Hummingbirds are consistent backyard birding favorites. Fans like seeing hummers' aerodynamic soaring and territorial behavior while eating.
Lupines are actually legumes in the pea family, so they have an abundance of individual petals on each flower spike, similar to pea flowers.
Flowers that produce an abundance of nectar are always appealing to hummingbirds, and lupines fall into that category. Like bees, hummingbirds go from flower to flower, but instead of seeking pollen, they feed on their nectar.
Lupines are beautiful and attract hummingbirds to yards with their vibrant colors. Lupines' brilliant pinks, purples, and deep blues attract these birds, who can't smell.
These bright blooms attract bees and hummingbirds to gardens. Planting lupines alongside other fruits and vegetables can benefit you.
Similar to other legumes like beans and peas, planting a crop of lupines can also add nutrients to your soil. They're known as nitrogen fixers and enrich the soil as they put down roots.
However, when growing in meadows, as they sometimes do as wildflowers, take care if you have cattle on your property. Lupines can be toxic to cows when they forage on them.