31 Different Flowering Plants That Will Attract Hummingbirds To Your Garden (2024)

Although many flowers can attract hummingbirds, some flowers are better at drawing these majestic creatures than others. Selecting flowers that attract hummingbirds for your landscape or garden calls for you to search for blooms with bright and rich colors. You also want long or tapered shapes that fit the hummingbird’s long bills, and an abundance of nectar is necessary to keep them coming back for more.

This alternative food source you’d be providing stands a chance of preventing the males from fighting one another over limited food sources. Your best bet will always be to settle on native plants as these hovering birds will be more familiar with these flower types while at the same time the plants will thrive with minimum maintenance.

Furthermore, plants with repeat blooming or a long bloom time should be considered. These plants will serve as a robust and reliable food source for many weeks for the hummingbirds. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular flowers you can plant in your garden to ensure you have hummingbirds around all season long!

Flowers That Attract Hummingbirds

The secret to attracting hummingbirds to your garden has to do with planting lots of flowers to provide an ideal environment that’ll provide them with shade, food, water, shelter, and security. These flowers will attract other pollinators as well! Having the right pollinators in your garden will actually help your flowers and garden grow.

Below you’ll find a comprehensive list of 31 flowering plants which will aid you in attracting hummingbirds to your garden:

Azalea

Scientific name: Rhododendron

Early hummingbirds love the sight of brightly colored azaleas in a garden. During the spring, you can see the full bloom of red, pink, purple, white, yellow, and orange blossoms. This flowering shrub is hard to grow because most people are unaware that it requires highly acidic soil to thrive.

Nonetheless, once they are adapted to the environment, they will grow all year long, no matter the season. They can grow from four to eight feet tall, and they are native to North America and specific areas of Asia.

Beardtongue

Scientific name: Penstemon spp.

The beardtongue plant is usually sprinkled throughout mountainous regions and foothills and is an herbaceous species. The plant produces dozens of pink, red, lavender, salmon, and white tubular flowers.

Hummingbirds favor this flower even more than salvia, which is a favorite. The stems are triangle-shaped, and the leaves are a variation of grayish-green; they are also opposite-facing. This is typically a perennial plant, but it can be grown annually in excessively hot or chilly temperatures.

Bee Balm

Scientific name: Monarda didyma

The perennial bee balm’s spherical shape and full spikes make it an excellent addition to any garden. Additionally, it attracts hummingbirds and butterflies with purple, red, and orange blooms.

This flower can grow two to three feet tall. This perennial plant has long stalks and produces many flowers. These flowers produce a lot of nectar, making them very attractive to hummingbirds and their voracious appetites. This plant is relatively simple to grow, and you’ll have to divide the clumps every three to four years. This plant will self-seed as well.

Blazing Star

Scientific name: Liatris spicata

The blazing star is a collection of tiny flowers which appear to be one flower. As a result, pollinators such as hummingbirds can’t get enough of these white, red, and reddish-purple flowers. This plant will bloom from late summer into fall in gardens.

The blazing star grows slowly but will eventually become three to five feet wide and one to five feet tall. One of these plants is typically enough for most gardens. This plant sows all by itself, spreading through underground roots. Be sure to divide the plant every two to three years to prevent dead spots from occurring.

Bleeding Heart

Scientific name: Lamprocapnos spectabilis

The bleeding heart is an attractive perennial plant with lush foliage and heart-shaped blooms that dangle. The flowers are pink or white, and they grow better with light shade and a cooler climate. They might be between two and three feet tall, and you should divide them as they get longer.

Be aware that the leaves can turn yellow and wilt in the heat during summertime, but they’ll probably return to form in the spring. These flowers look great in your garden and will also attract other pollinators.

Butterfly Bush

Scientific name: Buddleia davidii

The butterfly bush is true to its name in that it’s great at attracting butterflies but hummingbirds as well. This is a deciduous flowering shrub with thick, elongated purple, blue, and pink flowers. The bushes can get as tall as six to twelve feet and as wide as four to fifteen feet.

These flowers will continuously bloom from mid-summer through fall. This does wonders to attract more hummingbirds and provide shelter for all kinds of birds. This plant will thrive if pruned back after flowering is complete to keep the shape uniform.

Warning: Buddleia davidii is an invasive plant in some regions, so check with local authorities before planting.

Canada Lily

Scientific name: Lilium canadense

The Canada lily Is a large flower with showy blooms that can get as tall as three to eight feet. You commonly see this lily growing along streams, in moist meadows, marshy areas, and wooded lands.

