7 Plants and Flowers That Will Attract Hummingbirds to Your Garden
A guide to the bright, colorful, tubular flowers that hummingbirds love
Hummingbirds might be tiny, but they have hearty appetites and get their fill from a myriad of common garden species. It is thought that many plants, particularly narrow and tubular varieties, have evolved to accommodate their long, slender bills since some varieties of flowers are so narrow that they can only be pollinated by hummingbirds.
If you have been trying to lure these birds into your garden without much success, you may be wondering which flowers attract hummingbirds. According to George Pisegna, deputy director and chief of horticulture at The Horticultural Society of New York in Manhattan, you must have some trees, shrubs, or vines nearby to create shelter and a sense of security. "The garden needs to have enough open space for the hummingbird to navigate from flower to flower, have brightly colored flowers (particularly red) that are tubular, and water, as hummingbirds love a gentle, continuous spray," he says.
Ready to bring more hummingbirds to your yard? Add these expert-recommended plants and flowers to your garden to attract these beautiful birds.
Related: 8 Ways to Attract More Birds to Your Yard, According to Experts
Daylily
This bold and colorful flower is known for its trumpet-like shape, which comes in handy for hummingbirds as it allows them to reach the inside nectar more easily. Daylilies thrive in spring and fall, according to Lester Poole, Lowe's live nursery expert, and grow best in areas that receive at least six hours of direct sunlight.
Zone: 3 to 9
Mature size: 1 to 4 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; rich, well-draining, loamy soil; consistent watering
Columbine
"This perennial is a cheerful plant with clover-shaped foliage and thin, airy, tubular stems," says Valerie Ghitelman, vice president of product development and design at 1-800-Flowers.com. "Its flowers bloom in a wide range of colors such as red, yellow, white, blue, lavender, pink, and salmon." Hummingbirds tend to love columbines because they stick around—they're drought-resistant and don't require much water.
Zone: 3 to 8
Mature size: 1 to 3 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-draining soil; moderate watering
Sage Plants
You're probably most familiar with this plant—which grows as a hardy perennial in zones 5 to 8 and an annual in more humid climates (like zones 9 and 10)—for its use in the kitchen. Its family contains mints, basil, and salvias in a tremendous array of sizes and colors. "All provide long-lasting nectar sources, and by staggering the annual forms and the perennial forms, you can have season-long nectar sources," says Poole. "Pineapple sage is a super source for hummingbirds, with large quantities of scarlet, tube-like blossoms throughout the summer and fall."
Zone: 5 to 8 as a perennial; 9 and 10 as an annual
Mature size: 3 to 5 feet high x 3 to 4 feet high
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining, sandy soil; consistent water, but can be drought tolerant, too
Related: 15 Pollinator Plants That Will Attract Birds, Bees, and Butterflies to Your Garden
Lantana
Another flower that attracts hummingbirds is the tubular lantana, which comes in a variety of colors—most often yellow and purple. Because they are not likely to be grazed upon, they are left untouched for the hummingbird; they come back year after year in zones 7 and above (in cooler regions, they're a one-and-done plant). "Lantanas are not only a three-toned showstopper, they're able to survive periods of limited water supply, making them extremely easy to care for," says Poole. "Lantanas are best suited for planting in warmer climates, as they grow best in hot, dry weather with a minimum of six hours of direct sun."
Zone: 7 to 10
Mature size: 2 to 6 feet high x 3 to 10 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; rich, well-draining soil with lots of organic matter; moderate watering but drought-tolerant once established
Related: 10 Types of Butterfly Bushes That Attract Pollinators and Bloom All Season
Honeysuckle
Also a tubular flower, honeysuckle is a hummingbird magnet for its sweet nectar, as the name of this vining bloom suggests. "Hummingbirds adore these open-mouthed florals and are even more attracted to their bright red-toned petals, which flower on and off throughout the year," says Poole. "These flowers prefer full, direct sun and grow extremely fast."
Zone: 5 to 9
Mature size: 12 to 20 feet high x 3 to 6 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; rich, well-draining soil; moderate watering
Related: 12 Plants That Attract Butterflies to Your Yard
Pentas
These gorgeous bedding plants love the heat and are fairly inexpensive, but can produce numerous flowers in a variety of colors and sizes for a few years, says Paddy Cunningham, birding expert at Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. "Pentas have almost continuous blooms and can be used to edge beds in the smaller varieties or small bushes in the larger varieties," she says. "They can also be put into pots and hanging baskets for balconies and porches to attract hummingbirds."
Zone: 10 and 11
Mature size: 2 to 3 feet high x 2 to 3 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; moist, well-draining, fertile soil; regular watering
Bee Balm
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Plant some bee balm for a pop of purple color and an enticing flower for hummingbirds. They love bee balm's tubular-shaped purple flowers, which offer a sweet nectar that hummingbirds love.
Zone: 3 to 9
Mature size: 12 to 48 inches tall x 12 to 48 inches wide
Care requirements: Full sun; evenly moist, well-draining soil; deep, infrequent watering
Read the original article on Martha Stewart.