Top Flowers That Attract Hummingbirds to Your Garden
Discover the best blooms for bringing hummingbirds to your garden and supporting vital pollinators all season long.
Hummingbirds are dazzling pollinators, celebrated not only for their unique beauty but also for their essential role in garden ecosystems. Drawing these tiny birds to your outdoor space doesn’t just help biodiversity—it also adds joyful movement and color to any landscape. To successfully attract hummingbirds, focus on cultivating a variety of nectar-rich flowers with tubular shapes and vivid hues. This comprehensive guide explores the most effective flowers for inviting hummingbirds, along with planting tips, garden strategies, and essential FAQs.
Understanding What Attracts Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds possess a keen eyesight attuned to bold colors, especially reds, pinks, purples, and oranges. Tubular or trumpet-shaped flowers are their favorites, as these shapes match their specialized beaks and allow easy nectar access while hovering. Unlike bees or butterflies, hummingbirds hover in place, so flower structure matters as much as color. Native plants, which have evolved alongside local hummingbird species, often offer both abundant nectar and optimal bloom timings for these pollinators.
- Color: Red is especially effective, but pink, orange, purple, and white blooms are also attractive.
- Shape: Tubular, trumpet, or funnel-shaped flowers accommodate hummingbird feeding habits.
- Nectar: Species with abundant, accessible nectar are best.
- Continuous Bloom: Sequence your plant choices to provide nectar from early spring through fall.
Best Perennial Flowers for Hummingbirds
Perennials form the backbone of a sustainable pollinator garden. Once established, they return year after year, offering reliable food sources for visiting hummingbirds.
1. Bee Balm (Monarda)
This North American native bursts into spiky clusters of tubular flowers in red, pink, purple, or white. Known for its minty foliage and vibrant blooms, bee balm is a nectar powerhouse throughout summer. Its open structure also invites butterflies and bees.
- Growing Zones: 3–9
- Sun Needs: Full to part sun
- Notes: Deadhead spent blooms to extend flowering; prefers moist soil.
2. Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
With dramatic, tall spikes of intensely red, tubular flowers, the cardinal flower is a hummingbird magnet. It thrives in moist to wet soils, making it perfect for rain gardens or pond edges.
- Growing Zones: 3–9
- Sun Needs: Full sun to part shade
- Notes: Brilliant color stands out best against green backdrops.
3. Columbine (Aquilegia)
Columbine’s nodding, spurred blossoms provide essential early nectar. These perennials naturalize easily and come in a wide palette, though reds and purples are especially attractive to hummingbirds.
- Growing Zones: 3–9
- Sun Needs: Partial shade to sun
- Notes: Self-seeds readily, creating persistent colonies.
4. Phlox (Phlox paniculata)
Phlox produces clusters of fragrant blooms that range from white through pink and purple, attracting a variety of pollinators. Deadheading keeps blooms coming all summer.
- Growing Zones: 3–8
- Sun Needs: Full sun to part shade
- Notes: Select mildew-resistant varieties for best results.
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5. Lupine (Lupinus)
Lupines offer tall spires of densely packed, pea-like flowers. Attractive to both hummingbirds and butterflies, these perennials often bloom in late spring into early summer.
- Growing Zones: 4–8
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Notes: Short-lived but self-seed well; needs well-drained soil.
6. Delphinium (Delphinium spp.)
These stately perennials with upright flower spikes in blue, purple, pink, or white hues draw hummingbirds to garden borders.
- Growing Zones: 3–7
- Sun Needs: Full sun to part shade
- Notes: Benefits from staking and well-drained soil.
Top Annual Flowers for Instant Hummingbird Appeal
Annuals provide bursts of color and can fill in garden gaps, brighten containers, or climb trellises—all while delivering abundant nectar throughout the growing season.
1. Salvia (Salvia splendens, S. coccinea, and others)
A family renowned for its long-blooming, tubular flowers in red, pink, blue, and purple. Salvias are especially effective when used en masse.
- Growing Zones: Usually grown as annuals everywhere except warm climates
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Notes: Deadhead to promote continuous blooms.
2. Fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica)
Exotic-looking fuchsia flowers in magenta, purple, and pink are especially effective in hanging baskets and window boxes—perfect for up-close hummingbird viewings.
- Growing Zones: Usually grown as annuals; perennial in zones 10–11
- Sun Needs: Part shade (morning sun, afternoon shade preferred)
- Notes: Keep soil evenly moist.
3. Cuphea (Cuphea ignea, Cuphea llavea)
This heat-loving, long-blooming annual is renowned for its fiery orange, red, or purple tubular flowers. Cuphea thrives into fall with consistent moisture and feeding.
- Growing Zones: Annual except in zones 9–11
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Notes: Best in containers or sunny borders.
4. Petunia (Petunia spp.)
Petunias are classic, easy-to-grow annuals that come in nearly every color. Their prolific blooms and wide trumpets appeal to both hummingbirds and butterflies.
- Growing Zones: Annual
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Notes: Great for borders, containers, and hanging baskets.
5. Cardinal Climber (Ipomoea × multifunction)
With delicate fern-like leaves and starry red flowers, this vine scrambles quickly up fences and trellises, summoning hummingbirds all summer.
- Growing Zones: Annual
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Notes: Grows easily from seed; provide support for climbing.
6. Four O’Clock (Mirabilis jalapa)
This old-fashioned favorite opens its colorful blossoms in the late afternoon and stays open overnight—attracting hummingbirds and night-flying moths alike.
- Growing Zones: Annual
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Notes: Fragrant, with a wide color palette.
