Hummingbird Trumpet

Name: Hummingbird Trumpet
Brand: Outdoor Dream Builders

Epilobium canum

A fiery late-season bloomer whose tubular orange-red flowers are an essential fuel stop for migrating hummingbirds.

Hardy in USDA zones 8-11; herbaceous perennial that dies back with winter frost in the low desert and returns vigorously each spring, thriving from low to mid elevations.

AMWUA Notes

Delivers rare late-summer and fall color for moderate water, filling the seasonal gap after spring wildflowers fade.

Care Guide

💧Watering

Water weekly through the summer bloom period to keep flowers coming, then reduce to every 2-3 weeks; more water than most desert perennials, less than turf.

✂️Pruning

Cut the whole plant to the ground in late winter before new growth emerges; pinch stem tips in early summer to encourage bushier, denser flowering.

🌱Fertilizing

A light feeding of balanced fertilizer in spring supports the heavy late-season bloom; otherwise unnecessary.

🛡️Pests

Occasional aphids or spider mites in hot, dry spells — rinse with water; otherwise trouble-free.

☀️Seasonal Notes

Herbaceous and winter-dormant, disappearing to the ground in cold months and re-emerging in spring to peak in late summer and fall.

Soil, Feeding & Propagation

🪨Soil

Adaptable to lean, gravelly, or sandy desert soils; tolerates rocky slopes and poor ground; needs good drainage.

💧Drainage

Needs well-drained soil.

🌱Nutrient Needs

Low feeder.

🌰Propagation

Division of rhizomes, cuttings, or seed; it spreads on its own by underground runners.

📐Spacing

2 ft

🌳Roots & Placement

Spreads by rhizomes into a colony; give it room or edge it to keep it contained. Not a taproot concern.

Placement Tips

•Site where you can watch the fall hummingbird traffic — near windows, patios, and entries.
•Give it room to spread by rhizomes; use it to knit together a rock garden or slope.
•Combine with spring-blooming penstemons so the bed carries color from spring through fall.
•Tolerates reflected heat but blooms most fully with a little afternoon relief in the hottest spots.