Absolutely, I have had great success with putting salvia coccinea, cuphea sp., and fuschia 'Gartenmeister Bonstedt' in pots. I would highly recomend using salvia coccinea, commonly known as 'Lady in Red', as this is probably the #1 most commonly used plant by the hummers in my garden. Just don't confuse it with the much more common salvia splendens typically sold in nurseries and garden centers, since in my experience they do not seem to produce much nectar, if any at all.

Hi Daddyp,

Does the Lady in Red bloom all summer, or is it more like the meadow sage variety that blooms in the late spring and slightly in the fall?

Ken

My LIR's bloom all season. I normally plant a few deck boxes with them, along with the salvia splendens. I keep mine deadheaded to encourage blooming. I'll leave them be in the fall as to harvest seed and allowing reseeding as well. Another staple is a large pot of Gartenmeister fuschia located close to the feeder; I have it up on a stand. I also put some Salvia "Black & Blue" & nicotiana's in other deck boxes. Agastache "Salmon & Pinks" is another favorite and box worthy; unfortunately an annual in my garden.

Thanks Tracey,

I am thinking I saw some lady's in red at a local nursery, it was on the perennials table and was not marked. I think I will go back to find out for sure.

I have been having a hard time finding Salvia black and blues here. I do have some perennial salvia's that stated on the tag that they attract hummers, but I have only once seen a hummer go to it and it was just for a second.

Ken

Salvia guaranitica "Black & Blue"
Lobelia cardinalis
Lobelia puberula

IM not a big container planter normally but I do have black and blue in a pot since I overwintered it in such in my garage. I think any of the salvia coccinea will work. My sister did B & B and lady in red and something else all in the same large pot.

Lady in red flowers basically just last one day but dont let that bother you as they are constantly replacing any lost flowers so that you dont even notice that they last only a day. They flower all summer long.

Eigdeh,

Where are you located in NJ? Lots of great hummer plants here in Morris County.

Harry

Hi Harry,

I am in mercer county. Lots of good hummingbird plants around, though there are some I cannot find, such as Black and Blue Salvia. I just found this afternoon Lady in Red at a nursery in the herbs section. Looking forward to seeing them grow and the hummers use them. :C)

Ken

Ken,
All my flowering plants are in pots on a balcony. For less than $30.00 a year I buy B&B and the smaller Sage varieties of salvia in pots. I move them into ten inch pots and they thrive for the summer with lots of blooms the hummers love. After a year they need a bigger pot or just be replaced.
But the big winner for me is Coral Honeysuckle in a fifteen inch pot. It grows over the balcony railing and is thriving in it's second year. More blooms this year than last, and it's a hummer magnet.

Based on your suggestions I potted up two pots with black and blue salvia and salvia lady in red. It has been cold and wet here so not much is blooming. The lady in red had two small open flowers. Not an hour passed after I finished potting when a little hummer left the feeder to feed on the lady in red. I'm impressed!!

daddyp, a question about the salvias. I recently purchased a Salvia but it wasn't labeled. It has light purple flowers with speckles on the opening tip of the flower's tubes like a foxglove has. Also the leaves are green on the top and black or very dark purple on the other. Is this a good hummer plant or? Also what's it called anyone know?

I wish I could tell you but I have no idea what type of salvia that is. Hopefully someone else knows and chimes in.

Jay, can you take a picture? I'm not aware of any spotted or speckled salvia...there are bi-color blooms on some, like 'Hot Lips,' but not speckling that I know. That doesn't mean they don't exist!...but a pic would help.

Sorry I couldn't take a picture, since I have no camera but I went to the place I got the plant and it's called a "Mona Lavender" I thought it was a Salvia by the way it looked. Here's a picture of the plant. Is this a good hummer plant or?

Here is a link that might be useful:

Try a bright eyes fushia and a scarlette runner bean plant and red and pink petunias. the bean plant I put in a pot on the ground as it grows 20 feet high. but it sure attracts hummers I live in northern Alberta Canada and we get hummers in July but this year I saw hummers further north of us up by Barhead Alberta. She had a couple of small lilac trees planted and a feeder between tnem and a feeder on her deck with clear food no food coloring.