150 Flowers That Attract Hummingbirds

One of the most sought-after backyard birds in the New World* is also the smallest: the tiny but very active hummingbird. What joy to receive the visit of this little winged helicopter in your own backyard! And hummingbirds are so easy to attract!

*There are no hummingbirds in the Old World or Australia. The some 300 species are strictly limited to the New World.

The hummingbird is the only bird in its territory to feed almost exclusively on floral nectar, although it does gain a few proteins by gobbling up the insects it finds in flowers. So, the more flowers you have in your garden, the more likely you are to attract hummingbirds. You can add a few hummingbird feeders as well, but remember, they aren’t as good for the birds’ health. They still need to visit more flowers than feeders if they are to thrive!

Hummingbirds prefer flowers that are rich in nectar. Often, such flowers have a tubular shape or backward or upward spacing spurs where more nectar can be stored. That’s because, with their long beaks, hummers are often the only creatures that can reach the nectar at the end of long floral tubes, thus ensuring it is not looted beforehand by competing insects!

Although popular knowledge has it that hummingbirds prefer red flowers and they do indeed love red, they will in fact visit flowers of all colors.

Note, though, that they are not particularly attracted to perfumed flowers. (Most scented flowers are trying to attract insect pollinators.) And highly double flowers are usually so packed with petals hummingbirds can’t reach the nectar they need, so single flowers are preferable.

Plenty of Choice!

Here is a list of some 150 plants that hummingbirds love to visit:

1. Abelia (Abelia spp.) zones 5 to 8, according to species
2. Agapanthus (Agapanthus spp.) container plant or zone 7
3. Agastache (Agastache spp.) zones 3 to 8, according to species
4. Agave (Agave spp.) houseplant or zones 7 to 11, according to species
5. Ageratum (Ageratum houstonianum) annual
6. Aloe (Aloe spp.) houseplant or zone 9
7. Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) zone 4
8. Apple (Malus spp.) zone 3
9. Azalea (Rhododendron spp.) zones 2 to 10, according to species
10. Baptisia (Baptisia spp.) zone 3
11. Beautybush (Kolkwitzia amabilis) zone 4
12. Beebalm (Monarda spp.) zone 3

    

13. Begonia (Begonia spp., especially B. boliviensis) annual or tender bulb
14. Bellflower (Campanula spp.) zones 3 to 7, according to species
15. Bergamot (Monarda spp.) zone 3
16. Bergenia (Bergenia spp.) zone 3
17. Black Locust (Robinia pseudacacia)) zones 4 to 8, according to species
18. Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spp.) zone 3
19. Bluebeard (Caryopteris spp.) zones 5 to 8, according to species
20. Bolivian Sunset (Gloxinia sylvatica, syn.Seemannia sylvatica and others) zone 8
21. Bottlebrush (Callistemon spp.) houseplant or zone 9
22. Bouvardia (Bouvardia spp.) houseplant or zone 8
23. Buckeye (Aesculus spp.) zones 4b to 8, according to species
24. Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla spp.) zone 3
25. Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii) zone 6b
26. Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) zone 4
27. Cactus (Echinocereus spp., Opuntia spp. etc.) zones 3 to 10, according to species
28. Calamint (Calamintha spp. and Clinopodium nepeta) zones 3 to 8, according to species
29. Calibrachoa (Calibrachoa spp.) annual
30. California Fuchsia (Epilobium canum, syn. Zauschneria californica) zone 4
31. Canna (Canna spp.) tender bulb or zone 8
32. Cape Honeysuckle (Tecoma capensis) zone 10
33. Caragana (Caragana spp.) zone 3
34. Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) zone 2
35. Carnation (Dianthus spp.) annual or zones 4 to 7, according to species

    

36. Catchfly (Silene spp.) annual or zone 3
37. Catnip (Nepeta spp.) zone 3
38. Cestrum (Cestrum spp.) zone 8
39. Cigar Plant (Cuphea ignea) annual or houseplant
40. Clematis (Clematis spp.) zones 2 to 9, according to species
41. Cleome (Cleome hasslerana) annual
42. Climbing Alstroemeria (Bomarea spp.) tropical climber
43. Columbine (Aquilegia spp.) zone 3
44. Coral Bean, Coral Tree (Erythrina spp.) zones 7 to 10, according to species
45. Crabapple (Malus spp.) zone 3
46. Crocosmia (Crocosmia spp.) zone 6
47. Cup Plant (Silphium spp.) zone 3

    

48. Cuphea (Cuphea spp.) annual
49. Currant (Ribes spp.) zone 4
50. Cypress Vine (Ipomoea quamoclit) annual climber
51. Dahlia (Dahliaspp.) zone 8 or tender bulb
52. Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.) zone 3
53. Delphinium (Delphinium spp.) zone 3
54. Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) zone 8
55. Dipladenia (Mandevilla spp.) tropical climber
56. Dwarf Poinciana (Caesalpinia spp.) houseplant or zone 9
57. Echinacea (Echinacea spp.) zone 3 or 4
58. Evening Primrose (Oenothera spp.) zones 2 to 7, according to species
59. False Agave (Manfreda spp. and x Mangave cvs) houseplant or zone 8
60. False Lupin (Baptisia spp.) zone 3
61. Firecracker Bush (Bouvardia spp.) houseplant or zone 8
62. Firecracker Vine (Manettia spp.) climbing houseplant or zone 8
63. Firespike (Odontonema strictum) annual or zone 10
64. Fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium, syn. Epilobium angustifolium) zone 2
65. Flowering Maple (Abutilon spp.) annual
66. Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana spp.) annual
67. Four O’Clock (Mirabilis jalapa) annual or zone 9
68. Foxglove (Digitalis spp.)zone 4
69. Foxtail Lily (Eremurus spp.) zone 4

