Few sights are more rewarding than watching hummingbirds zip from flower to flower in your yard. These tiny birds are always looking for nectar-rich blooms, and planting the right flowers can encourage them to stop by throughout the growing season. If you’d like to welcome more hummingbirds to your garden, start with these 20 beautiful flowers.
Penstemon (Penstemon spp.)
Penstemon is one of the best flowers for attracting hummingbirds. Its long, tubular blooms are perfectly shaped for their slender beaks, especially the bright red varieties. Plant it in a sunny spot with well-drained soil for the best display.
Black-Eyed Susan
Black-Eyed Susans brighten the garden with cheerful yellow blooms from summer into fall. While they’re well known for attracting bees and butterflies, hummingbirds will also stop by to feed. They’re easy to grow and do well in a wide range of conditions.
Blazing Star
Blazing star produces tall spikes covered in purple flowers that stand out in any flower bed. It loves full sun and well-drained soil, and the nectar-rich blooms are a favorite of hummingbirds and butterflies alike.
Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Columbine is one of the first flowers hummingbirds visit in spring. Its nodding, bell-shaped blooms come in several colors, including striking red and yellow combinations. This perennial grows well in woodland gardens, borders, and partially shaded areas.
Butterfly Bush
Butterfly bush earns its name by attracting butterflies, but hummingbirds are just as fond of its fragrant flower spikes. It blooms for weeks during summer and comes in shades of purple, pink, white, and blue.
Petunias
Petunias produce masses of trumpet-shaped flowers in nearly every color. They’re perfect for hanging baskets, containers, and garden beds. Deadheading spent blooms encourages fresh flowers all season long, giving hummingbirds plenty of nectar to enjoy.
Echinacea
Also known as coneflower, echinacea is a dependable perennial that thrives in sunny gardens. Its colorful blooms last for weeks and attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees while requiring very little care.
Catmint
Catmint flowers for months, producing soft purple-blue blooms that hummingbirds love. It’s drought-tolerant once established and grows well in full sun or light shade. Deer usually leave it alone, making it a great choice for many gardens.
Delphinium
Delphiniums produce tall flower spikes in shades of blue, purple, pink, and white. Their height adds color to the back of flower beds, while the nectar-rich blooms attract hummingbirds throughout the season. Rich soil and regular watering help these plants perform their best.
Lavender
Lavender is loved for its fragrant purple flowers, and hummingbirds appreciate it just as much. This drought-tolerant plant grows best in full sun and well-drained soil, making it a great choice for low-maintenance gardens.
Daylily (Hemerocallis)
Daylilies are dependable perennials that return every year with larger clumps and more flowers. Available in many shades of yellow, orange, red, and pink, they grow well in both full sun and partial shade and provide a steady food source for hummingbirds.
Agastache
Agastache, sometimes called hummingbird mint, produces tall spikes of colorful flowers from early summer into fall. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds all flock to its nectar-rich blooms. It prefers sunny locations with well-drained soil.
Bee Balm
Bee balm fills the garden with bright red, pink, purple, or white blooms that hummingbirds find hard to resist. It spreads easily and flowers throughout much of the summer, making it one of the best plants for pollinator gardens.
Geranium
Geraniums brighten patios, window boxes, and flower beds with months of colorful blooms. Their nectar attracts hummingbirds, while the plants themselves are easy to grow in containers or directly in the garden.
Salvia
Salvia is one of the most dependable hummingbird plants you can grow. Its tall flower spikes bloom for weeks, and many varieties continue flowering through summer with very little care. Full sun and well-drained soil will keep these plants looking their best.
Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle vines produce sweetly scented tubular flowers that hummingbirds eagerly visit. Give the plant a sturdy trellis or fence to climb, and it will reward you with colorful blooms year after year.
Goldenrod
Goldenrod lights up late-summer gardens with clusters of bright yellow flowers. It attracts hummingbirds along with many bees and butterflies, making it a valuable addition to pollinator-friendly landscapes.
Zinnias
Zinnias are among the easiest annual flowers to grow from seed. Their colorful blooms last from summer until frost, providing hummingbirds with a steady supply of nectar while adding plenty of color to the garden.
Garden Phlox
Garden phlox produces large clusters of fragrant flowers on tall stems throughout the summer. It’s a classic cottage garden favorite that hummingbirds visit often, and the blooms also make beautiful cut flowers for indoor arrangements.
Cardinal Flower
The brilliant red blooms of the cardinal flower seem almost made for hummingbirds. This fast-growing native perennial thrives in moist soil and grows well in full sun or partial shade. It’s also resistant to deer, making it a reliable choice for many gardens.
