. As summer displays fade, a purple perennial grown for its color and fragrance can offer another reason for hummingbirds to investigate.
It earns its place even between bird visits, softening paths and borders without demanding elaborate care. With the right choice and a little attention to flowering, that familiar patch of garden can stay worth watching well beyond summer’s end.
Catmint gives hummingbirds a reason to stop
The plant is ornamental catmint, a member of the Nepeta genus with aromatic foliage and spikes of small, tubular flowers. Hummingbirds can visit those flowers for nectar. The fragrance is a benefit for the gardener; the birds locate flowers mainly by sight, so scent is not what draws them in.
Look for ornamental catmint on the nursery label. Catnip, usually Nepeta cataria, is a related plant whose common names sometimes overlap, but it is not an interchangeable purchase. Check the expected flowering period and mature spread before choosing one for a border or pot.
A group of flowering plants is easier for hummingbirds to locate than scattered individuals. Repeating catmint along a sunny border also creates a visible ribbon of color for you to enjoy. Leave room between plants for their eventual spread instead of squeezing them together for an immediate display.
Give it the conditions to keep flowering
For the familiar blue-purple ornamental catmints, choose a sunny position with freely draining soil. Avoid a bed that stays waterlogged after rain. Water newly planted clumps while their roots establish; drought tolerance develops with establishment and does not mean a new plant can be left to dry out.
A container also works if it has drainage holes and room for the plant’s roots. Position it where the flowers receive sun and you can see visiting birds without standing over the plant. Keep access to the flowers open rather than hiding the pot behind taller, denser foliage.
For repeat-flowering types, cutting back after the first flush fades earlier in the growing season can encourage another round of blooms. That earlier maintenance helps explain why some plants are still flowering in autumn. It is not a reason to cut off fresh October flowers that birds could be using.
Make the fall timing work for your garden
Some ornamental catmints continue flowering into October, but the variety, weather and earlier care all affect the result. When buying now, look for healthy plants already showing buds or open flowers and check their suitability for your climate. A dormant plant bought in autumn is an investment in future seasons, not an instant hummingbird attraction.
Local bird activity matters as much as the planting. Where hummingbirds are still passing through or remain year-round, flowering catmint offers another feeding stop. Watch for birds visiting nearby gardens to judge the opportunity in your area. If the season’s visitors have already departed, plan the planting for their next return.
For a longer visiting season, combine it with locally suitable nectar plants that flower at different times. That avoids relying on a single clump to provide food from spring until the weather turns cold.
Keep the surrounding planting useful, too. Hummingbirds eat small insects as well as nectar, so avoid routine insecticide spraying around their feeding plants. Before tidying the border, check for open flowers and watch which patches receive visits. Leave those blooms in place while they remain productive, and note any gaps to fill in next season’s planting plan.