The Canada lily grows from bulbs instead of seeds, and it blooms in early to mid-summer. However, be prepared to wait five to six years for the blooms to occur. The nectar is so sweet and fragrant it entices hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies alike.

The leaves are primarily whorled, flat, and lance-shaped. The flowers are droopy, and up to 20 sit on top of the leaves. These blooms can be orange-red or yellow with dark spots on them. They’re also slightly curved backward. This flower is particularly attractive to the ruby-throated hummingbird.

Cardinal Flower

Scientific name: Lobelia cardinalis

The cardinal flower is a member of the Lobelia genus of flowering plants. Moreover, this flower is a perennial plant with long stalks and small tubular flowers that can grow as tall as four feet. It produces richly colored red and white blooms, making it aesthetically ideal for gardens and an excellent food source for hummingbirds.

You should place these flowers in the rear of the mixed perennial garden beds. Additionally, mulching will help prevent frost heaving during colder weather and keep the soil moist. Cardinal flowers do not have to be divided; however, relatively, they’re short-lived perennials. But, it will of its own accord self-seed and has a great chance of colonizing permanently in your yard or garden.

Catmint

Scientific name: Nepeta spp.

Catmint, not to be confused with Catnip, which is a lot more attractive to felines than hummingbirds, is a perennial herb that produces clusters of tubular flowers that grow on slender and long stalks. It blooms for months and can get about three feet tall and four feet wide.

The foliage is aromatic, and the flowers are usually lavender and blue, but you can also find them in white and pink. This herb is easy to grow, but it can get aggressive, which is why it should be planted where you can contain it.

Columbine

Scientific name: Aquilegia spp.

The columbine blooms are bright orange, red, purple, and yellow, with leaves that resemble lace. This plant is usually used as an edging plant around flower beds and fences. It can grow from one to three feet high, depending on the variation. If you remove the flower stem after blooming, it can cause additional flowers to grow.

This plant proliferates once it gets established, and the blooms will readily appear from the dark green leaves that turn a gorgeous maroon color during the fall. The flowers are shaped like bells, and they don’t require much maintenance but remain lively throughout the year.

Fireweed

Scientific name: Chamaenerion angustifolium

The fireweed plant is a perennial wildflower that carries saucer-shaped clusters in long spikes. Since this plant self-seeds, you have to regularly take care of the grooming to prevent it from taking over your garden.

This flower is tall and showy and usually grows best in forest edges, open meadows, roadside, and along streams. The brilliant pink color is quite attractive to hummingbirds.

The name comes from its ability to quickly populate areas that had been burned, such as the land after Mt. St. Helens erupted in 1980.

Flowering Currant

Scientific name: Ribes sanguineum

The flowering currant has a beautiful fragrance that attracts hummingbirds, in addition to the brightly colored red and pink blooms and the early spring nectar. The flowers typically appear before the leaves, and they droop while forming masses of clusters. The deciduous plant can get as tall as three feet to nearly ten feet tall.

This plant also produces black/blue fruits similar to currents in the fall, which are edible. The leaves are serrated, and this plant grows wonderfully in coastal locations.

Flowering Quince

Scientific name: Chaenomeles speciosa

It’s no surprise that the flowering quince is one of the best hummingbird flowers because it produces small flowers that resemble roses and range from pale pink to deep drinking. Migrating hummingbirds love these flowers that are native to China. They contain sweet nectar that the birds can fill up on as they continue their journey.

This flowering shrub appears in the spring, but some species can start to sprout as soon as late January. They can get as tall as ten feet tall as a small tree or four to six feet tall as a shrub. As the name suggests, it bears quince fruits used for jellies and preserves.

Garden Phlox

Scientific name: Phlox paniculata

The garden phlox is one of the most beautiful flowers on the list, coming in nearly every shade on the color wheel, including vibrant blues. These flowers are dainty, with five petals, and packed into dense clusters by the dozens. They have a sweet fragrance, and some species have contrasting colors in the central eye.

Many species have green leaves, but some have yellow or creamy white margins. The bloom time is usually the early season, but it lasts for a long time, from spring until autumn.

Once established, they live for a long time and don’t require much care. They can grow from six inches to four feet tall, attracting hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees.

Hardy Fuchsia

Scientific name: Fuchsia magellanica

The hardy fuchsia has tubular flowers that are attractive to hummingbirds and other pollinators. This plant can tolerate some frost levels, but it can kill the shrub if it’s too cold out. The bright red, purple, and pink blooms look incredible in any garden, and they can be four to ten feet tall and as wide as three to six feet.

The leaves are green and oval-shaped, and they face opposite directions—the reliant shrub blooms in the spring and fall with gorgeous red dangling blossoms.

