Plants That Attract Hummingbirds to the Garden

Wondering how to entice hummingbirds to visit your garden or window boxes? Or what do hummingbirds eat? Here are five flowers that get the job done if you’re looking for plants that attract hummingbirds. (You can also make your own homemade hummingbird food to fill a hanging feeder.)

Hummingbirds are always welcome guests in gardens. It’s fascinating to watch them flit from plant to plant like tiny sprites, pollinating flowers as they pass. So how can you lure these delightful “flying jewels” into your garden? By filling your beds with plants that attract hummingbirds naturally. The tiniest of birds, a handful of hummingbird species make their homes in New England—the Ruby-throated and Rufous hummingbirds being most common. They select their food by sight and choose flowers that provide high nectar content, with native species being top choices. When choosing flowers for your hummingbird garden, keep in mind that cultivated hybrid plants may not produce the high nectar content these birds require.

When attracting hummingbirds, it’s also important to keep your garden pesticide-free to allow a safe place for hummingbirds to gather, eat, and thrive. In addition to nectar, these tiny birds will also feed on small insects, which is another reason to stay away from insecticide and pesticide use in your garden. Hummingbird feeders, moving water sources, and garden decorations such as gazing balls and other ornaments swirled in hues that mimic those found in native plants will also aid in attracting the birds to your property.

5 Plants That Attract Hummingbirds

Bee Balm

A staple in most herb gardens, this plant is a member of the mint family, and, as the name suggests, it also attracts bees and butterflies as well as hummingbirds.

Petunia

An annual plant with waves of continually blooming flowers, these are particularly appealing to hummingbirds. Hanging pots dripping with petunias secured to a porch rafter can provide the ideal spot to watch hummingbirds gather to dine.

Azalea

A flowering shrub typically sporting deep pink flowers, this bush is related to the rhododendron, which also attracts hummingbirds.

Foxglove

The repeated bell shape of the foxglove flowers is ideal for providing a concentrated food source for hummingbirds.

Morning Glory

The twining blue flowers of the morning glory will attract hummingbirds to its opening blooms for their morning feed and throughout the day as well. When planted to grow around a lamppost or porch post near a window, great views of these fluttering feeders can be expected. Do you know of any other plants that attract hummingbirds? If so, we would love to hear which ones worked the best! This post was first published in 2014 and has been updated.

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