If hummingbirds are steering clear of your yard, planting a ‘Twilight’ crepe myrtle is bound to bring them back. ‘Twilight’ cultivars have a long summer blooming period. They flower for over two months, starting in early June, keeping hungry hummers around through the summer and well into the fall. Plus, hummingbirds gravitate toward brightly colored flowers like purple and pink, something ‘Twilight’ crepe myrtles have in abundance. Crepe myrtles don’t just attract hummingbirds, either. Insects like carpenter bees, butterflies, and smaller bugs that hummingbirds like to eat come for the nectar and pollen. Crepe myrtles are often the star ornamental in a garden, especially when the tree is easily seen from a window or while sitting on a porch or patio. That, incidentally, makes for great hummingbird watching! What’s more, the spindly twigs of the crepe myrtle are favored perches for hummingbirds guarding nearby feeders.
There are other reasons to plant a ‘Twilight’ crepe myrtle outside of good looks and attractiveness to pollinators, hummingbirds included. The cultivar is exceedingly drought tolerant and resistant to most common crepe myrtle diseases and pests, including powdery mildew and Cercospora leaf spot. You still need to watch out for the crepe myrtle aphid, though. Herbivorous mammals — looking at you, deer and rabbit — won’t be tempted to have a nibble, either. For those that don’t have in-ground space, ‘Twilight’ also does pretty well in (admittedly large) containers.
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