Rose of Sharon

Scientific name: Hibiscus syriacus

The hibiscus flower is well-known and has a wide array of species. It’s in the hibiscus family and often mistaken for the Chinese hibiscus. These tropical plants bear huge flowers in bright colors such as pink, red, yellow, purple, and white. They attract all different types of hummingbirds and butterflies.

The rose of sharon isn’t a rose, but it has a large and flat surface with sweet aromatic nectar. The leaves don’t sprout until late spring, and these bold flowers can get as tall as six to thirteen feet. They will stick around from the early summer months until the fall.

Indian Pink

Scientific name: Spigelia marilandica

This uncommon wildflower grows in moist woods with rich soil and wooded banks near streams. You can usually find it throughout the southeastern part of the United States. This perennial forms clumps and can get anywhere from one to one and a half feet tall.

The leaves are lance-shaped, sometimes oval-shaped, and emerald green in color. There are no leaf stalks on the Indian pink plant. The red tubular flowers are breathtaking to look at, and they flare out at the top to display a bright yellow interior. These flowers bloom between May and June.

Lungwort

Scientific name: Pulmonaria spp.

Lungwort is one of the best hummingbird flowers because it blooms in the spring and is an early nectar source. Most people like this plant for the leaves, which are green with splotches of white. They are also rough, fuzzy, and attached to sturdy stems.

The flowers can be white, pink, or blue, and there are usually at least two colors on one plant, which happens when the plant starts one color and then fades into a different color as it matures. Lungwort grows in clumps and can get as tall as one foot. They multiply quickly, and you can divide them in the spring or the fall. If they welt soon after, you can replant them, and they will be quickly restored.

Lupine

Scientific name: Lupinus x hybridus

While wild lupines don’t usually bloom well in a home garden, some hybrids are excellent perennials, albeit short-lived. This flower blooms early and attracts spring hummingbirds before the other flowers emerge.

These plants get between three and four feet tall, and the spike of densely clumped flowers are beautiful shades of pink, purple, white, yellow, and blue. You don’t have to divide these flowers, but you will have to replant them every few years. If you live in a hotter environment, you can grow lupines as annuals instead.

Mango Tango

Scientific name: Anise hyssop – agastache spp.

The mango tango flower is unique in that the single flowers have rose calyxes and orange/light peach petals that make it look a vibrant reddish-orange color overall. This plant is compact, and it has medium green leaves that smell like licorice, making for a beautiful addition to your garden landscape.

Hummingbirds love this long-blooming flower that gets up to 18 inches tall and grows in a controlled manner. Mango tango has a fine texture compared to other plants, and it doesn’t require much maintenance.

Mexican Cigar Plant

Scientific name: Cuphea

The Mexican cigar plant, also known as the firecracker plant thanks to its appearance, is a perennial plant often grown annually throughout the zones. This multi-stemmed, small shrub has abundant red blooms that resemble fireworks bursting. The tiny red flowers are tube-shaped like a cigar; they can also be red, pink, orange, purple, or lavender.

If the cigar plant is grown as an annual in cooler climates, it blooms in the summer. If you grow it in a tropical setting, you can catch blooms on and off during the year. It doesn’t usually get taller than two feet, though some species can reach three feet.

Hummingbirds love the shape of the flower, so it’s no surprise that these unique flowers will bring them to your garden. It’s a good idea to pinch the leggy stems of the cigar plant during the growing season to help maintain its appearance.

Oregon Grape

Scientific name: Mahonia spp.

This Oregon grape species is an evergreen shrub that will bloom beautifully in the winter and produces edible blueberries and shuttleco*ck-like flowers that are bright yellow. This plant is easy to grow and doesn’t require much care, just ensure that it doesn’t overtake the garden.

The thorny leaves are similar to that of a holly plant. This plant is very fragrant, and it attracts Anna’s hummingbird with ease. They can get as tall as almost ten feet depending on the species.

Petunias

Scientific name: Petunia spp.

The petunia is perhaps the most popular flower of all annual flowers, thanks to the fact that they are very inexpensive and easy to grow. They’ll work well in any area of the garden that’s sunny. They are also usually placed on borders in baskets, containers, and small spaces. They can get as tall as six inches to two feet.

This flower blooms continuously, in turn providing a bunch of nectar for hummingbirds. The bright red, white, purple, pink, blue, and mixed shades of petunias are a gorgeous sight in any garden. Like most annuals, by midsummer, they start to get leggy, so you’ll have to prune them back to about half the length.

