15 Best Flowers for Attracting Hummingbirds
Attracting hummingbirds in your yard can be much more complicated than growing beautiful flowers in the garden. If you want to make your backyard garden attractive for hummingbirds and their favorite feeding place, you can follow some important tips discussed in this article.
You can use a nectar feeder in your yard, which is an effective step for attracting hummingbirds. There are many suitable nectar feeders available in the market. Choose high nectar-producing flower species for your garden if you are planting flowers in your yard.
Hummingbirds require a regular supply of nectar because the birds have a really high metabolism that makes them one of the most active birds in the world. So, creating a nectar hotspot in your yard is a good step to attract hummingbirds. Some flower blooms are tube-shaped thus, bugs cannot eat their nectar but hummingbirds can reach them by their beak and long tongue.
Due to their beak, the birds do not have much competition for nectar. Since the birds are native to the western hemisphere, thus try to plant American native species in your yard because hummingbirds feed on the plants forever. Choose such flowers that you can buy from a nearby nursery and garden and which are easily accessible in your area. If you find such plants, which are easily accessible and have good nectar content, choose the species that is easy to maintain if you are not willing to take care of it regularly.
Here is the list of best flowers that attract hummingbirds in your yard.
i. Red Cardinal Flower
The blooming time of the flower is from June- to August. It is also a perennial plant that grows in moist soil. The flowers of red cardinal are deep red-colored and highly attractive to hummingbirds. The plant is native to the United States and can be grown easily almost everywhere in the United States. The flowers of the red cardinal are tube-shaped that point upward.
The nectar is eaten by all nearby hummingbirds and completes their energy requirement. As the result, hummingbirds also serve as a pollinator for red cardinals, which shows an example of a symbiotic relationship. The plant cannot survive in full sun or dry conditions, so make sure to plant it in a moist area.
ii. Trumpet Vine Flower
The Vine is perfect as it has good nectar content and is also easy to maintain. The flower is tube-shaped thus hummingbirds prefer it also due to its vibrant red color and high nectar content. The only problem with the trumpet vine is its growth. You may need to cut the vine back otherwise it will take over your whole garden.
However, it can be also considered as a good problem because the vine can also provide a nesting site to some birds including hummingbirds. Trumpet vine can be available at your local nursery and after one or two years after planting, it starts blooming. In the United States, the vine can grow almost everywhere.
iii. Lupine Flower
The blooming time of Lupine is May to July. In some areas, the plant grows wild thus you can also find it easily outside the nursery. It does not require very much maintenance and only requires an hour per month, thus the plant is suitable for you if you forget about the plant after planting it. The plant reaches up to the height of three feet and produces tube-shaped flowers of various colors.
In addition to their flowers, the foliage of lupines is also beautiful consisting of grey/green color. The plants can be grown easily in most areas because they grow wildly in some areas. You should plant it when it can soak up the sun because they need bright sunlight for flowering and don’t produce flowers in the shade.
iv. Trumpet Honeysuckle
The blooming time of trumpet honeysuckle is May- June. It is a perennial plant special that blooms in full sun and also in full shade. Most of the tube-shaped are called ‘trumpet’ due to some reasons, thus most species have the ‘trumpet’ nomenclature. Trumpet honeysuckle also produces red and orange colored flowers and is often confused with trumpet vine.
Unlike trumpet vine, the plant does not grow widespread but grows easily so it can opt if you do not want to trim the plant regularly. The plant can also grow in clay soil and the proximity of black walnut trees. The plant is also known as “coral honeysuckle” and you can search it by this name at your local nursery. The plant is native to the eastern and southern United States.
v. Firewood Flower
In the United States, the plant grows wild in many areas near riverbanks and meadows. Oppose to its name, the plant is not dangerous that you should be removed from your garden. The plants can one of the first signs of life at a place after a fire, thus it got its name ‘firewood’. An example is the Mount Saint Helens explosion, where the plant appeared first after the fire. Earlier, Native Americans used the flowers of firewood as a string due to its resilience.
They also make teas from the plant and get nutrition. The plant is a rich source of vitamins C and A. The average height of a firewood plant is around 4 to 6 feet. The plant is also named “weed” and it is rightfully so. The plants of firewood can grow everywhere in your garden if you forget to cut the flowers back.
vi. Coral Bell Flower
Coral bell is a perennial plant that blooms during late- spring. The blooms of the plant are tiny but still, hummingbirds love them as other flowers of a trumpet shape. The plants are also loved by many gardeners for their large and attractive leaves and also grown for their leaves instead of their flowers.
Gardeners also cut the blooms to ensure that the leaves get enough nutrition and grow properly. But don’t cut off the flowers, if you are trying to attract hummingbirds in your yard. The plant coral bell adds a lot of greenery to the garden with its bell-shaped blooms and attractive leaves.
