9 Flowers That Attract Hummingbirds to Your Garden

Hummingbirds feed on flowers with long, tube-shaped blooms, usually red, orange or pink, that hold plenty of nectar. Bees find those flowers hard to reach, so hummingbirds have them largely to themselves. Plant several of the nine below, choose ones that flower at different times, and you'll give hummingbirds a reason to visit all season. One note before you start: hummingbirds live only in the Americas, so this guide is for gardens in North, Central and South America.

What makes a hummingbird flower

• Tubular shape: long, narrow flowers match a hummingbird's bill and tongue.
• Warm colours: red is the classic signal, but orange, pink and some purples work too (UF/IFAS Extension).
• Lots of nectar, little scent: hummingbirds find flowers by sight, not smell.
• Many flowers per plant over a long season.

The 9 best flowers for hummingbirds

Plant	Type	Flowers	Light
Trumpet honeysuckle	Perennial vine	Spring to summer, repeats	Sun to part shade
Red columbine	Perennial	Spring	Part shade
Penstemon	Perennial	Late spring to summer	Full sun
Bee balm	Perennial	Mid-summer	Sun to part shade
Salvia	Perennial or annual	Summer to frost	Full sun
Cardinal flower	Perennial	Late summer	Sun to part shade, moist soil
Agastache (hyssop)	Perennial	Mid-summer to autumn	Full sun, dry soil
Fuchsia	Shrub or tender perennial	Summer to autumn	Part shade
Cuphea (cigar plant)	Annual or tender perennial	Summer to frost	Sun

1. Trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)

A native North American vine with clusters of coral-red tubes that hummingbirds visit from spring onwards. Unlike invasive Japanese honeysuckle, it's well behaved. Grow it on a fence, trellis or arch where you can see it from a window. It flowers best in sun but tolerates some shade.

2. Red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

Nodding red-and-yellow flowers in spring, often in bloom when the first hummingbirds return. It suits a partly shaded spot and self-seeds gently, so it slowly forms a colony.

3. Penstemon

Spikes of tubular flowers in late spring and summer. Red-flowered species such as firecracker penstemon are especially popular, but many penstemons work. They need sharp drainage and dislike sitting wet in winter. Choose a species native to your region for the best results.

4. Bee balm (Monarda)

Shaggy heads of tubular flowers in mid-summer. The red forms of scarlet bee balm are the hummingbird favourites, and butterflies and bees visit too. Give it space and air flow to limit powdery mildew, and divide clumps every few years.

5. Salvia

Salvias are among the longest-flowering hummingbird plants. Scarlet sage (Salvia coccinea), anise-scented sage ('Black and Blue'), autumn sage (Salvia greggii) and pineapple sage all flower from summer into autumn. In cold areas, grow the tender types as annuals or take cuttings in late summer.

6. Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

Brilliant red spikes in late summer, when many other flowers are fading. It needs consistently moist soil, so it's ideal near a pond, at the bottom of a slope or in a rain garden. It's short-lived, but it self-seeds in damp spots.

7. Agastache (hyssop)

Drought-tolerant perennials with spikes of small tubular flowers in orange, pink and purple from mid-summer to autumn. They want full sun and lean, well-drained soil, and they suit hot, dry gardens where bee balm and cardinal flower would struggle.

8. Fuchsia

Dangling flowers that are almost purpose-built for hummingbirds. Fuchsias prefer part shade and steady moisture, and they're ideal for hanging baskets and containers on a shady porch where hummingbirds can feed at eye level.

9. Cuphea (cigar plant)

Small orange-red tubular flowers in huge numbers from summer until frost. It's heat-loving, compact and excellent in pots. Grow it as an annual in cold climates.

Flowers that don't help much

Some plants often recommended for hummingbirds offer little nectar or the wrong shape. Impatiens, petunias and many highly bred double-flowered varieties look colourful but are rarely the plants hummingbirds return to. Double flowers in particular often have little accessible nectar. Butterfly bush (Buddleja) is better for butterflies than hummingbirds, and it's invasive in some regions.

Plan for nectar from spring to autumn

• Spring: red columbine, trumpet honeysuckle.
• Early summer: penstemon, bee balm.
• Mid to late summer: salvias, agastache, cardinal flower, fuchsia, cuphea.
• Autumn: late salvias (especially pineapple sage), agastache, cuphea; these feed migrating birds.

Make your garden more hummingbird-friendly

• Plant in groups. Several plants of the same flower together are easier to spot and worth defending.
• Add perches. Hummingbirds rest often. Small, bare twigs on a shrub or a thin branch nearby give them a lookout.
• Provide shallow water. A fine mister or a dripper above a birdbath is more attractive than still water. Our bee water station project helps other pollinators too.
• Skip insecticides. Hummingbirds feed small insects to their chicks; spraying removes that food.

Should you use a feeder too?

Feeders work well alongside flowers, especially in early spring and late autumn. Use one part white sugar to four parts water, with no red dye, and change it every two to three days in warm weather (more often in heat) to stop fermentation and mould. Flowers remain the better long-term food source.

Frequently asked questions

What colour flowers attract hummingbirds the most?

Red, followed by orange and pink. Flower shape matters as much as colour: long tubes they can reach into.

Do hummingbirds like butterfly bush?

Occasionally, but it's mainly a butterfly plant. Salvias, bee balm and honeysuckle are far better choices.

Can I attract hummingbirds with plants in pots?

Yes. Fuchsias, cuphea, salvias and dwarf bee balm all do well in containers on a patio or balcony.

How long until hummingbirds find my garden?

Often within the first season, especially if you plant several nectar plants together along their migration route.

Many of these plants also feed butterflies; see our guide to the best flowers for a butterfly garden. Lavender and bee balm feature in both: read our lavender guide. More in our flower guides.