Watching hummingbirds zoom through the air, hover and flit around the garden is so delightful, it's no wonder so many of us want to see more visiting our gardens. The key to a lively hummingbird garden is selecting the appropriate flowers for them to feast upon, and then planting a lot of them. Hummingbirds love bright, tublar flower; their long tongues allow them to reach the nectar inside. Nectar isn't the onnly thing that keeps hummingbirds happy -- they also eat small insencts.
Best Plants for a Hummingbird Garden
My Fair Maden™ Maiden Grass
A superb grass that adds visual excitement wherever use. As summer draws to a close, the showy plumes take center stage, as they glisten and shine in the sunlight high above the foliage. Nearly sterile with a notably low seed set. Full sun. Up to 8’ tall and 5’ wide. Zones 5-9.
Major Wheeler Honeysuckle
Hummingbirds flock to blazing red and gold blooms all summer long. An excellent, vigorous (but not invasive) selection of a North American native that thrives in high humidity and is mildew-free. Partial to full sun. Up to 10’ tall with support. Zones 4-8.
Blue Heaven Little Bluestem
Narrow, upright, grassy foliage creates a great vertical accent. Emerges blue, develops pink and burgundy hues in late summer, and turns a rich copper in fall. Also perfect for bird-friendly landscapes. Full sun. Up to 4’ tall and 3’ wide. Zones 3-10.
Kudos™ Gold Dwarf Agastache
Strike it rich with shades of gold that adorn this prolific bloomer with loads of richly colored flowers on dense, upright flower spikes. Wonderful summer color for warm, dry regions. Drought tolerant in coastal regions. Full sun. Up to 26" tall and wide. Zones 5-10.
Mango Popsicle Dwarf Poker
Mango-orange spikes bloom continuously throughout summer and into fall. The tidy clump of narrow green foliage remains neat throughout summer. A terrific drough tolerant garden plant and excellent cut flower. Full sun. Foliage up to 18' tall and wide; blooms reach 30' tall. Zones 6-9.
Brakelights® Red Yucca
Vibrant, brake light-red blooms are a great color improvement to this species! This compact selection rarely sets seedpods, meaning more prolific flowering over an exceptional long season. Full sun. Foliage up to 2' tall and wide; blooms rise 3' tall. Zones 5-10.
Apex™ Blue Meadow Sage
A compact selection and stunning addition to any border with spikes of intese blue-violet flowers that top dense, shrub-line clumps of fragrant, green foliage throughout summer. Adds bold color in mass plantings. Full sun. Up to 18' tall and wide. Zones 4-9.
Kudos Coral Dwarf Agastache
This prolific new compact hybrid has an impeccable habit, increased hardiness, improved disease resistance, and tolerance of wet, cold soils! Drought tolerant in coastal regions. Partial to full sun. Up to 10’ tall with support. Zones 5-10.
More Hummingbird-Friendly Plant Options
Colorburst™ Rose Cape Fuchsia
Partial shade to partial sun. Up to 3’ tall and 2’ wide. Zones 6-10.
Kanga Pink Kangaroo Paw
Partial to Full sun. Up to 14" tall and wide; blooms reach 24" tall. Zones 9-11.
Jazzy Jewel® Amber Hibiscus
Full sun. Up to 4’ tall and 5’ wide. Zones 9-11.
Emberglow Montbretia
Full sun. Up to 2’ tall and 1’ wide. Zones 6-10.
Hummingbird Garden Tips
- Use plants with prolific tubular flowers in shades of bright orange, red, yellow, pink, and even vivid purple.
- Plant hummingbird-friendly plants in masses to provide plenty of nectar for the incredibly high metabolism.
- Avoid pesticides and be more tolerant of insects in your garden (and any resulting damage on your leaves).
- Complement native flowers with longer blooming cultivars to keep the fest going from April through September.