Columbines are also planted with coral bells by several hummingbird gardeners. The plant should be placed near the treeline or along the edges of wooded areas, however, they also grow there naturally.
vii. Sage Flower
The blooming time of sages depends on their species. It is an attractive flowering plant that provides relaxing snacks to hummingbirds and is also known for its calming properties. The leaves of the plant are edible and they also don’t need much maintenance. Sage is classified into different species so, find out the best species for your area.
The plant comes in a wide range of sizes and colors of species that help you make your garden attractive and it is very adaptable to the yard. The hummingbirds and other bird pollinators love sage species due to their tube-shaped flowers. The flower is easily available at any nursery in the United States. You can easily find at least one species of sage that can be grown easily in your area.
viii. Indian Pink Flower
Indian pink is a perennial flowering plant that blooms in June. The plants can be found in the south-eastern United States. Indian pink produces beautiful flowers of red and yellow color that hummingbirds love. The yellow interior pops in red background. The flower of the plant blooms in clusters and appears like multiple bursts of gorgeous colors in the garden.
Another name of the plant is pinkroot, which grows with dense foliage and gives a lot of greenery to the garden. The plants require acidic soil for better growth and if the soil is not acidic, they may need more maintenance. Instead of full sun, the flower blooms and thrives in partially shaded places, so you can consider growing this plant in your garden if it is located in a shaded area.
ix. California Fuchsia Flower
Fuchsia is the best plant to attract hummingbirds in the yard. The plant grows well in dry conditions so if you live in desert-like conditions, it is the best plant to grow in your yard. The plants require a small amount of water to thrive. The blooming period of fuchsia is also long, around 4 weeks. Fuchsia is not liked by deers and gardeners also don’t like deers as they can turn their plants into mere stubs and can destroy the garden.
Fuchsia requires full sun for better growth thus, the plant is the best option for you if you live in dry and arid conditions. However, you can grow them even if you live in the northern United States because the plants are hardy and can bloom and grow almost everywhere in the US. The plants cannot grow properly in clay soil.
x. Columbine Flower
Columbine blooms during May. The plant is a perennial that grows in full sun. The flowers of columbine are unique shaped, their trails come from behind the trumpet-shaped blooms. Including humans, hummingbirds also love to look at these flowers.
However, the flowers of columbine are wider than other species but still, insects cannot eat its nectar because the flowers are deep. When hummingbirds return for the summer after their winter migration, the columbine starts blooming, thus their blooming time coincides with the bird’s migration.
Hummingbirds get nectar from columbine flowers after arriving from the south. Columbine comes in various types thus some of them can easily grow in your hummingbird yard. The species are easily accessible at nearby nurseries and you can also grow them from seeds.
xi. Zinnia Flower
Zinnia is an annual flowering plant that blooms during summers. The flower is not trumpet-shaped thus the nectar is accessible to insects also and it is not exclusive to pollinators such as butterflies and hummingbirds. But still, zinnia is an attractive source of nectar for hummingbirds.
The Zowie Yellow Flame is the variety of zinnia that produces a relatively high content of pollen florets. The variety might be costly but it can attract hummingbirds in your yard. The plants are very easy to grow from seeds and produce a lot of flowers. You can also grow zinnias in your garden to get a charming look on your front porch or near windows.
It can be grown easily in containers and boxes. The plant should be placed in full sun and it produces plenty of flowers in different soil. If you are growing them from seeds, they germinate within a week and you can see the seedlings in some days.
xii. Lilies Flower
Lilies are perennial plants that bloom during the summer season. It is a common plant that can be seen outside the nursery. Due to the shape and color of their flowers, lilies are the favorite of hummingbirds. The plant produces large and vibrant colored blooms that cannot be missed from the eyes.
If you live in the western United States, you should plant tiger lilies and residents of the Eastern half of the United States should prefer Canada Lilies. The plant can be grown from bulbs that can find easily. Lilies are toxic to cats, so if you have a pet cat consider planting other flowers. Lilies can be grown easily anywhere thus they are considered invasive. You should grow the bulbs of lily in dry soil because the moisture causes the bulb to rot.
xiii. Azalea Flower
Azalea is a perennial plant that blooms during the spring season. It is a bushy plant and during blooming season, the bush is entirely covered by blooms. The plant can also survive and bloom in partial shade. You can also plant them with green foliage and with the backdrop of woods where they look great due to their brightly colored flowers.
The plants need little maintenance and require pruning and trimming for looking best. Cut off their dead branches and maintain their bushy appearance. The soil should be well-drained and prone to root rot. The flowers of azalea provide various vibrant colors to the garden, thus they are preferred by hummingbirds.
