Hummingbirds are sometimes considered the lone wolves of the avian world. Despite being migratory birds, they tend to not fly in flocks, and have the potential to travel up to 500 miles alone in just one trip
It's all quite impressive given their small size. And if you're hopeful a few of them will land in your yard while in flight, any wise bird-watcher will tell you that an important part of attracting hummingbirds is adding a few nectar plants to your yard.
The pollinator friendly trees and shrubs provide a natural and reliable food source for hummingbirds and can give them protection from prey. And there's a particular plant that hummingbirds love to flock to: the beautiful and bold bottlebrush plant.
The bright-red flower spikes look like bottle-scrubbers and bloom for a significant part of the year from spring to summer, and sometimes all the way to fall.
This plant can be grown as both a tree or a shrub and thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 8b to 11b. As far as how to grow and care for a bottlebrush goes, keep in mind that it needs full sun and thrives in soil with a pH of 6.0 to 8.0, which covers the majority of garden soils.
Given bottlebrush plants can tolerate salt in the air, they do particularly well in coastal regions, but they are also found in abundance in the South. The flowers will make the outside of your home look fabulous while attracting birds galore.