Purple Rhododendron

Scientific name: Rhododendron catawbiense

The rhododendron flower is a stunning plant with large bunches of purple and pink flowers. It comes from North America along the Appalachian Mountains range.

This multi-stemmed flower typically forms dense thickets; hummingbirds love that the flowers are semi-tubular. The purple rhododendron flowers in May and can withstand cold winters because they are hardier.

This flower can get as tall as six to ten feet, even reaching as much as 20 feet tall before it starts to look sparse and gangly. Right before flowering, the large flower buds will burst forth with light purple and vibrant pink petals in early spring/late summer. This broadleaf evergreen is sure to make your garden a nesting place for hummingbirds.

Salvia

Scientific name: Salvia nemorosa

Very large and belonging to the mint family, the salvia plant has several perennial and annual species. These flowers are tall spikes of small and delicate flowers, and as such, they are ideal plants for the centers and backs of flowerbeds. They can be mauve, purple, blue, or pink.

Salvia flowers which are perennial, will emerge in the middle and summer and bloom through late summer. If these flowers are kept moist, they’ll bloom continuously. This plant requires no division and can grow from two to three feet tall and increase size over time.

Tiger Lily

Scientific name: Lilium columbianum

The tiger lily is native to certain parts of Asia, such as China, Japan, and Korea, but has naturally developed in the western United States. This large and bright orange flower has black spots on the petals. Tiger lillies can also be red, yellow, pink, or white. They can get up to three inches wide when adequately cared for. It attracts the rufous hummingbird specifically.

The tiger lily is sometimes called the trench lily because it can grow wildly in ditches. They grow from the spring season until fall, blooming in mid to late summer. The bulbs need 120-130 days to bear flowers as they grow, so it’s vital to plant them correctly during the first year.

Trumpet Creeper

Scientific name: Campsis radicans

Trumpet creeper, also known as a trumpet vine and hummingbird vine, can quickly overrun a small area. This vine that produces flowers, is considered an orange colored weed in some areas. It will climb on many surfaces, including trees, fences, and arbors. It has long tubular flowers in red, yellow, and orange, which are ideal for hummingbirds and dense foliage.

You have to respect this plant’s aggressive growth and invasive properties. It can get as tall as 32 feet! You must prune this plant regularly to prevent it from dominating your garden or even escaping to nearby areas.

Trumpet Honeysuckle

Scientific name: Lonicera sempervirens

The trumpet honeysuckle is a vine that produces clusters of orange and red tubular flowers. Ruby-throated hummingbirds are very fond of this particular flower. This vine is not aggressive, and it requires less pruning than the trumpet creeper.

Plan to plant the trumpet honeysuckle in a space that can accommodate a large-sized vine. This vine overgrows. In some locations, honeysuckle can grow as tall as 20 feet. If you plant more than one, make sure they are at least five feet apart.

Weigela

Scientific name: Weigela

The weigela plant is a member of the honeysuckle family, and it is a beautiful old-fashioned shrub that produces thick clusters of flowers. It doesn’t require much maintenance except watering and pruning, and it is a nesting place for hummingbirds.

The flowers are tubular and can range from vibrant pink to red to purple. The foliage can be of various colors, such as green, cream, or black. The plant can be as short as one foot or as long as ten feet tall. The plant blooms in late spring and will rebloom again during the summer and fall months.

Yellow Bells

Scientific name: Tecoma stans

Yellow bells are deciduous shrub with an irregular shape that usually gets between three and six feet tall throughout the U.S. However, it can get as tall as nine feet down in the southern states. The branches are slender, and it has several stems.

The signature clusters of trumpet-shaped bright yellow flowers look amazing against olive green leaves. The thin pods are long and conspicuous during the fall months. You can also find these flowers in apricot and bright orange, which attracts different species of hummingbirds.

Zinnia

Scientific name: Zinnia spp.

The zinnia is one of the easiest annual flowers to grow. It has bright bloom colors, making them very attractive to hummingbirds and other pollinators. The height of the plant can range from six inches to about four feet, and fortunately, the flower colors are available in virtually every hue.

After the hummingbirds are done feeding, seeds are sure to develop as the flowers mature, which will attract all seed-loving birds. Zinnia is very susceptible to fungal diseases in humid conditions. Be sure to give the plants plenty of space for good circulation after being watered.

Final Thoughts

Now that you’ve learned all about the different flowers that you can plant to attract hummingbirds, it’s time to get planting! Make sure that you understand your hardiness zone, and give your plants enough space so that male hummingbirds don’t fight one another off when competing for food. By picking any one of these options, you are sure to have some new hovering friends during this planting season.