Hi there!
Down here in zone 7, I would suggest petunias.

hi bandjzmom;i,ve had petunias every year and never see hummers eat from them, but ty

Fuchsia hanging baskets have always worked for me - i take a double sheperd's hook, put the basket on one hook and the feeder on the other hook. They seem to like a little bit of filtered shade.

Hummingbirds love firecracker plant (Russellia equisetiformis) and it's good for hanging baskets in full sun.

ty chrsvic and naturelover, i will look into those

I'm with naturelover68. Hummers love fire cracker plants and they can take the full sun. I tried a basket of petunias but the hummers never touched them. Fuchsia can't handle full sun.

ty bdriver. will look into firecracker plants;i have had petunias all over my yard and in baskets and rarely did a hummer even go by them, yet they are listed as hummer plant.

Are firecracker plants the same thing as penstemmons?
I have read of firecracker penstemmons, which are supposed to attract hummingbirds also.

Chickadeemelrose,
Firecracker penstemon is different from firecracker plant. The scientific name of the firecracker plant that does well in hanging baskets is Russellia equisetiformis. The scientific name of firecracker penstemon is Penstemon eatonii. Both are great for attracting hummers but firecracker penstemon probably wouldn't work well in a hanging basket.

I am in zone 7a. I wonder if I could overwinter the Russellia equisetiformis in my garage. I have never even seen the plant around here. I imagine I would have to buy it on-line. I notice that the hardiness zones are 9-12.

They like my peach Million Bells (Calibrachoa). It is a beautiful plant in a hanging basket!

~Susan

bandjzmom,

My daughter and family recently visited us from Florida and she brought me a Russellia equisetiformis, as I was having a problem locating one locally. She trimmed if off before leaving home so it's just now beginning to put out blooms again.

If I can figure out how to propagate it, I'd be happy to take cuttings and root plants to share. However, this wouldn't help you right now. I do believe it will need to be treated as an annual in most zones. I intend to overwinter in my greenhouse. It appears to be a fast growing plant and already has dozens of little red trumpet blooms on it. I planted it in a big pot outside so that the plant could drape down over the sides. I think it is nicer looking than the photos make it out to be; looks rather like a spikey fern to me.

IF you don't wish to purchase online at this time (maybe catch a trade from someone later on) you could grow the annual Cypress Vine/Cardinal Climber. It is a fast growing vine that produces bright red blooms that the hummers love. I'm growing this vine for the first time this year and have been very pleased with the growth rate as well as the blooms it produces. I did start the seed early but they're quick to germinate and did I say 'fast growing'! :-) oops, I forgot we were discussing hanging baskets. Well, I'll bet the cypress vines could be pinched after it climbed up the hanging chains or maybe it would just drape back down when it had nothing else to climb on.

Susan,

I also second the million bells; they make a beautiful hanging basket.

Mary

thanks susan and mary, will look into million bells,dont know if my hanging plant can hold that many.lol