Turk's Cap Plant | backyard pollinator garden | Texas Gulf Coast Zone 9b

This is a top 5 hummingbird favorite Texas flower (Turk's Cap - Malvariscus Arboreus)! In addition, it is a Texas Native and a Texas Superstar. It's native region is from Texas east to North Carolina and south to Florida. Turk's Cap is a perennial in zones 7 - 10 and the flowers come in red, pink, or white. It has a very high heat tolerance and thrives in different soil types. There is so much more to this plant ... I hope you watch and discover something new! (Butterflies and birds like this plant too!)

[@tammiedunbar6166]

I saw a wide patch of Turks Cap growing at the back entrance of a local nursery, at frist I thought that it was ground cover. I asked one of the employees for a couple of divisions. I transplanted the two divisions one is emerging this spring. I am going to also grow it in a glazed container to control it. I'm so happy that I discovered your channel.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

I really like my Turk's Cap. I am considering adding another one closer to my windows so I can see the hummingbirds on it better when I am in the house. That is wonderful a nursery gave you divisions of theirs! 😊👍

[@leon22081994]

Hi from Malaysia. Turk's cap is popular here and sunbirds (our version of hummingbirds) often visit them too

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Hello from Texas to Malaysia! Thank you for your comment - I just looked up sunbird because I was curious. What lovely colored birds! 😊

[@caranwysong3065]

I planted a small Turks Cap in the ground this year and today, I got the first bloom! This one is in mostly shade but they get some sun. My cigar plant got knocked over in our storm last night but I have staked. I can't wait to see your flame acanthus in bloom! I have a tiny flame acanthus.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Your plants will grow in no time! It is always fun to get the first bloom on a plant! I had two flame acanthus sprout from seed and I planted them this spring in my south bed. These two are kind of crowded so I wonder how they will do. Your cigar plant should be okay. That storm was crazy.

[@GlendasTexasGarden]

I just planted a Giant Pink Turk's Cap, but it hasn't bloomed yet. I just got it in the mail 3 days ago. It is already a little over 2ft tall, so it should start blooming soon, I am so excited to see it bloom. 😊

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

My neighbor behind me has a giant red Turk's Cap and I absolutely LOVE it. I haven't found any giants yet in my nurseries. My Turk's Cap flowers now through fall. Hers doesn't start to flower until fall and is still blooming until the first frost. The blooms on her giant are wonderful. You are going to love yours! Where did you order yours from if you don't mind me asking?

[@GlendasTexasGarden]

@@ButterfliesNBirds they also have lots of salvia plants

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

I missed where you got yours ... I think your comment got cut off.

[@GlendasTexasGarden]

@@ButterfliesNBirds Almost Eden

[@GlendasTexasGarden]

@@ButterfliesNBirds I got them at almost eden

[@meganramsey2228]

I have flame acanthus and turks cap, too. Love them! Your cuphea is gorgeous! Unfortunately, its more of an annual here in the north central.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

You know, even though I brought in my Cuphea container the winter of 2022, it didn't grow the second year or flower as well as the first year. I didn't prune it to the ground though in spring. My husband and I are thinking it is worth the $9.99 to replant it each year and treat it as an annual because it grows so wonderfully in that first year.

[@meganramsey2228]

@@ButterfliesNBirds oh definitely worth it for the hummers! ☺️

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

I totally agree with you! 😊

[@larryearlgosnell]

Just break off a red flower and eat it. It's not bad and has a sort of sweet taste to it. The one plant I had planted in the ground did not survive the winter. The one in the pot that I brought into the garage for the winter is doing great and about to flower. Humble TX

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

I have read that ... lol ... I'm going to try it. Have you eaten the fruit?

[@larryearlgosnell]

@ButterfliesNBirds Yes I freaked out my grandson when he saw me pick off a flower and eat it but when he tried it, he liked it too. 13 years old

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Hahahahahahaha ... that is a good one with your 13 year old grandson! 😄

[@larryearlgosnell]

I didn't see lime sizzler firebush in your garden. I have 2. They die back in the winter but come back from the roots. provides a very unique color to the garden. Lowe's has them now. $18.99

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

I saw Lime Sizzler last year and almost got one, but I don't have anywhere to put it yet. I have 3 regular firebush that now get taller than my fence. How large do yours grow? I really like the color of the Lime Sizzler!

