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Hummingbirds are some of the most alluring little creatures, and one of the best reasons to plant a pollinator garden. You'll be amazed by their incredible mid-air antics as they zip around with their wings beating at up to thousands of times per minute!
These tiny dynamos need to eat every 10 to 15 minutes and will visit up to 2,000 flowers per day. Planting a selection of annuals and perennial flowers, as well as flowering shrubs, will ensure you have nectar to offer from a variety of sources throughout the season.
Although hummers prefer flowers that are red and tubular-shaped, they will drink from many different types of and shapes. The flowers you plant also will entice other pollinators to your garden, so you'll be supporting a diverse number of beneficial insects and birds. When possible, you also should limit the use of pesticides in your garden. Although hummingbirds get most of their energy from nectar, they also hunt flying insects and spiders, especially during their breeding season.
Because these birds are territorial, it also doesn't hurt to add a few hummingbird feeders here and there throughout your garden to give all your visitors a chance to feed.
Finally, when choosing perennials and shrubs for your garden, check out the USDA Hardiness zone map, which was recently updated, to select those that will survive winters in your area.(Find your zone here.)
More about attracting hummingbirds to your yard:
- The Easiest Hummingbird Food Recipe
- 9 Best Hummingbird Feeders to Attract the Most Flyers
1
Lantana
Lantana is a sturdy plant that doesn't mind heat and drought once it's established. In most of the country, it is an annual, though it can become a perennial shrub in warm climates. Look for new varieties which are not invasive.
Type of plant: Annual, but perennial in USDA zones 8 to 11
Exposure: Full sun
2
Cardinal Climber
This charming heirloom plant has ferny foliage and tiny star-shaped red flowers hummingbirds love. As the name suggests, these plants are vines that can cover a trellis or fence quickly. Cardinal climbers, also called red cypress vines, grow easily from seed.
Type of plant: Annual
Exposure: Full sun
3
Columbine
Columbine is a spring bloomer that offers early-season nectar to hummingbirds. It prefers cooler springtime temperatures, comes in an array of colors and self-seeds readily.
Type of plant: Perennial, USDA Zones 3 to 8
Exposure: Full to part sun
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4
Sunflower
Sunflowers are super-easy to grow from seed, and they come in so many different colors and varieties, with heights ranging from a foot to 10 feet tall! They offer vital late-season food for hummingbirds, but all pollinators love them. Plant several different types of sunflowers to keep the blooms coming!
Read more on growing sunflowers
Type of plant: Annual
Sun Exposure: Full sun
5
Fuchsia
Fuchsia has the most exotic-looking flowers. They come in shades of purple, pale pink, and hot pink. They look best cascading out of baskets and window boxes, which also keeps the flowers at eye level so you can enjoy the visiting hummingbirds.
Type of plant: Annual
Sun Exposure: Full shade with morning sun for best blooms
6
Cuphea
If you plant only one flower for your hummingbirds, make it cuphea! This pretty flower loves, loves, loves the heat. It will keep blooming well into fall, as long as you keep it fertilized and watered. It's one of the absolute best for attracting hummingbirds.
Type of plant: Annual
Exposure: Full sun
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7
Delphinium
These stunning cottage garden flowers are a must-have for garden borders. Of course, hummingbirds love them, but you will, too, with their striking upright form and intense pink, purple or blue hues.
Type of plant: Perennial in USDA zones 3 to 7
Exposure: Full sun to part shade
8
Cardinal Flower
This native perennial attracts hummingbirds because of its stunning tube-shaped brilliant red flowers. It does especially well in boggy or wet areas.
Type of plant: Perennial in USDA zones 5 to 10
Exposure: Full sun
9
Petunia
Petunias are old favorites in the garden because they work everywhere: In planters, window boxes, baskets, and landscape beds. And their tubular-shaped flowers in every color you can imagine are appealing to hummingbirds.
Type of plant: Annual
Exposure: Full sun
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10
Bee Balm
Hummingbirds, butterflies, and—of course—bees are all attracted to bee balm, also known as wild bergamot. Native to North America, scarlet bee balm is a special favorite of hummingbirds.
Type of plant: Perennial to USDA Zones 3 to 9
Sun Exposure: Full sun
11
Hummingbird Mint
With a name like this, you know it's a must-have in a hummingbird garden! This sturdy perennial doesn't mind heat and drought, once established. And it's also deer and rabbit resistant.
Type of plant: Perennial
Exposure: Full sun
12
Butterfly Bush
This easy-to-grow flowering shrub is attractive to butterflies, but hummingbirds love the elongated clusters of nectar-rich blooms, too.
"I have noticed at my property, the butterfly bushes get the most hummingbird visitors of all of my plants and they bloom until first frost," says Melissa Lallo Johnson, a Midwest-based master gardener who shares her expansive garden on Instagram at @fancyflowerfarmer. Newer types are not invasive.
Type of plant: Shrub, hardy in USDA Zones 5 to 9
Sun Exposure: Full sun
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13
Zinnia
Native to the Southwest, zinnias are one of the most popular annuals throughout the U.S. (They're one of our favorite annuals too.)
They are easy to grow from seed and will re-seed readily! Hummingbirds and other pollinators love the bright blooms. They're perfect in a cutting garden where you can grow some for the hummingbirds, and some for you to enjoy indoors!
Type of plant: Annual
Exposure: Full sun
14
Rose of Sharon
This pretty shrub blooms late in the season, when many other plants in your garden are starting to wind down. Hummingbirds adore the brightly-colored flowers. New types also are columnar in form, so they fit in tight spaces.
Type of plant: Shrub hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9
Exposure: Full sun
15
Torenia
If you're looking for a shade-lover, torenia can't be beat. It looks amazing tumbling out of window boxes and hanging baskets and will bloom all summer long, keeping your hummers happy!
Type of plant: Annual
Exposure: Full shade
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16
Foxglove
The tubular flowers of foxglove are the perfect drinking vessel for hummingbirds. It is a biennial, meaning it has a two-year lifecycle and only flowers in the second year, but it can re-seed. Foxglove is easy to grow and can top out at 5 feet tall.
Type of plant: Biennial in USDA zones 4 to 8
Exposure: Full sun
17
Salvia
Salvia are a sturdy perennial that bloom for weeks in the summer. They come in various shades of pinks and purples. Hummingbirds love their tubular flowers.
Another benefit: They're also deer resistant. Some types are annual, so make sure to buy the perennial varieties if you want the plant to return year after year.
Type of plant: Annual, or perennial types in USDA zones 4 to 8
Exposure: Full sun
18
Bleeding Heart
It's easy to see where this perennial plant got its name, and the flowers are a rich source of nectar for hummers. These perennials take a few years to get established, but they're worth the wait. And deer and rabbits tend to leave them alone!
Type of plant: Perennial to USDA zones 3 to 9
Exposure: Part shade with morning sun
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19
Morning Glory
These fast-growing vines are super-easy to grow from seed. Make sure to give them something to climb, such as a trellis, mailbox, or fence.
Type of plant: Annual
Exposure: Full sun
20
Canna Lily
The tall, striking foliage and gorgeous exotic-looking flowers of canna lily are reason enough to grow this tropical plant. But hummingbirds also love it! Dig up the tubers in colder climates to save and replant next year.
Type of plant: Perennial in USDA zones 8 to 10
Exposure: Full sun
Arricca Elin SanSone
Arricca Elin SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, and more. She’s passionate about gardening, baking, reading, and spending time with the people and dogs she loves.
Terri Robertson
Terri Robertson is the Senior Editor, Digital, at Country Living, where she shares her lifelong love of homes, gardens, down-home cooking, and antiques.
