One of the best ways of all to attract hummingbirds to your yard and keep them coming back time and time again is not just by using colorful feeders – but by planting the plants that hummingbirds love to visit and feed from. And today – we feature 7 such plants that will have them loving your landscape like never before!
As much as hummingbird feeders are great for drawing in these beautiful creatures, growing the plants they love not only provides a source of food, but a source of protection for hummingbirds.
Unfortunately, when only feeders are used, it puts hummingbirds at a much higher risk of attack from predators – whether it be cats or other unfriendly birds. Especially when those feeders are sitting out in the open with no additional cover around.
But plants can change all of that! In fact, nothing will attract hummingbirds more than growing the blooming plants they love most. The sweet nectar and the cover of the foliage provide them with a safety net that keeps them coming back for multiple daily visits.
And by planting a mix of annuals and perennials that provide constant color and food all through the growing season, it also can create a colorful landscape for both hummingbirds and you to enjoy from spring til fall. What can be better than that!
Growing The Plants Hummingbirds Love
Although hummingbirds do not have an overly active sense of smell, they are highly attracted to bright colors. In addition to bright colors, hummingbirds look to find safety and security as they feed. Nothing provides that more than a canopy of foliage filled with the blooms and nectar they love most.
The real key to success is to first locate plants in multiple places that can give them constant movement. The second key is to plant a variety of plants that will provide different blooms and foods to fill their dietary needs all season long.
To do that, it requires a good mix of constantly blooming annuals, along with perennials that can bloom to provide variety. And with that in mind – here are 7 plants that work together perfectly to do just that!
How To Attract Hummingbirds With Plants – In Droves!
1) Petunias
Petunias are one of the best annual plants of all to grow to attract hummingbirds. Their long, fluted and brightly colored blooms are the perfect calling card for the sweet nectar hummingbirds love and crave. And not only do petunias bloom big, they keep on blooming from spring until the first frost!
Petunias can grow anywhere too, making them an ideal multi-purpose plant. If you want to have hummingbirds close by to view, fill a few planters or containers on your deck. But to give them a constant blooming food source all over, drop a few here and there in your flowerbeds too.
The hummingbirds will love to fly about and feed all over. It also is a great way to keep them non-stationary and out of the way of predators. See: How To Keep Petunias In Constant Bloom!
2) Coral Bells – How To Attract Hummingbirds With Plants
Speaking of long blooming plants that hummingbirds love, coral bells are a great perennial choice for long season blooms! The tall, wispy blooms are beloved by hummingbirds. The tiny flowers of coral bells are well-suited for the long, extended beak of the hummingbird. Even better, coral bells attract large numbers of butterflies and bees too, helping to pollinate other flowers in your yard.
With a wide array of leaf patterns ranging from green, to cream, gold, purple and more, there is a color to match nearly any landscape. And as a low maintenance perennial, they are easy to plant and grow without worry. Affiliate Plant Link: Marketplace Heuchera ‘Plum Pudding’ Coral Bell Plant
The blooms are some of the longest lasting of all perennials. The tiny, bell-shaped flowers form on long, spiky stems and can last for a month or more. Even better, they can bloom multiple times during a growing season.
The flower stems shoot up a full 12 to 18″ above the leaf canopy – which is a near perfect height for hummingbird feeding and watching!
3) Bee Balm – How To Attract Hummingbirds With Plants
Bee balm (photo at the top of the article) is truly one of the hummingbird’s favorite plants of all. And, this hardy perennial just happens to look fantastic in the landscape as well. Even better, deer and rabbits are not fond of it in the least, making it perfect to grow almost anywhere.
Bee balm’s long, spiky, nectar filled blooms match up well with the hummingbird’s long bill. The bright, showy flowers attract them in large numbers, and they will continue to come back to the plant time and time again to work its blooms.
Bee balm will usually bloom in mid-summer, providing a new source for hummingbirds to work after spring blooming perennials fade away. Again, the key is to provide different blooms that keep them coming back again and again – and bee balm is a great mid summer choice!
4) Zinnias – How To Attract Hummingbirds With Plants
Zinnias really are the ultimate multi-purpose annual for your landscape. Not only do they provide huge all-season blooming color with their bright blooms, they also attract pollinators in large numbers. Even more, they can keep pests away too!
Bees, butterflies and yes, hummingbirds all love to work the blooms of zinnias. With bright flowers that can range from purple, pink and yellow to beautiful shades of white and orange, they are a welcome addition to flowerbeds, containers and gardens. Zinnia Seeds – California Giants Mix – Large 1 Ounce Packet
But the power of the zinnia doesn’t just stop there! This annual is also known to help repel many common garden pests too. Zinnias prefer full sun but can grow well in partial shade too. They are fairly drought tolerant and deer-resistant as well.
5) Hostas – How To Attract Hummingbirds With Plants
When it comes to perennials that hummingbirds love, hostas are near the top of the list. This shade loving plant not only fills flowerbeds with beautiful foliage, but also produces a long, spiky bloom in mid to late summer filled with nectar. And do hummingbirds ever love it!
The tall bloom stems make it easy for them to work the flowers at will. Even more, most hostas bloom for up to a month or more, giving hummingbirds an extended source of food throughout the mid summer months.
Even better, hostas are an extremely low-maintenance perennial for gardeners to maintain. They require little annual care other than cutting back and dividing when they become too large for their space.
But perhaps best of all, in addition to bringing a whole host of pollinators to your yard, hostas add big interest with their showy foliage. With their many varying shades of green and white, along with a wide variety of variegated styles, they can fill any landscape with interest.
Daylilies – How To Attract Hummingbirds With Plants
Much like hostas, daylilies are a wonderful low-maintenance perennial to add to your landscape. But this tough as nails, hardy perennial also happens to be a favorite for hummingbirds too!
With their elongated blooms, daylilies provide an excellent source of nectar for the long-billed hummingbird. Their dense foliage also provides plenty of cover while the birds work the numerous, long lasting blooms.
Daylilies come in a near endless array of varieties, with some flowering early in mid-spring, and others blooming all throughout the summer. Some, like the ever popular Stella d’Oro, will even bloom again in the same season. Product Affiliate Link: Stella D’oro Yellow Daylilies – 5 Bare Root Perennials
7) Sunflowers – How To Attract Hummingbirds With Plants
Last but not least, don’t forget the sunflowers! Yes – hummingbirds actually love visiting sunflowers and growing a few around your property or in flowerbeds or gardens can be ideal for them late in the growing season.
The tall blooms are a great source of nectar and energy in late summer when many other flowers have begun to disappear. Even better, sunflower seeds are easy to plant, and can also easily be saved from year to year. Affiliate Seed Link: Sow Right Seeds – Mammoth Sunflower Seeds to Plant
But perhaps what really makes them special is that even though hummingbirds will help feed on the nectar of the flowers, once the plant grows its large seed head, other birds can enjoy a meal from it as well!
Here is to attracting hummingbirds to your landscape this year with plants! And to enjoying their majestic beauty, all while helping to keep them safer than ever!
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This Is My Garden is a garden website created by gardeners, for gardeners. Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books and speaking for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. They publish three articles every week, 52 weeks a year. Sign up today to follow via email, or follow along!