[@larryearlgosnell]

@@ButterfliesNBirds 2 to 3 ft high, 2 to 3 ft wide. But the blooms are so tiny, probably not a favorite of the hummingbirds. I tried to collect the seeds but too tiny to collect. I've planted regular firebush from seed with great results.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Thank you for the additional info! 👍😊

[@wesleyhackney]

Looks like your hand is healing. Thankful for that. So I’m still struggling to get my drip system setup l, specifically finding the style stakes and emitters you use and you recently shared with me in comments note. I’ve looked in every Lowes & HD within 1 hour of me here in Pensacola area and they don’t carry them in these stores so I’m going to try and order online using info you gave me. It’s been very hot and humid here last few days with temps in mid to upper 80s and heat index 96-99! Hope this is not a sign of a scorching Hot summer again

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

My hand is healing, but it is slower than I would like. Thank you for your thoughts.😊 I found installing drip irrigation to be a pain. We took a whole summer to do it though - just doing a weekend morning at a time. But once it was in, what a watering game changer! If you can't get the adjustable pot stakes, adjustable emitters should do fine. I see some KZbinrs even use the 1/4" tubing (with the holes) and put it in a circle in the container. I prefer being able to adjust the water flow though because my containers are different sizes. I hope we don't have a repeat of last summer because it was brutal. It has been very hot here too lately, with heat indexes similar to yours.

[@wesleyhackney]

@@ButterfliesNBirds I’ve got all the main tubing ran to each container but now I’m trying to figure out the type and how many emitter I need for each pot seems like the emitters don’t always cover the entire area and some plants are not getting water so it’s trail & error. Also concerned using too many and impacting water pressure did you use a pressure reducer?

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Yes, on each line we used a pressure reducer and a filter (on each line from the water source.) Right now I have 7 separate lines so 7 "zones" with 7 pressure reducers and 7 filters. On my large containers I use two pot stakes (one on each side at a diameter), so I get great container coverage. I pretty much followed Jim Putnam and what his videos said to do to install drip irrigation. The only difference was the containers, as I so much prefer the adjustable pot stakes. (They are specifically designed for containers). Also, on one of our lines we added to much "stuff" and it decreased the water to everything on the line, so we had to run a new separate line. That was trial and error, trying to determine what a limit was on a line. I don't have anything fancy. I have two outdoor water spouts, and we hang splitters off them.

[@davettayoung1495]

Hi Crystal and good morning 🪴I love this plant. Very beautiful 🌺 I have a question for you. How do you combat spiders in your yard? I was bitten by one. I don’t want to use pesticides, but I want us to be safe. Your Cardinal Climber friend in North Texas ❤ Renae

[@davettayoung1495]

I found something that I can use!

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

@@davettayoung1495 Hi Renae ... this is weird ... I replied to your comment about the spiders, but now it isn't there. In my original reply I mentioned that I don't really have a solution for spiders, but when I get bit by fire ants or mosquitos, I use "Bug Bite Thing" that suctions the venom out. I use it when I get bit gardening and I don't get welts from the bites nor does the bite itch.

[@davettayoung1495]

@@ButterfliesNBirds Hi Crystal 🩷Thank you so much for the advice. I’ve heard of the “ bug bite suction thing “ I think I’ll try and order it now. Btw, my Cardinal Climber is about 4 inches tall now, and I wanted to know how often do you water them? I started mine from seeds, but they are now in a big planter pot.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Your cardinal climber is taking off! When it is getting started I try to water it daily (unless it is cool out). Cardinal climber likes moisture, so you will need to regularly water it, especially with it in a container. Mine in the ground gets water every other day right now, but when it was smaller I tried to water it daily. We have been hot here.

[@marleneegan-hm7lr]

I cringe every time I see trumpet creeper 😬 I have red Turks cap and a light pink one that seems to like sun less than the red ones

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

I cringe too. It has such a beautiful bloom, but it is an awful vine. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildlife Center says the following about Trumpet Creeper: "A high-climbing, aggressively colonizing woody vine to 35 ft., climbing or scrambling over everything in its path by aerial rootlets." The aerial rootlets damage siding ... literally anything in its path. 😕

[@davidnicholson6406]

Turkscap is so invasive in my garden. I have a hard time keeping it under control.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Where are you located? How does it behave for you? (Lots of small plants, difficult to pull/dig up, etc). I haven't had any spreading yet.

[@davidnicholson6406]

@@ButterfliesNBirds I'm in the Heights. The turks cap was here when I moved in 24yrs ago. It keeps popping up all over. It's in my louisiana iris now and in the front yard.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Yikes! I have it in the ground in my shade bed, so I will need to keep an eye on it. Thanks for your comment!