Do you love the idea of hummingbirds hanging out in your yard? Then you need to provide them with food! While you could put up hummingbird feeders, you can also design your yard to include an array of hummingbird flowers that attract these small birds. As an added benefit, the nectar-producing flowers that hummingbirds love also attract other pollinators like butterflies and bees.
Here are some of the best plants and flowers that attract hummingbirds. As a bonus, many of these blooms also look amazing in flower arrangements.
Gardens that Attract Hummingbirds
In general, hummingbirds are most attracted to brightly colored (red, orange, or yellow) tubular flowers. That’s because these nectar-rich flowers are the perfect shape for the bird’s long beak and even longer tongue.
If you want to attract hummingbirds, don’t rely on a single plant species to bring the birds you want to see. Choose a variety of flowers that are suited for your USDA Growing Zone and the growing conditions of your garden. A garden containing a diversity of hummingbird flowers is not only more attractive to look at, but it also offers plenty of food for different species throughout the year.
In addition to planting flowers that attract hummingbirds, aim to create a habitat that provides security, shelter, and water. When the birds have all they need, they’ll stick around your garden.
Here are some tips to keep in mind when designing your garden to attract hummingbirds:
- Create a tiered habitat by combining flowering shrubs, vines, dwarf trees, and herbs to provide shade at varying levels.
- Don’t overcrowd the flowers. Hummingbirds need space to hover and navigate between the flowers while their wings beat more than 70 times per second, creating their trademark humming sound.
- Spread the red. Hummingbirds are especially attracted to the color red, and it doesn’t have to be just flower blooms. Consider adding a red garden gnome, red plant labels, or even wearing red clothes while you’re out in the garden to attract the birds’ attention.
- Provide a source of moving water. Hummingbirds will happily take a bath on the fly if you provide a gentle, continuous water spray (like from a sprinkler).
Note: As much as hummingbirds love the color red, don’t add food dye to any sugar water you put in a hummingbird feeder since it may harm the delicate creatures. Simply use one part white sugar mixed with four parts water and let the red details on the feeder itself attract the birds.
Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)
Not only is bee balm excellent at attracting hummingbirds to your garden, but it’s also one of the best plants that repel mosquitoes! A member of the mint family, bee balm features red, white, purple, or pink blooms. It requires good air circulation to prevent downy mildew and does best in moist soil with full sun, although it does tolerate partial shade. Growing up to four feet tall, bee balm will bloom all summer if you deadhead spent blooms.
Growing up to 4 feet tall, bee balm will bloom all summer if you deadhead spent blooms.
- Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
- Zone: 4-9
- Blooms: Summer to fall
Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus)
Snapdragons open their “mouth” when pinched in the right spot. That’s why, among flowers that attract bees, snapdragons attract mostly large bumblebees since smaller honeybees can’t open the bloom’s “jaws.”
Although snapdragons are only hardy in zones 7 to 11, they prefer cooler temperatures and make an excellent annual flower across much of the country. Snapdragons bloom for a long time, starting at the bottom of the stalk and working their way up.
- Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
- Zone: 7-11
- Blooms: Spring to fall; may slow down in mid-summer
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Did you know the center of a sunflower bloom is actually made up of numerous tiny flowers loaded with nectar and pollen? That’s why sunflowers attract hummingbirds and bees despite having a more flattened shape than other flowers.
Sunflowers are available in tons of varieties, with some growing up to 16 feet tall and others maxing out at about one foot. While they are commonly bright yellow, sunflowers can also be brown, maroon, orange, or red.
(P.S. – You don’t need to wait for your garden to bloom to get speedy sunflower delivery!)
- Sunlight: Full sun
- Zone: 4-9
- Blooms: Summer
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Named after the red robes Roman Catholic cardinals wear, the cardinal flower requires moist soil to thrive. Therefore, it’s a great plant for rain gardens and the sides of streams and ponds. This perennial self-seeds and easily colonizes a garden with its purple, white, pink, blue, or red flowers.
If you live near any amount of open space, you’ll likely appreciate that the cardinal flower is deer-resistant despite growing to about 4 feet tall. And since it’s native to much of the eastern US, it doesn’t require much maintenance to thrive.
