Hummingbirds Love Red

Hummingbirds love red flowers, and so it follows that I love red flowers too. I also love bulbs and this Crocosmia grows from a bulb. Having misplaced the tag , I looked this one up in my bulb book. I'm not sure if the is "Lucifer" cultivar, but it should be. I gave in to temptation here. In the catalogs this plant is usually marked zones 5-7. In my bulb book that generally tells the real truth, it is listed as zone 7. Here zone 4 is safe. Zone 5 is pushing it. After that it's take it inside or call it an annual.

Planted on the south side of the stone wall this plant has been holding its own for several years and the blossoms are lovely. But even with the southern exposure , the stone wall, and global warming , zone 7 is a real stretch. Remembering to mulch this plant in the fall is necessary. Expecting it to thrive is foolhardy.

All that being said, it's red, it's blooming, the hummingbirds are happy, and so am I.