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If you’re a bird enthusiast, you’re likely very familiar with the colorful little bird that are found only in the Western Hemisphere: the hummingbird. These tiny creatures can have thousands of miles long migration paths each year. With that kind of travel, rest and refuel are important. Your backyard and garden could be the perfect retreat for hummingbirds if you plant the right flowers.
Listed here alphabetically, these plants will make your garden a welcoming environment for a wide variety of hummingbirds.
Bee Balm (Monarda)
This North American native is a favorite among hummingbirds because of the flowers open shape and bright colors. You’ll love these perennials in their shades of red, pink, purple, and white as they bring cheerful blooms and butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds to your garden. Bee balm prefers moist, rich soil, and a sunny location. If you are planting a container garden, make sure you get the dwarf variety of bee balm.
Catmint (Nepeta)
Part of the mint family, this plant features lacy flowers of white, pink, or lavender-blue. Catmint is a great perennial to plant around your roses, tulips, or other high-standing flowers. This sun-loving plant produces a faint lavender scent, attracting hummingbirds and other pollinators.
Columbine (Aquilegia)
A member of the buttercup family, this plant is another crowd pleaser. Classified with the buttercup family, these jester’s cap blossoms flower in red, yellow, white, blue, pink, salmon, and purple. Columbines will be a colorful addition to your hummingbird garden. They enjoy partial shade, and you can find a species for every zone and soil type.
Coral Bells (Heuchera)
Coral Bells are another plant native to North America known for their ability to attract hummingbirds. Traditionally green-leaved with pink flowers, you can now find coral bells in purple, rose, lime green, gold, and any color in between. Don’t expect to see any signs of the plant until the late spring, though; it’s a late bloomer.
Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana Alata)
Related to the tobacco plant, flowering tobacco produce lovely blossoms in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. You can get this plant in green, pink, purple, red, white, and yellow. Flowering tobacco is perfect for landscape bordering but also container gardens if you grow the compact varieties. Their intense smell is pleasant to both people and to hummingbirds and other pollinators.
Larkspur (Delphinium)
Larkspur, or delphinium, derives its name from the Greek word for “dolphin.” While this plant is not so easy to grow as others in our list, larkspur merit the effort because of their beauty. These lovely flowers have spiky blooms in blue, purple, white, and lavender. Delphinium comes in over 300 species, some of which are annuals, some biennials, and others perennials. So these plants can be a welcomed addition to your hummingbird garden every year during the spring and summer.
Petunia
A long-time favorite among gardeners, the petunia plant is also a delight among hummingbirds. Petunias come in two varieties: grandiflora and multiflora. Grandiflora petunias produce large flowers and are great for container gardens; multiflora petunias have lots of small flowers and are good for garden beds or planters. This heat-tolerant plant comes in a variety of colors, including white, red, pink, purple, and yellow.
Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia Uvaria)
If you want a plant that gives vibrant color all summer long, red hot pokers (also known as torch lilies or poker plants) are perfect for you. These perennials are drought and heat tolerant, making them a great option for southern climates. While the most well-known blooms are red, poker plant flowers can be yellow, coral, cream, and yellow. Hummingbirds love to feed on these plants, as they produce a sweet, delicious nectar.
Scarlet Sage (Salvia Coccinea or Salvia Splendens)
Scarlet sage is a dependable, long-lasting plant that is sure to draw hummingbirds by the dozens to your backyard. The tubular flowers bloom in pinks, whites, and reds. This perennial is super easy to care for and generally grows to two-four feet in height. If you plant scarlet sage in containers, make sure to water the flowers daily so that you can enjoy their colors and the hummingbirds all summer long.
Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera Sempervirens)
Trumpet honeysuckle is the only vine in our list of plants that attract hummingbirds. This climbing plant bears orange, red, or pink blossoms that flower from early spring to late in the summer. At the end of their life, trumpet honeysuckles produce little dark-red berries. Whether grown on a lattice, hanging basket, or container, this plant’s graceful drooping and tubular flowers will catch the eye of hummingbirds passing by.
Verbena
Verbena varieties are drought-resistant, ensuring vibrant flowers all summer long. Since verbena range from trailing plants to tall plants, you can find the perfect variety for your garden. Verbena flowers in small blossoms from red and pink to purple, blue, and lilac. As you enjoy the vibrant colors, you’ll also know you’re laying out a feast for a host of pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds.