- Sunlight: Full sun, partial shade
- Zone: 3-9
- Blooms: Summer to early fall
Petunia (Petunia spp.)
Easy-to-grow petunias are one of the most popular bedding flowers, and since they bloom repeatedly in full sun, they provide plenty of nectar for hummingbirds to enjoy. Although they’re not cold-hardy, you can grow them as annuals in just about every growing zone.
Petunias are available in nearly every color of the rainbow and can be grown in a container, garden, or hanging basket as long as they get enough sunlight. Petunias do need to be fed once or twice a growing season to keep them blooming.
- Sunlight: Full sun
- Zone: 10-11
- Blooms: Spring through fall
Columbine (Aquilegia spp.)
While all columbines attract hummingbirds, red columbine contains twice the sugar content of other native varieties, making this color the prime choice for a hummingbird garden. You can find multiple native species of red columbine, so look for one that’s native to your region.
Growing from one to three feet tall, columbine is most frequently used as edging plants around flower beds and fences. You can remove the flower stems after blooming to prompt additional flower growth.
Fun fact: The lavender and white Rocky Mountain columbine is the official state flower of Colorado and it grows at altitude better than the Eastern red columbine.
- Sunlight: Full sun to part shade
- Zone: 3-8
- Blooms: Spring to summer
Zinnia (Zinnia spp.)
One of the most popular annuals in the United States, zinnias grow easily from seed. They are available in nearly every color and come in heights ranging from six inches to five feet. Zinnias like moderately moist soil, but make sure to avoid overhead watering as it can lead to fungal diseases.
If you love birds, you’ll be delighted to learn that zinnia seeds attract finches and other seed-loving birds. That means you can still enjoy birdwatching after the hummingbirds have had their fill of nectar.
- Sunlight: Full sun
- Zone: Annuals in 2 to 8, perennial in 9 to 11
- Blooms: Late spring through first frost
Fuchsia (Fuchsia spp.)
With red, violet, white, pink, or purple flowers that dangle from elongated stems, fuchsia is an excellent option for hanging baskets. One species, hardy fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica), is also known as hummingbird fuchsia for its ability to attract the nectar-loving birds.
Named after 16th-century German botanist Leonard Fuchs (hence the spelling), fuchsia plants can be either vining and trailing or bushy.
- Sunlight: Partial to full shade
- Zone: Annual in most, perennial in zones 10-11
- Blooms: Spring through fall
Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans)
The long, tubular blooms of the trumpet creeper (also called trumpet vine or hummingbird vine) are perfect for hummingbirds to drink nectar from. If you choose to add this plant to your garden, be aware its vines can easily take over trees, fences, and other structures. Pruning can help maintain the plant’s spread, but planting it in an area where it can spread is the best bet.
- Sunlight: Full sun to part shade
- Zone: 4-10
- Blooms: Throughout summer and fall
Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii)
Despite its name, butterfly bush also attracts plenty of hummingbirds with its thick, elongated clusters of blue, purple, or pink flowers. This drought-tolerant plant blooms repeatedly from mid-summer through fall and thrives in full sun.
Note: Butterfly bush is considered invasive in some areas, so check local regulations before planting.
- Sunlight: Full sun
- Zone: 5-10
- Blooms: Mid-summer through fall
Salvia (Salvia spp.)
Moderately drought-resistant, salvia is a large genus of plants in the mint family. Many salvia species are native to the United States, so look to see if there’s a species native to where you live. While all salvias prefer well-draining soil, some of them prefer moist soil, while others can tolerate drought.
You can find salvia that grows anywhere from one to six feet tall and select from flower colors including red, maroon, indigo, purple, blue, pink, and mauve. All of the plants produce spikes of tubular flowers that attract hummingbirds.
- Sunlight: Full sun
- Zone: 4-11
- Blooms: Summer through fall
Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)
With heart-shaped red, pink, or white flowers that appear to be dripping out their insides, the aptly named bleeding heart is a rich source of nectar for hummingbirds. Bleeding heart prefers moist, well-drained soil, lightly shaded locations, and cooler climates. Although the foliage may turn yellow and die back in the summer heat, this perennial reliably returns each spring.
