To attract hummingbirds, plant a succession of nectar-rich flowers suited to your region, with bloom times that overlap across the local season. Tubular red, orange and pink flowers are popular choices, but color alone is no guarantee: hummingbirds also visit flowers in other colors. The ten plants below offer options for different climates, garden spaces and soil conditions.
Which flowers attract hummingbirds?
Hummingbirds feed on nectar, and flowering plants are a direct way to make a yard useful to them. As Ken Johnson, Horticulture Educator at the University of Illinois Extension, writes, “Nectar is an essential part of a hummingbird’s diet, and incorporating nectar-rich flowering plants into a landscape is one of the best ways to attract them.”
These ten choices are a cross-region shortlist, not a ranking or a guarantee of visits. Before planting, check whether a species suits your local climate, hardiness, sunlight and soil moisture. Native plants are a strong starting point, but the best choice depends on where you garden.
10 flowers to consider for your yard
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Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Its vivid red, tubular flowers make it a standout hummingbird plant. Cardinal flower is a wetland perennial, so it suits a rain garden, stream edge or other consistently moist spot better than a dry bed. Florida guidance gives its bloom season as summer to fall; timing varies by region.
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Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)
This native climbing vine has bright red, trumpet-shaped flowers and can cover a trellis or fence. The University of Florida IFAS lists it for hardiness zones 4–10 and spring-through-summer flowering. Give it a support and confirm that its growing conditions fit your area.
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Bee balm (Monarda didyma)
Illinois Extension includes bee balm among plants readily visited by hummingbirds. Choose a species or cultivar appropriate for your region, and check local advice for its site and moisture needs.
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Eastern red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
A native eastern species listed by Illinois Extension, columbine can add an earlier-season flowering option where it is suited to the climate. Nevada Extension also recommends columbine as a way to diversify flower forms in a hummingbird garden.
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Foxglove beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)
Illinois Extension lists this penstemon among hummingbird-friendly plants. Its tubular blooms suit hummingbird feeding, but penstemon species differ by region; select one native or adapted to your location.
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Scarlet sage (Salvia coccinea)
Scarlet sage produces tubular red, pink or white flowers. Florida IFAS reports flowering in spring, summer and fall, with best flowering in full sun, and lists zones 7–11. Those season and hardiness details are Florida guidance, not a universal planting calendar.
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Firebush (Hamelia patens)
This warm-climate shrub bears orange-red tubular flowers and can grow large, so allow room for its mature size. Florida IFAS lists zones 9–11 and says it may bloom much of the year in suitable conditions.
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Scarlet rosemallow (Hibiscus coccineus)
Also called scarlet hibiscus, this plant has large red flowers that attract hummingbirds. Florida IFAS lists zones 8–10 and recommends moist soil with full sun to partial shade.
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Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)
Jewelweed is named as a locally evolved hummingbird-garden plant by Vermont Extension and appears on Illinois Extension’s list of plants visited by hummingbirds. Consider it where regional conditions and its moisture needs suit your yard.
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California fuchsia (Zauschneria californica)
Nevada Extension recommends this western-region option for Anna’s hummingbirds. It is a regional choice rather than a nationwide default, so check local planting guidance before choosing it.
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How to choose plants for a season of blooms
Build a mix rather than relying on a single flower that may bloom only briefly. Combine species whose flowering periods overlap and, where possible, fill gaps across the hummingbird season in your area. Bloom dates differ with climate and site conditions, so a local extension service or native-plant nursery can help match plants to your region.
Compare candidates on the conditions that determine whether they will thrive:
- Local fit: Check native range, hardiness and local recommendations before buying.
- Sun and moisture: Match the plant to the actual garden bed; cardinal flower, for example, is suited to wet ground, while scarlet sage flowers best in full sun under Florida guidance.
- Space and growth form: A vine needs a support, while a shrub such as firebush needs room to grow. Choose plants that fit the yard rather than crowding them into unsuitable spaces.
- Bloom timing: Combine plants to provide nectar over a longer portion of the local season instead of concentrating all flowers in one brief period.
Where space allows, plant several of the same species together rather than scattering isolated specimens. Groupings can make flowers easier for birds to find while adding clear patches of color to the garden.
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Flowers are only part of a hummingbird-friendly yard
Nectar is not a hummingbird’s only food. Illinois Extension reports that an adult female hummingbird may eat up to 2,000 insects per day, so protecting insect life matters too. Minimize pesticide use, especially insecticides, which can reduce insect food and may poison hummingbirds directly.
Trees and shrubs add perching, nesting and protective habitat. A shallow water source or mister can also help. Think of flowers as the foundation of a hospitable yard, complemented by cover and access to other resources.
Any of these flowers may be a useful choice when it suits the location, but planting one does not guarantee a visit. Hummingbird presence depends on the birds found in the area, the season and the wider habitat.
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