Hummingbird-Friendly Flowering Shrubs and Vines
Woody shrubs and vines offer vertical dimension while doubling as nesting cover and nectar sources for hummingbirds. Key options include:
- Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans): Large orange or red trumpet flowers; excellent for covering fences and arbors.
- Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens): Prolific clusters of red or orange tubular blooms loved by hummingbirds.
- Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii): Elongated spikes in purple, pink, or white; attracts both butterflies and hummingbirds.
- Coral Bells (Heuchera): Grown for their mounding foliage and airy spikes of red or coral flowers in spring and early summer.
Additional Noteworthy Flowers
These flowers offer attractive shapes, high nectar content, and continuous blooms for hummingbirds throughout the growing season:
- Daylily (Hemerocallis): Vibrant, trumpet-shaped flowers in a range of colors; bloom in succession.
- Cleome: Tall, airy stems with clusters of pink, purple, or white flowers that lure hummingbirds.
- Hollyhock (Alcea rosea): Towering spires produce open, disc-like blooms attractive to a range of pollinators.
- Penstemon (Beardtongue): Features spiky tubular flowers in shades of purple, red, or white.
- Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa): Orange flowers draw both butterflies and hummingbirds.
Tips for Creating a Hummingbird Haven
- Diversify bloom times: Combine early, mid, and late-season plants to offer a steady nectar supply.
- Plant in groups: Masses of similar flowers make it easier for hummingbirds to find and return.
- Go native: Native plants typically supply the most nectar and endure local climates better.
- Plan for vertical layers: Mix tall, climbing, and trailing species to draw hummingbirds at different canopy heights.
- Avoid pesticides: These chemicals can harm both birds and the insects they depend on for protein.
- Include water: Misters or shallow fountains add humidity hummingbirds need and provide bathing spots.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the best flower colors to attract hummingbirds?
While red is famously attractive, hummingbirds also easily spot and visit pink, orange, purple, and even white or blue flowers. The key is bright, saturated colors and high-contrast settings within your garden.
Do hummingbirds prefer native or hybrid plants?
Native flowers are often more nectar-rich and better suited to local ecosystems and bird preferences. However, some well-chosen ornamentals can supplement nectar supply when sequenced carefully.
When should I plant hummingbird-friendly flowers for best results?
Whenever possible, provide continuous blossoms from early spring to late fall by mixing early blooming perennials like columbine with late-blooming annuals such as cuphea or petunia. Staggering bloom times ensures food is always available, supporting migratory and resident hummingbirds alike.
What is the ideal garden set-up for hummingbirds?
- Plant in clusters of each species, which makes flowers easier for hummingbirds to spot.
- Include a mix of heights for foraging at different levels.
- Place feeders as supplements, but never as substitutes for native flowers (clean them regularly).
- Offer shelter such as shrubs or small trees for resting and nesting.
Do I need to use pesticides on my hummingbird garden?
Avoid pesticides whenever possible. These chemicals can contaminate nectar and reduce insect populations that hummingbirds depend on for protein, especially for offspring.
Quick Reference Table: Top Flowers for Hummingbirds
| Flower Name | Type | Bloom Season | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bee Balm | Perennial | Summer | Minty scent, red/pink blooms |
| Cardinal Flower | Perennial | Late summer | Tall spikes, intense red |
| Columbine | Perennial | Spring | Nodding spurred flowers |
| Salvia | Annual/Perennial | Summer–Fall | Bold colors, blooms repeatedly |
| Lupine | Perennial | Late spring | Spikes of pea-like blooms |
| Petunia | Annual | Summer–Fall | Easy-growing, vivid trumpets |
| Phlox | Perennial | Spring–Summer | Fragrant, multi-color |
| Fuchsia | Annual | Summer | Exotic, best in baskets |
| Cuphea | Annual | Summer–Fall | Heat lover, fiery colors |
| Trumpet Vine | Perennial Vine | Mid–Late Summer | Large, tubular orange/red |
| Trumpet Honeysuckle | Perennial Vine | Spring–Summer | Coral red/orange clusters |
| Butterfly Bush | Shrub | Summer–Fall | Spike clusters, purple/white |
| Cardinal Climber | Annual Vine | Summer–Fall | Star-shaped, red |
Additional FAQ
Can I use hummingbird feeders along with flowers?
Yes, clean feeders serve as supplementary nectar sources, especially during migration. However, flowers provide a greater diversity of nutrition and crucial insects for hummingbirds’ diets.
Will these flowers also support other pollinators?
Many top hummingbird flowers—especially bee balm, milkweed, and butterfly bush—simultaneously attract bees, butterflies, and moths, contributing broadly to pollinator health.
What maintenance do hummingbird-attracting gardens require?
Most hummingbird-friendly plants thrive with routine deadheading, weeding, and, for annuals, occasional fertilizer. Stick to organic mulch and avoid synthetic chemicals to protect pollinator populations.
References
- https://www.groundsguys.com/blog/2021/june/attract-hummingbirds-and-butterflies-with-these-/
- https://www.countryliving.com/gardening/g32196978/flowers-that-attract-hummingbirds/
- https://www.parkseed.com/blogs/park-seed-blog/10-flowers-that-attract-hummingbirds-and-butterflies
- https://grownative.org/learn/native-for-wildlife/nectar-rich-natives-for-hummingbirds/
- https://www.parransgreenhouse.com/plants-that-attract-hummingbirds-and-butterflies-s/1838.htm
- https://libguides.maricopa.edu/lists/hummingbirds
- https://www.foremost.com/learning-center/small-space-hummingbird-garden.asp
- https://dnr.illinois.gov/education/plantlists/plantlisthummingbird.html
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