22 Flowers to Attract Hummingbirds

Want to appeal to hummingbirds? Hummingbirds are attracted to a wide variety of flowers — usually those that are red and tubular — but to others as well. Consider these flowers they love to visit.

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Plant These Flowers for Hummingbirds in Your Garden

It's a real treat when hummingbirds visit the garden, zipping about for a meal of nectar or insects. Hummingbirds get most of their food in the form of nectar, either from flowers or the hummingbird feeders hanging in our gardens. Including nectar-rich flowers that attract hummingbirds in your garden plan will entice more of these winged wonders.

Penstemon, also known as beardtongue, has everything that makes an ideal hummingbird flower: long, tubular blooms (the shape is hard for insects to sip nectar from but easy for hummingbirds), sweet nectar and a flower spike filled with lots of little blossoms. Penstemon grows best in sandy or gravelly soil with little fertilizer. These are perennials, with varieties hardy from Zones 3-9. Check out the following flowers that hummingbirds love for more options for your garden.

Delphinium

Hummingbirds love delphinium, which blooms in early summer. Height for these perennials can average anywhere from 2 to 8 feet tall, depending on variety. Delphinium requires rich soil, and areas with relatively cool summers. Also, delphinium is a classic cottage garden plant. Every part of the plant is poisonous. Deer and rabbits leave it alone — and so should your pets.

Learn More: How to Plant, Grow and Care for Delphinium

Gayfeather, a Hummingbird Favorite

Want to add a vertical element to your midsummer garden? Consider gayfeather, whose purple, lavender or white spires are like 3-foot-tall exclamation points. Butterflies and hummingbirds are big fans of this sun-loving perennial.

Chilean Glory Flower

Irresistible to hummingbirds, Chilean glory flower is a fast-growing evergreen that offers a profusion of red-orange tubular flowers tipped with yellow from late spring to fall. The light green leaves are small and boldly veined on this climber.

Foxglove

If you’re thinking about adding a cottage-garden look, you may want to consider foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), which may extend up to 6 feet when in bloom, depending on the variety and growing conditions. It prefers moist, well-drained soil and full sun to medium shade. Its blossoms — in purple, pink, yellow and white — attract hummingbirds. Please note that all parts of the plant are poisonous to people, pets and livestock. Foxglove is considered invasive along the West Coast and in some parts of New England.

Learn More: How to Grow Foxgloves

Cardinal Flower

Lobelia cardinalis features reddish purple stems, bronzy leaves and scarlet flowers. A perennial, it can reach four feet tall and spread up to 36 inches wide. Cardinal flower appreciates full sun and moist, well-drained soil. Consider growing in a container in a wetlands setting, and water this plant often. Cardinal flower blooms beginning in mid summer through the first frost. Move indoors during the winter.

Butterfly Bush

Buddleia davidii attracts butterflies with its blooms of lavender, pink, white, purple, red or yellow. These blooms can appear beginning in early spring and continue until first frost. In full sun, butterfly bush can grow up to 10 feet tall. Butterfly bush is an aggressive grower, and removing spent blooms will encourage more attractive, fragrant flowers for a long period. Grow in massed plantings in cottage gardens and butterfly gardens, and use in border plantings. This small shrub also is a natural draw for hummingbirds.

Learn More: How to Care for Butterfly Bush

Flowering Tobacco

The annual Nicotiana alata works well in containers. Its fragrant flowers bloom in pink and white from late spring to early fall. It attracts birds and butterflies.

Weigela

The showy blooms of weigela (Weigela florida) come in pink, red, yellow, lavender or white, depending on cultivar, and appear in mid to late spring. Some cultivars feature variegated foliage; other types have purplish or maroon leaves. This deciduous shrub, native to northern China and Korea, can grow as tall as 9 feet and can spread even wider, but compact varieties are available. It works best in borders. Weigela thrives in full sun and also attracts hummingbirds.

Learn More: How to Grow and Care for Weigela

Salvia

All salvia species are characterized by vertical spikes of vibrant flowers that can be found in hues of blue, red, pink or violet. Bloom time varies according to variety, and their flowers are a welcome sight for hummingbirds. Salvia nemorosa 'Ostfriesland' is an erect, clump forming perennial salvia that is noted for its compact form, long bloom period, purple stems and violet purple flowers.

Learn More: Salvia Plants: Growing and Caring for Ornamental Sage

Yarrow

Varieties of the tough summer-blooming yarrow come in yellow, white, orange, red, pink and coral. Butterflies and hummingbirds enjoy its blooms, which start early in the season and can last into mid fall, depending on the species and variety. Yarrow grows best in well-drained, average to poor soil, and can reach up to 48 inches.