    

70. Fuchsia (Fuchsia spp.) container plant or zones 7 to 11, according to species
71. Gayfeather (Liatris spp.) zone 3
72. Gentian (Gentiana spp.) zones 2 to 6, according to species
73. Germander (Teucrium spp.) zones 4 to 7, according to species
74. Giant Hyssop (Agastache spp.) zones 3 to 8, according to species
75. Ginger (Alpinia spp., Costus spp., Hedychium spp., Zingiber spp.) zone 10
76. Goldenrod (Solidago spp) zone 3
77. Grevillea (Grevillea spp.) container plant or zones 8 to 11, according to species
78. Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) zone 3
79. Heuchera (Heuchera spp.) zone 3
80. Hibiscus (Hibiscus spp.) zones 5 to 11, according to species
81. Hollyhock (Alcea rosea) zone 3

    

82. Honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.) zone 3 to 6, according to species
83. Horse Chestnut (Aesculus spp.) zones 4b to 8, according to species
84. Hosta (Hosta spp.) zone 3
85. Hummingbird Bush (Hamelia patens) houseplant or zone 9
86. Hummingbird Mint (Agastache spp.) zones 3 to 8, according to species
87. Hummingbird Trumpet (Epilobium canum, syn. Zauschneria californica) zone 4
88. Impatiens (Impatiens walleriana, I. hawkeri, etc.) annual
89. Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica) zone 4
90. Iris (Iris spp.) zones 2 to 9, according to species
91. Ironweed (Vernonia spp.) zones 4 to 6, according to species
92. Jacobinia (Justicia spp.) houseplant or zone 10

    

93. Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) annual
94. Lantana (Lantana camara) zone 8
95. Lily (Lilium spp.) zones 3 to 7, according to species
96. Lily-of-the-Nile (Agapanthus spp.) container or zone 7
97. Lion’s Ear (Leonitis spp.) annual
98. Locust (Robinia spp.) zones 4 to 8, according to species
99. Lupin (Lupinus spp.) zone 3
100. Mahonia (Mahonia spp.) zones 4, 5 or 6
101. Mandevilla (Mandevilla spp.) tropical climber

     

102. Marvel of Peru (Mirabilis jalapa) annual or zone 9
103. Mexican Lily (Beschorneria spp.) zone 9
104. Milkweed (Asclepias spp.) annual or zones 3 to 10, according to species
105. Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin) zone 7
106. Mimulus (Mimulus spp.) annual
107. Morning Glory (Ipomoea spp.) annual climber
108. Nasturtium (Tropaeolum spp.) annual
109. Nepeta (Nepeta spp.) zone 3
110. Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana) zone 2
111. Oswego Tea (Monarda spp.) zone 3
112. Peashrub (Caragana spp.) zone 3
113. Pelargonium (Pelargonium spp.) annual
114. Pentas (Pentas lanceolata) annual
115. Penstemon (Penstemon spp.) annual or zones 2 to 8
116. Peruvian Lily (Alstroemeria spp.) houseplant or zone 6 to 10, according to species

     

117. Petunia, Star (Petunia exserta) annual
118. Phlox (Phlox spp.) annual or zone 3b
119. Pincushion Flower (Scabiosa spp.) annual or zone 4
120. Pink (Dianthus spp.) zones 2 to 7, according to species
121. Pride of Barbados (Caesalpinia spp.) houseplant or zone 9
122. Princess Lily (Alstroemeria spp.) houseplant or zone 6 to 10, according to species
123. Purple Coneflower (Echinacea spp.) zone 3 or 4
124. Red Birds in a Tree (Scrophularia macrantha) zone 4
125. Red Yucca (Hesperaloe spp.) zone 7
126. Rhododendron (Rhododendron spp.) zones 2 to 10, according to species
127. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) annual or zone 7
128. Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) zone 2b
129. Salvia or Sage (Salvia spp.) annual and zones 4 to 11, according to species
130. Scarlet Betony (Stachys coccinea) zone 7
131. Scarlet Runner Bean (Phaseolus coccineus) annual climber

     

132. Shrimp Plant (Justicia brandegeeana, syn. Beloperone guttata) houseplant or zone 10
133. Silk Tree (Albizia julibrissin) zone 7
134. Silphium (Silphium spp.) zone 3
135. Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) annual
136. Soapwort (Saponaria spp.) zone 3
137. Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum spp.) zones 3 or 4
138. Sundrop (Oenothera spp.) zones 2 to 7, according to species
139. Sweet box (Sarcococca ruscifolia) zones 6 to 8
140. Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) annual or zone 4
141. Texas Firecracker (Anisacanthus spp.) zone 8
142. Tritome (Kniphofia spp.) zone 6
143. Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans) zone 6
144. Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa) tender bulb
145. Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) zones 6 to 9
146. Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus spp.) houseplant or zone 9
147. Turtlehead (Chelone spp.) zone 3
148. Uruguayan Firecracker Plant (Dicliptera suberecta) houseplant or zone 10
149. Verbena (Verbena spp.) annual
150. Veronica (Veronica spp.) zones 2 to 7, according to species
151. Viburnum (Viburnum spp.) zones 2 to 6, according to species
152. Weigela (Weigela spp.) zones 3 to 5, according to species
153. Wild Indigo (Baptisia spp.) zone 3
154. Wishbone flower (Torenia spp.) annual
155. Yucca (Yucca spp.) houseplant or zones 3 to 10, according to species
156. Zinnia (Zinnia spp.) annual