Hummingbirds are also pollinators of azalea flowers due to their trumpet shape. The flowers also attract butterflies that will make your garden more attractive with their colorful appearance. The leaves of azaleas are poisonous for animals so keep the animals away. Azaleas can be used to attract butterflies and hummingbirds for a longer time than other plant species during spring.
xiv. Red Buckeye Flower
When hummingbirds return from their winter vacation, they get a treat from the nectar of red buckeye. The leaves of red buckeye appear like palms due to their size. You can grow these plants near trees such as oak and hickory. The plant should be grown in full sun but still, you should protect it from the sun during hottest days and if you live in hot climates.
The plant of red buckeye can be grown from its seeds and then transplant the plants into your garden. The saplings of the trees can be acquired from a nearby nursery if you are not willing to grow them from seed. The nuts of buckeye are very toxic.
xv. Mountain Laurel Flower
Mountain laurel is the state flower of Pennsylvania. The flower starts blooming during late spring and produces flowers in clusters. It provides a lot of nectar to hummingbirds in a short period of time, thus the birds prefer them. The plants can be grown in shaded areas as well as shaded environments, but they grow well in mountains thus they get the name ‘mountain laurel’.
You can also plant it for lining the garden or walkways but it needs acidic soil and moisture, humidity for proper growth. Thus, in this list mountain laurel is one of the pickiest flowers but it can attract a lot of hummingbirds in your garden have the right environment to grow it.
Mountain laurel can be grown in such places which receive snow in the winter and have mountains. The plant could thrive in the coldest conditions and also in rocky environments where most of the plants could not survive.
Attracting Hummingbirds FAQ
Hummingbirds are among the most beautiful and interesting of all birds, so if you have your heart set on attracting them into your yard, there are plenty of things you can do to help them decide to stay in your neck of the woods rather than travel on to their next destination.
The key is simply figuring out what they need and providing it to them with patience and diligence, ensuring that you provide the correct support for each stage of their development and continually add new ways to make it more attractive in order to keep them coming back year after year. Here’s some proven tips on how to attract hummingbirds into your yard.
How to attract humming birds?
You can easily attract hummingbirds into your yard by providing a food source, water, and shelter. Although you can grow most types of plants that attract these birds naturally in your garden or yard, some of their favorite flowers are trumpet vine, pincushion flower, coral honeysuckle, coral bells and a few others. Additionally provide a source of fresh water with a small bird bath and hanging feeders filled with nectar. Make sure they are cleaned on a regular basis so they don’t develop mold or mildew.
Do hummingbirds like bird bath?
One thing that can help attract hummingbirds is a birdbath. Keep it filled with fresh water so birds have a place to drink and bathe. If you’re lucky, you might even see hummingbirds bathing together! These birds are also known for their appetite, so putting out nectar-filled feeders is a great way to attract them and other animals.
How to make hummingbirds nectar?
The most popular mixture is one part sugar and four parts water heated until dissolved, but you can also add a few drops of food coloring for fun! You can also create homemade nectar using any combination of sugar and water–it’s as simple as mixing 1 part sugar with 4 parts boiling water (then let cool). Store in refrigerator until ready to use. It should keep for up to two weeks.
Where should I hang hummingbirds feeder?
If you’re setting up a hummingbird feeder, place it at least 20 feet away from other window feeders. Some birds like to hang out on window feeders, and they will actually block your view of any hummingbirds that are also enjoying your birdfeeder. If you have multiple windows in your house, consider only placing your feeder near one of them.
Also keep in mind that if you’re using a backyard birdfeeder (rather than a hanging feeder on an outside wall), you’ll probably want to put it higher off of the ground so that cats can’t reach it—many cat owners end up buying extra-tall or special cat-proof birdfeeders for their feline friends.
What do hummingbirds eat?
Hummingbirds are notoriously picky eaters. They can only eat certain types of flowers and they prefer nectar that is at least 10 percent sugar. Because of their diet, you might want to create an area in your yard with varieties of plants that provide hummingbird food. The easiest way to do so is by building a hummingbird garden filled with beautiful, blooming flowers and trees.
What is hummingbirds nectar?
It’s important that hummingbird feeders are filled with a sweet liquid called nectar. The most popular sweetener used in commercial nectars is a natural sugar called sucrose, which is found in beets and cane. Some people prefer a more natural alternative, so they use honey as a sweetener instead. In addition to sugar, you can also add other flavors to your nectar if you’re trying to encourage hummingbirds to hang around for longer periods of time. For example, mint leaves can help make hummingbird nectar taste better and last longer than plain sugar water by inhibiting mold growth.
Do hummingbirds feeder help?
A hummingbird feeder is one of a few items that you need in order to attract hummingbirds into your yard. By placing a hummingbird feeder on your porch or near your window, you are helping keep them coming back over and over again. When keeping a feeder clean is too much of a hassle, it may be time to replace it. It can be fun experimenting with different varieties and styles of feeders; they also make great gifts for bird lovers!
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