From: Lynn Coulter

Bee Balm

Bee balm's blooms appear in mid to late summer, and can even remain into the fall. The striking flowers come in white, pink, red or purple, and complement the dark, aromatic foliage. This perennial is susceptible to powdery mildew, so plant in full sun to part shade and select resistant varieties. Bee balm likes medium to wet soil and works well in a wildlife garden. 'Cambridge Scarlet’ is attractive to bees, but this bergamot is equally attractive to hummingbirds.

Learn More: Growing Monarda: When to Plant and How to Grow Bee Balm

Maltese Cross

The fiery flowers of Maltese cross (Lychnis chalcedonica) appear on 2- to 4-foot stems in early summer. Sow in sun or part shade in moist, well-drained soil, and cut back after flowering to encourage re-bloom. The flowers may also attract hummingbirds.

Hollyhock

Want to add some height to your cottage garden? Consider including hollyhock (Alcea rosea), which blooms over a long period in summer. Depending on cultivar, its blooms come in singles and doubles in shades of lavender, pink, purple, red, salmon, apricot, white and yellow. The fast-growing hollyhock can reach up to 8 feet in height, and its blooms also attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Hollyhock is a biennial or short-lived perennial but reseeds itself readily in the garden.

Learn More: Growing Hollyhocks: Hollyhock Varieties and Care

Mexican Sunflower

Attract hummingbirds and butterflies to your garden with the fast-growing Mexican sunflower. This annual loves full sun and typically reaches five to six feet tall or more. Dwarf selections also are available. 'Fiesta del Sol' grows two to three feet tall.

Wild Columbine

The perennial Aquilegia canadensis is hardy in zones 4a - 10a. Consider for an alpine or woodland garden, where it will attract butterflies and birds. It can grow up to 24 inches tall.

Learn More: How to Grow Columbine Flowers

Fuchsia

While some gardeners think that the red tubular blooms of 'Gartenmeister Bonstedt' fuchsia beckon hummingbirds best, these zippy birds find all fuchsias irresistible, including this variety, 'Swingtime.' To keep your fuchsia flowering like mad, give it full to part shade, consistent soil moisture and regular feeding throughout the growing season. Annual and perennial types, hardy in Zones 7-10.

Learn More: How to Care for Fuchsias

Coral Honeysuckle

This showstopper vine opens blooms that lure in hummingbirds. Coral or trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) offers many great varieties, including 'Dropmore Scarlet' (shown), 'Major Wheeler' and 'Alabama Crimson.' Do your homework before planting honeysuckle. Make sure the variety you choose isn’t invasive in your area (these varieties shouldn’t be). Perennial vine, hardy in Zones 4-9.

Red Hot Poker

It’s not hard to see where red hot poker (Kniphofia) gets its name. Those flaming torches boast blossoms packed with nectar that draws hummingbirds like crazy. Dagger-like leaves make a strong architectural statement in the garden. Look for varieties with flowers in shades of red, gold, lime and white. Good winter drainage is key for success with this perennial, hardy in Zones 5-9.

Garden Phlox

A summer bloomer, garden phlox (Phlox paniculata) offers hummingbirds a rich nectar source on plants that open large flower heads made up of lots of individual blossoms. Different varieties grow from short (under 12 inches) to stately (up to 36 inches) and open sweetly fragrant flowers in many shades, including pink, burgundy, lavender and white. This variety is 'Bright Eyes.' Full sun to part shade produces best flowering. Perennial, hardy in Zones 3-8.

Learn More: Planting and Growing Garden Phlox

Sunset Hyssop

The name on this one says it all--it’s definitely a plant-it-and-they-will-come scenario. Hummingbird mint (Agastache) includes an array of plants that grow well in desert or moist conditions. The trick is to find the right one for your region. Varieties open flowers in many different hues, including purple, gold, blue and orange. With all hummingbird mints, it’s best to leave stems in place through winter to help protect the plant crown or growing point. Clip stems in early spring 4 to 6 weeks before last frost. Perennial, hardy in Zones 5-9.

Crocosmia

This flaming beauty is a cousin of gladiolus and grows from a bulb, sending lance-like leaves up to form a striking clump. Flowers dance along wiry stems, with one bloom opening each day. The variety ‘Lucifer’ is a hummingbird magnet with its fiery red flowers. Plant crocosmia bulbs in spring, giving them a spot in full sun for best flowering. Perennial, hardy in Zones 6-9; ‘Lucifer’ is hardy in Zones 5-9.