16 Plants That Hummingbirds Love the Most in a Garden

It ’s such a thrill when those iridescent little dynamos zip through your garden , sipping ambrosia and dancing in the sun ! Hummingbirds are n’t just drawn to bright color — they look for plentiful nectar , tubular blooms , and safe perch where they can breathe between feedings . I recollect the first clock time a ruby - throated hummingbird hovered at my bee balm patch — I nearly squealed with delight !

Creating a hummingbird haven means choosing plants that supply specifically to their feeding and behavioural penury . From aboriginal perennial to alien exotics , each of the following sixteen plant brings something special . We ’ll overcompensate where each species hails from , whether it ’s prostrate to disperse beyond bounds , and how it substantiate the fascinating behaviour of these winged jewels .

Zinnia (Zinnia elegans)

Native to Mexico , Zinnias are non - encroaching annual renowned for their flat - face blooms in a rainbow of colors . Their open flush heads provide a sodding landing place pad for hummingbird , allowing these tiny acrobats to light and bung comfortably .

Hummingbirds like paint ladies and crimson - throat often come back to the same zinnia head multiple time , darting in and out with lightning amphetamine ! I love that by deadheading spend flowers , you prolong the bloom time of year and keep the hummingbird dealings buzz through previous summer .

Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)

Coral Banksia integrifolia hail from the southeast United States and is in the main well - behaved , non - invasive — unlike its more aggressive first cousin Japanese Australian honeysuckle . Its vasiform red peak unfurl in springtime , drawing hummingbird who brush against the ambrosia - rich interior .

I ’ve watched hummingbird slip into each flower , then perch on nearby twigs to preen and stand before diving back for more . The vine also offers dense foliage that some specie use as sheltered rod or even nesting support !

Scarlet Sage (Salvia coccinea)

red salvia , aboriginal to the southeastern U.S. and portion of Central America , is a stamp perennial often grown as an yearly in cool climates . It ’s not invasive , and its bright ruby-red , tube-shaped flowers bloom prolifically from summertime into downfall .

Hummingbirds adore the deep corolla of ruddy sage , brood in mid - air as they sip ! These small perch countenance them patrol feeding dominion , calling out to rivals with rapid wingbeats .

Phlox (Phlox paniculata)

Eastern North American phlox is a uncompromising , non - invasive perennial , beloved for its bunch of fragrant blooms in shades of pinkish , white , and lavender . It prosper in sunshine or fond shade , filling midsummer mete with cherubic nectar .

hummingbird expose “ cling and feeding ” behaviour here — locking onto the flower clusters with bantam metrical unit while they sip . I still get arouse when I hear the mild bombination of wing above my phlox patch in the early break of the day !

Fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica)

earlier from South America , dauntless fuchsia is non - invasive and complete for fall field goal or shaded borders . Its drooping , bi - colored blossoms are magnets for hummingbirds essay honeyed nectar in cool , shadier bit .

I bang image hummingbirds tumble vertically into each pendant bloom , their retentive bill perfectly aligned with the flower ’s tube ! Plus , the arc habit of fuchsia provides cozy roosts where they can pause between sips .

Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)

A native of eastern North America , bee balm is a vigorous perennial — but it ’s not invasive and ego - seeds only reasonably . Its shaggy red , pink , or purple flowers split in midsummer , releasing alluring minty olfactory property .

Hummingbirds swarm these flower , often forage in a “ crew ” of two or three at once . I once counted five deep red - throat weaving in and out of my bee balm patch — it felt like host a mini hummingbird fete in my backyard !

Firebush (Hamelia patens)

Firebush , aboriginal to the American tropics , can naturalize in warm climate but rarely becomes really invading in temperate gardens . Its fiery orangish - carmine tube-shaped clusters bloom nearly year - bout in frost - free areas .

Hummingbirds exhibit “ puddle - sipping ” behaviour here — perching on the branching stems to dive - flunk each flower . The dumb bush also offers excellent perches for hummingbird wooing displays and brief nesting support !

Bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus)

Hailing from Australia , bottlebrush is a woody bush prized for its dramatic , red , brushing - similar flowers . It ’s broadly speaking non - invasive outside its native range and tolerate a variety of grease once established .

The undimmed red stamens are like neon signs to hummingbirds , who cohere to the lithesome spike while run . I find these shrubs threefold as perfect scout posts where hummingbird scan for insects and rivals between nectar break .

Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans)

Native to the southeastern U.S. , trump vine can be quite fast-growing , spreading via suckers — so engraft it in a verify area or a heavy container . Its tubelike orange - cherry-red bloom are resistless to hummingbird in midsummer .

Hummingbirds often use the sturdy vine as pursual - rails , darting along the stems during territorial skirmishes ! Their courtship dive - bombs and aerial display around these vibrant blossom are a spectacle I never wear of .

Penstemon (Penstemon digitalis)

Penstemon , native to North America , is a clip-clop perennial with wan pink to white tubular heyday . It ’s non - incursive and flourish in well - drained soils , adding architectural grace to spring delimitation .

Hummingbirds vacillate in front of each flower , sometimes “ backing up ” to get at nectar from unopened buds — a clever alimentation behaviour I ’ve find only in Penstemon . Their power to exploit every drop of nectar pose me every time of year !

Hummingbird Bush (Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii)

Also sleep with as Wright ’s desert Aquilegia canadensis , this bush is aboriginal to Texas and Mexico and rarely elude finish . Its coral - red cannular flower come along all summer , providing a reproducible nectar source .

Hummingbirds often perch on its arch branches , feeding in rapid succession from one flower to the next . I love how the bush ’s airy descriptor offers both feeding stations and protective cover charge for these tiny fowl !

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

Cardinal flower , native to moist timberland of eastern North America , is a non - invasive perennial with brilliant reddish spires . It prefers moist spots near water , making it perfect for rainfall garden .

Hummingbirds flock to these crimson capitulum , clinging to the stems as they sip deep into each tubelike blossom . Their energetic hovering coupled with quick wingbeats makes every feeding academic term look like a mini terpsichore performance !

Lantana (Lantana camara)

Native to tropic America , lantana can be invasive in warm , frost - free areas — prefer for sterile cultivar to avoid escape . Its multicolored umbel in orange , yellow , pink , or red bloom extravagantly from summertime to hoar .

Hummingbirds exhibit “ rotary sipping , ” flying in tight loop around each flower clump . Watching them trail individual florets in a dizzying spiral is one of my favored backyard appearance !

Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

Eastern North American columbine is a non - invasive perennial that sportsman red - and - yellow nodding blooms in former spring . It ’s gross for woodland edges or partial wraith , adding other - time of year ambrosia for migrating hummingbird .

The pendulous flowers invite hummingbirds to hover to a lower place , extracting nectar from the urging — sometimes upside - down ! Their acrobatic feeding dive are always a joy to find against the backdrop of fresh spring foliation .

Agastache (Agastache spp.)

Also foretell hummingbird mint , Agastache is native to North America and Mexico , with tall spires of purple , pink , or orangish flowers . It ’s non - invasive and drought - kind , fly high in sunny , well - drained soils .

hummingbird sip from the thickly packed bloom , then often alight on the rigid stem to preen or catch up with worm . I ’ve note they return to the same agastache spikes day by day — an indorsement I take as a nurseryman ’s badge of honor !

Salvia (Salvia splendens)

Scarlet salvia , aboriginal to Brazil , is a tender perennial often treated as an yearbook . It ’s non - invasive and boasts upright spikes of bright red tubular bloom that glint in full sun .

Hummingbirds “ zig - zag ” between individual blossoms , using rapid wingbeats to hover in place . Their territorial zoom - Indiana on salvia spot — chasing away other pollinators — cue me that these tiny birds tamp down a mighty personality !

hummingbirds eating nectar from a flower