Hummingbirds And "Four O'Clocks"

For the first time, I have hummingbirds in my yard. For the first time, I grew salvia coccinea, and the hummers love it. I also have petunias, nasturtiums, and some "four o' clocks" that I've heard hummingbirds like, but have never seen them at those flowers.

For several days, I pondered how much hummingbirds like "four o' clocks," then a hummingbird showed me the answer.

Four o'clocks open in the morning, then close, then open later on again.

The four o'clocks were half-closed, and the hummer went to them, to white, yellow, pink, not even bothering with the red flowers, and showed me, "how can it bother with nectar from these flowers, when the flowers are closed most of the day?"

That's when I realized that hummingbirds love flowers and their nectar so much, that they prefer flowers whose long tubed petals stay open all day, so they can keep getting the nectar from them.

Four o' clocks open, then close, then open again. They are a fussier flower.

That's what the hummingbird showed me the other day.

By Carol Rodriguez from SouthBend, IN