Flowers for Hummingbirds
by Diane Linsley
It's fun to watch hummingbirds drinking
from red plastic feeders, but there's nothing
like seeing them sipping from the flowers in
your own garden. For the last few years, I’ve
been observing hummingbirds in the hope of
discovering their favorite flowers. But just
when I think I’ve figured it out, the funny
little birds change their minds.
One day, they spend all their time visiting
the salvias, and another day, they prefer the
zinnias. When I expressed my frustration at not being able identify which flowers were the best, my husband said, “Well, some days you feel like eating broccoli, and other days you want chocolate cake. Maybe it’s the same way with hummingbirds.”
So here’s my list of favorite hummingbird flowers. You might be tempted to plant only “chocolate cake”, but remember that, “Variety is the spice of life”. So the more selection you have, the better.
Hummingbird Flowers
Agastache cana (Bubble Gum Mint) -- This is definitely chocolate cake for hummingbirds. I planted one of these at my mother-in-law's house, and she was ecstatic when she saw a hummingbird in her city garden for the first time in years.
Agastache rupestris (Sunset Hyssop) -- Think of this large perennial as a low-maintenance hummingbird feeder. Also consider other Agastache species.
Asclepias (Butterfly Weed) -- Not just for butterflies! My butterfly weed also attracts aphids, and hummingbirds eat aphids and other small insects.
Ceratotheca triloba (African Foxglove) -- If you need a tall annual for the back of the border, try African foxglove. The hummingbirds enjoy this rare flower.
Cleome (Spider Flower) -- Cleome serrulata and Cleome spinosa both attract hummingbirds to some degree. Hummingbirds will perch on the horizontal seedpods of Cleome spinosa.
Cosmos 'Ladybird Scarlet' -- I planted this near my hummingbird feeder, and I was surprised that some hummingbirds visited the cosmos more than the feeder.
Digitalis (Foxglove) -- The tubular flowers sometimes attract hummingbirds, and the plants are easy to grow in full sun or part shade.
Ipomoea (Morning Glory) -- Hummingbirds prefer the red varieties, of course, especially if they're trellised up high.
Ipomopsis (Scarlet Gilia) -- Chocolate cake for hummingbirds.
Kniphofia (Red Hot Poker) -- Red, orange and yellow flowers.
Mirabilis jalapa (Four O'Clock) -- The flowers close up in the heat of the afternoon, so watch for hummingbirds in the early morning or evening.
Monarda (Bee Balm) -- The brightly-colored species attract hummingbirds.
Nepeta (Catmint) -- This was a hummingbird favorite in my garden before I started growing more red flowers. Recommended species include Nepeta sibirica and Nepeta x faassenii.
Nicotiana langsdorfii (Green Flowering Tobacco) -- This is best described as "hummingbird broccoli". My hummers like to sip from it occasionally, and the chartreuse-green flowers make a nice foil for bright red or pink flowers in the garden. Nicotiana mutabilis is more popular with hummingbirds, maybe because they prefer the pink color. Also try Nicotiana sylvestris.
Penstemon (Beardtongue) -- Most penstemons, especially the red ones, are chocolate cake for hummingbirds.
Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) -- I was surprised to see a hummingbird returning to this plant several times one day, especially since there was an agastache nearby that should have been more tempting.
Silene regia (Royal Catchfly) -- A rare, native wildflower with stunning red flowers.
Scarlet Runner Bean (Phaseolus coccineus) -- Provides flowers for the hummingbirds and beans for your dinner!
Tithonia 'Torch' (Mexican Sunflower) -- A great butterfly magnet, but it sometimes attracts hummingbirds as well.
Verbena (Vervain) -- Another one for both hummingbirds and butterflies.
Zinnia -- The zinnias were a big hit this year!
Here are more flowers that I came across in my research that might be worth trying:
Begonia, bleeding heart, butterfly bush, canna, chelone, clematis, crabapple, crocosmia,
dahlia, fuschia, gaura, geranium, gladiolus, goldenrod, hawthorne, hesperis, hibiscus, honeysuckle, hosta, impatiens, iris, lantana, liatris, lilac, mock orange, nasturtium, pentas, petunia, phlox, physostegia, rose of sharon, Stachys coccinea, trumpet vine, veronica, weigelia, yucca, zauschneria.
Here's a link to a website where you can see some amazing pictures of baby hummingbirds from birth to first flight.
