Best Hummingbird Plants for Your Garden

Turning your garden into a hummingbird haven is simpler than you might think. By picking the right hummingbird plants, you can make a special place for these magical creatures. Hummingbirds love flowers with lots of nectar and red colors. But they also enjoy different flower colors and shapes.

To make your garden perfect for hummingbirds, you need more than just food. Add water features like bird baths or small fountains. Also, include shelter with vines, trees, and bushes.

Planting a mix of native plants, perennials, and annuals in various spots will attract and keep hummingbirds around. This will make your garden a lively and welcoming place for them all season long.

Key Takeaways:

• Choose nectar-rich flowers with tubular blooms, especially in shades of red, to attract hummingbirds
• Provide water sources and shelter to create a comprehensive hummingbird habitat
• Plant a variety of native plants, perennials, and annuals to ensure a continuous food supply
• Utilize flower beds, pots, and hanging baskets to create a dynamic garden environment
• Select plants with long blooming periods to keep hummingbirds coming back

Understanding Hummingbird Plant Preferences

When picking plants for your garden, knowing what hummingbirds like is key. They love bright colors, especially red, orange, and pink. The National Audubon Society says they see more red and yellow. That’s why hummingbird feeders are often red and yellow.

Flower shape matters too. Hummingbirds prefer tubular flowers because of their long beaks. Plants like daylilies, columbines, and honeysuckle are great because of their shape and nectar.

Red Flowers and Tubular Blooms

For a hummingbird garden, choose red flowers and tubular blooms. Here are some good picks:

• Cypress vine: It has red, white, or pink flowers and can grow up to 20 feet.
• Cardinal flower: It needs hummingbirds and bees for pollination and loves full sun to part shade.
• Crocosmia: Its tubular flowers attract hummingbirds and are hardy in zones 7 to 11.
• Trumpet vine: Its clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers are a hit with hummingbirds.

Nectar-Rich Flowers of Various Colors

Hummingbirds also like flowers in many colors. A mix of colors ensures nectar all season. Add these to your garden:

• Salvias: They love full sun and attract hummingbirds.
• Bee balm: It has vibrant flowers in red, pink, and purple.
• Zinnias: They attract many pollinators and come in many colors.
• Fuchsias: Perfect for hanging baskets, they grow in shade and sun.

Choose plants that bloom long to keep nectar flowing. Planting many hummingbird-friendly plants makes your garden more appealing. A mix of plants with different bloom times keeps nectar available. A study shows hummingbirds like more than just red, tubular flowers. They also visit flowers with concentrated nectar.

Creating a Hummingbird Plants-Friendly Habitat

To attract hummingbirds, you need more than flowers. Add water sources, shelter, and diverse plants. This will make your backyard a welcoming place for them to visit every year.

Providing Water Sources

Hummingbirds need water for drinking and bathing. A shallow, moving water source like a dripper or fountain is perfect. They like water with perches nearby for resting and preening.

Try a bird bath with a gentle spray or a shallow dish with pebbles. This will attract hummingbirds to your garden.

Offering Shelter with Vines, Trees, and Bushes

Hummingbirds also need shelter from predators. Planting trees, shrubs, and vines is essential. Trees like hackberry and oak offer nesting sites and perches.

Vines like trumpet honeysuckle provide nectar and nesting cover. Place perches or snags 20 feet apart to help hummingbirds move safely.

Planting in Flower Beds, Pots, and Hanging Baskets

Using pots and hanging baskets adds variety to your garden. This makes it more appealing to hummingbirds. They can easily find nectar-rich flowers from different angles.

Planting in clusters of three to five plants helps hummingbirds find food. Choose plants that bloom at different times to keep nectar available all season. For tips on creating a hummingbird-friendly yard, check the Audubon Society’s guide.

Ecosystems with native plants produce more nectar than exotic ones. This supports more insects and spiders for hummingbirds and other birds.

You can also use hummingbird feeders with sugar water. A 1:4 sugar to water solution is best. Clean feeders weekly with vinegar and water solution. Refresh the sugar water before it gets cloudy, about twice a week in warm weather.

By using native plants, thoughtful landscaping, and feeders, you can make your backyard a hummingbird haven. Learn more about attracting hummingbirds with plants like daylilies (Hemerocallis) and get tips on plant care.

Top Perennials and Annuals for Attracting Hummingbirds

Attracting hummingbirds to your garden is all about the right plants. These birds love certain colors and shapes of flowers. By choosing the right plants, you can make your garden a hummingbird haven.

Perennials like bee balm, garden phlox, and red columbine are great for hummingbirds. They come in many colors and shapes, pleasing these birds all year.

Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)

Bee balm’s red, pink, or purple flowers attract hummingbirds. It grows well in sun to partial shade and blooms from mid-summer to early fall. Its scent also attracts bees and butterflies.

Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata)

Garden phlox is a tall perennial with fragrant flowers in pink, purple, red, and white. Hummingbirds love its nectar-rich blooms from mid-summer to early fall. It prefers full sun and well-drained soil.

Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadense)

Red columbine has unique, spurred flowers in red and yellow. It’s native to North America and blooms in late spring to early summer. It likes partial shade and well-drained soil, perfect for woodland gardens.

Lupine (Lupinus)

Lupines are tall perennials with colorful, pea-like flowers. They bloom in late spring to early summer and prefer sun to partial shade. These plants are not only beautiful but also fix nitrogen in the soil.

Larkspur (Delphinium)

Larkspur has spikes of blue, purple, pink, or white flowers. These flowers are a hit with hummingbirds and add drama to gardens. They prefer full sun and well-drained soil.

Hollyhocks (Alcea)

Hollyhocks are tall, cottage garden favorites with large flowers in many colors. They bloom in mid-summer and attract hummingbirds. Hollyhocks need full sun and well-drained soil.

Crocosmia

Crocosmia, or montbretia, has vibrant red, orange, or yellow flowers. These plants bloom in mid to late summer and attract hummingbirds. They prefer full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil.

Salvia (Salvia nemorosa)

Salvia, or meadow sage, is a reliable perennial with purple, blue, or white flowers. These flowers attract hummingbirds and other pollinators. Salvia prefers full sun and well-drained soil, and it’s drought-tolerant once established.

Coral Bells (Heuchera)

Coral bells are low-growing perennials with attractive foliage in green, silver, purple, and bronze. They produce delicate spikes of small, bell-shaped flowers in red, pink, or white. Coral bells prefer partial shade and well-drained soil.

Impatiens

Impatiens are a colorful annual option for shaded gardens. They produce bright, nectar-rich flowers in red, pink, orange, and white. Impatiens grow from 6 inches to 2 feet in height, depending on the variety, and thrive in moist, well-drained soil.

By mixing perennials and annuals in your garden, you can attract hummingbirds all year. Make sure to have a constant supply of nectar-rich flowers to keep these birds coming back.

Shrubs and Vines that Attract Hummingbirds Plants

Adding flowering shrubs and vines to your garden is a great way to attract hummingbirds. These plants offer nectar and shelter. By choosing plants that bloom at different times, your garden will be a hummingbird haven all season.

Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii)

Butterfly bushes have vibrant, fragrant flowers that hummingbirds love. They bloom from summer to fall, providing nectar when other plants stop. With colors like pink, purple, red, and white, they add beauty and attract pollinators.

Catawba Rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense)

The Catawba rhododendron is native to the eastern U.S. It blooms in late spring with pink to purple flowers. This evergreen shrub offers nectar and shelter for hummingbirds. It grows best in partial shade and well-draining soil.

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)

The rose of Sharon blooms late, offering nectar when other flowers fade. Its large flowers come in white, pink, purple, and red. This shrub is adaptable and drought-resistant, making it great for attracting hummingbirds.

Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans)

Trumpet vine, or trumpet creeper, attracts hummingbirds with its orange-red flowers. It grows fast, covering trellises and fences. But, it needs regular pruning to prevent it from becoming invasive.

Honeysuckle Vine (Lonicera)

Honeysuckle vines, especially coral honeysuckle, are a favorite of hummingbirds. Their nectar-rich flowers bloom in red, orange, and yellow. These vines can be trained to grow on structures, creating a hummingbird paradise.

By adding these plants to your garden, you’ll attract hummingbirds. Watching them flit from flower to flower is magical. Your garden will become a lively, enchanting space.

Conclusion

Creating a hummingbird garden is a fulfilling project. It attracts these amazing birds and helps local nature and conservation. By using native plant species that hummingbirds love, you make a space full of life. These plants, like tubular flowers, give hummingbirds the food and shelter they need.

Spiritual parallels exist between hummingbirds and us. Just like they need constant food, we seek strength from above.

Designing your hummingbird garden should include many pollinator plants. Plants like bee balm and coral honeysuckle attract hummingbirds and other pollinators. This makes your garden a haven for wildlife, helping biodiversity and your local ecosystem.

Adding water features and nesting sites makes your garden even more appealing to hummingbirds. This shows how important your garden is for these birds.

Having hummingbirds in your garden connects you with nature. It lets you see the beauty of life up close. As you care for your hummingbird garden, enjoy watching these tiny wonders. They remind us of the importance of preserving nature for the future.

Like the amaryllis that blooms brightly, your garden will show the beauty of nurturing life. It’s a way to connect with the natural world and make a difference.