Hummingbirds love...variety

Hummingbirds love variety. It is is the spice of life. Fill your garden with a variety of great flowers that hummingbirds really enjoy. Since most flowers bloom for just a short time, adding many varieties ensures a constant buffet for our tiny feathered friends. Not just red flowers, either. Hummingbirds visit nectar-rich flowers of all colors. Choose diverse flowering plants to add interest to your landscaping.

Hummingbird friendlly flowers are available as annuals, perennials, vines, shrubs, trees, bedding plants and hanging plants.

Early-blooming perennials like Lupine and Columbine (Aquilegia) is another deep-throated flower that awaits the return of hummingbirds in the spring.

Shrubs with appealing flowers include Butterfly Bush, Rose of Sharon and some Rhododendrons. Pink Poppet Weigela is a lovely, repeat blooming shrub (3-4').

Butterfly Bush at Woodbridge Greenhouses 2011

Pink Poppet Weigela

Tall perennials like Hollyhock, Delphinium, and Foxglove (Digitalis), with their tubular flowers, are excellent for hummingbirds, and ideal for the back of the garden since they reach 3 to 5 feet tall.

Other perennials visited by our hummingbirds include: Four O'Clocks (Mirabilis jalapa ), Nicotiana (Flowering Tobacco) is a nicely scented addition to the garden. Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia), Verbena bonariensis receives frequent visits from hummingbirds. Sunset Hyssop (Agastache rupestris) is a large perennial loved by hummingbirds.

Biennials (bloom every other year) such as Foxglove (Digitalis) and Evening Primrose (Oenothera 'Lemon Sunset'). Evening Primrose is more likely to receive morning visits from hummingbirds before the blooms close for the day.

Vines like Honeysickle and Morning Glory (Ipomoea) which often receives morning visits from hummingbirds are wonderful for hummingbirds. Trumpet Vines, with their tubular red flowers, are natural hummingbird magnet.

Morning Glory

Annuals like Salvia and Zinnias are common blooms that are sure to be enjoyed by your hummingbirds. Lobelia cardinalis is a red version of the popular blue annual. Salvia (Sage) attract hummingbirds and do well in containers and as border plants. Asclepias Curassavica is also known as Mexican Butterfly bush and comes in yellow and orange (the orange petals contrast nicely with the yellow stamens).

Asclepias curassavica Yellow

Asclepias curassavica Orange

Long-blooming perennials are nice additions to the garden and quite appealing to hummingbirds. Bee Balm (Monarda) grows in front of our dining room window. Quite often we watch a hummingbird or two stop by our magenta and red bee balm for a quick snack.






Hanging plants are another great way to incorporate hummingbird-friendly plants and flowers on your property. Consider including Lantana, petunias and salvia, in addition to fuscia.

Self-seeding plants like Cleome (serrulata and spinosa) appear in our yard have been visited by hummingbirds.

Sugar water in feeders is a great supplement for hummingbirds to get a quick dose of calories while hunting for protein-rich insects. Feeders are a convenient way for us to observe them up close, too.

Compiled by Renee C. Brannigan and Debbie Luchka