SEATTLE — "I love hummingbirds, and the big Anna's green hummingbird stays in the Pacific Northwest all winter long. But if you hang a feeder, and you let it freeze, that can be harmful to the hummingbird," said Ciscoe Morris, Seattle's longtime gardening expert. "A hummingbird can starve to death in one half hour in freezing weather, so it's important to have a feeder with good nectar that's not frozen, or plants that bloom in winter, and have nectar in them, and they''ll feed the hummingbirds, and best of all, they'll keep the birds in your garden too!"
Edgeworthia is one winter blooming plant that feeds hummers. "People call it the paper plant, they actually make Japanese yen out of the bark of this tree. But what I love about it is that these buds that you see on it right now open up with these beautiful bright yellow flowers, they smell divine, and even though hummingbirds can't smell, they find them, and they're full of nectar, and they keep those hummingbirds fat and happy all winter long!"
Witch hazel is another plant that attracts hummingbirds in the winter. "These buds are gonna turn into the most incredible looking flowers - they look like little spiders just glowing on the bare branches. You'll love 'em but hummingbirds will love 'em more, because they're full of nectar!" Ciscoe said.
Mahonia (Oregon grape) is also a hummingbird favorite, especially larger Asian Oregon grapes. Their yellow flowers that bloom in the winter, attract the birds.
Ciscoe's final pick for attracting hummingbirds in the winter is Daphne odora. "This is the queen of fragrant plants, by February, when the hummingbirds are starving they're gonna come after these flowers. They smell so good, you can't sniff one without your socks rolling up and down," said Ciscoe.
"But hummingbird socks don't roll up and down because they're just after the nectar in each of these flowers!"
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