- Sunlight: Part shade to full shade
- Zone: 2-9
- Blooms: Spring
Catmint (Nepeta species)
Deer- and pest-resistant, catmint thrives on neglect if it’s in well-draining soil with full sun. The spikes of pink, white, or blue flowers bloom throughout the growing season. Often wider than it is tall, catmint typically grows to around 1 to 3 feet tall.
- Sunlight: Full sun
- Zone: 4-8
- Blooms: Late spring and summer
Coral Bells (Heuchera spp.)
Since there are lots of different coral bell species and varieties available, you can find plants that thrive in various light and soil conditions. Despite their differences, all of these plants have colorful leaves with beautifully scalloped edges. They send up tall flower spikes topped with tiny bell-shaped flowers.
- Sunlight: Partial shade to shade
- Zone: 3-9
- Blooms: Late spring and early summer
Penstemon (Penstemon spp.)
Also known as beardtongues, penstemons are a large genus of perennial plants with stalks covered with tubular flowers. You can find plants with green and purple foliage as well as pink, purple, and white flowers. Some popular species include foxglove beardtongue, hairy penstemon, and slender beardtongue.
- Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
- Zone: 4-8
- Blooms: Spring and summer
Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Although it’s native to portions of the northern plains, anise hyssop grows well throughout much of the United States. The plants produce soft green foliage and tall stalks covered with light purple flowers. All parts of the plant smell like sweet black licorice.
- Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
- Zone: 3-8
- Blooms: Summer and early fall
Hosta (Hosta spp.)
If you want hummingbird flowers for a shady area of your garden, hostas are a great choice. These shade-loving perennials grow large leaves that appear in shades of green and white. In the late spring and summer, the plants send up tall flower stalks covered in large trumpet-shaped blooms.
- Sunlight: Partial shade to shade
- Zone: 3-9
- Blooms: Late spring and summer
Lantana (Lantana camara)
Lantana is covered with clusters of tiny, colorful blooms that remain throughout the growing season. The flowers come in colors including white, yellow, pink, orange, and red. Lantana can overwinter in zones nine and above, but you can grow it as an annual in cooler areas.
- Sunlight: Full sun
- Zone: 9-11
- Blooms: Spring through fall
Phlox (Phlox species)
All phlox plants produce neat flowers with five distinct flowers. Although the flowers appear flat, they contain a long, narrow tube filled with nectar. Phlox plants vary widely in their growth habits; you can find creeping phlox that trails along the ground and garden phlox that grows tall and upright.
- Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
- Zone: 4-8
- Blooms: Spring through fall, varies on species
Lobelia (Lobelia erinus)
There are over 400 species in the Lobelia genus, so you can find large variations in hardiness zones, soil preferences, and light. You can find many species native to the US, so looking for a species native to your area will help you find a plant that naturally thrives where you live.
Although these plants vary widely in appearance, they all produce flowers with two distinct lips. These blooms are filled with nectar that attracts hummingbirds.
- Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
- Zone: 9-11
- Blooms: Spring through fall
Hummingbird Mint (Agastache cana)
Credit Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hummingbird_Mint_(3492685253).jpg
Native to portions of the southwest US, hummingbird mint can stand up to heat, high humidity, and drought. Its only non-negotiable request is well-draining soil. The hardy perennials grow in medium clumps and send up handfuls of flower stalks covered in bright pink tubular flowers.
- Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
- Zone: 5-9
- Blooms: Late spring and early summer
Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)
The sweet smell of honeysuckle blooms makes both humans and hummingbirds happy. The problem is that many honeysuckle species are invasive! Rather than planting invasive species that will take over your landscape, add the native coral honeysuckle to your garden.
This perennial vine is native to much of the eastern United States. It produces clusters of long, pink, tubular flowers that hummingbirds love.
- Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
- Zone: 6-9
- Blooms: Spring and early summer
Attract Hummingbirds with Flowers
Now that you know what flowers attract hummingbirds, you’re ready to add some new plants to your garden. Remember to plant a diversity of plants that flower at different times of the year so you can provide these little birds with a continuous supply of food. And if you can’t wait for your plants to bloom, fulfill your desire for flowers by ordering a bouquet from The Bouqs!
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