From The Old Farmer's Almanac: Sign up to receive a FREE guide (A $4.95 value!) plus updates from Almanac.com.
Print
EmailFor centuries, gardeners have been fascinated with the beauty and aerobatics of hummingbirds. This article will show which types of plants will attract hummingbirds and how to create a friendly environment for them in your garden.
Hummingbird Facts
- They are the tiniest of all birds, weighing less than an ounce and measuring only 3 inches long.
- Their brightly-colored, iridescent feathers and quick movements make them appear as living sun catchers—hence their nickname, flying jewels.
- They have a unique ability to fly in any direction, even backward, with their wings beating up to a blurring 80 beats per second.
- Plus, they can hover in midair when sipping nectar from brightly–colored flowers with their long, slender beaks.
- While whizzing about the garden, hummingbirds expend so much energy that they must eat at least half of their body weight each day to replace the 12,000 calories that they can burn up. This means eating almost constantly from sunrise to sunset and visiting over a thousand flowers every day.
Attracting Hummingbirds
The key to attracting hummingbirds to your yard is to plant lots of flowers and provide the habitat that will give them shade, shelter, food, and security.
- Herbs, flowering shrubs, dwarf trees, and vines all can be used to create an ideal tiered habitat from ground level to 10 feet or more.
- Provide lots of space between plants to give hummingbirds enough room to hover and navigate from flower to flower.
- Hummingbirds love water, especially if it is moving. A gentle, continuous spray from a nozzle or a sprinkler hose is perfect for a bath on the fly.
- Hummingbirds do not have a keen sense of smell and rely on bright colors to find their food
- They are particularly fond of red and are often observed investigating red plant labels, thermometers, and even red clothes on a gardener.
- Brightly–colored flowers that are tubular hold the most nectar, and are particularly attractive to hummingbirds. These include perennials such as bee balms, columbines, daylilies, and lupines; biennials such as foxgloves and hollyhocks; and many annuals, including cleomes, impatiens, and petunias.
An often–asked question is, "Why do hummingbirds hum?" We really aren't sure, but suspect that it might be because they don't know the words.
Here are more plants that attract hummingbirds. Choose varieties in red and orange shades.
| Common Name | Latin Name |
|---|---|
| Beard tongue | Penstemon |
| Bee balm | Monarda |
| Butterfly bush | Buddleia |
| Catmint | Nepeta |
| Clove pink | Dianthus |
| Columbine | Aquilegia |
| Coral bells | Heuchera |
| Daylily | Hemerocallis |
| Larkspur | Delphinium |
| Desert candle | Yucca |
| Flag | Iris |
| Flowering tobacco | Nicotiana alata |
| Foxglove | Digitalis |
| Lily | Lilium |
| Lupine | Lupinus |
| Petunia | Petunia |
| Pincushion flower | Scabiosa |
| Red-hot poker | Kniphofia |
| Scarlet sage | Salvia splendens |
| Scarlet trumpet honeysuckle | Lonicera sempervirens |
| Soapwort | Saponaria |
| Summer phlox | Phlox paniculata |
| Verbena | Verbena |
| Weigela | Weigela |
More Articles:
Comments
Here are a few tried & true
Here are a few tried & true Hummer plants that I grow for the hummingbirds that spend the summer with me.
Stachys coccinea (Texas Betony)- annual
Salvia subrotunda - annual
Salvia greggiis - zone 7 hardy
Salvia guaraniticas - zone 7 hardy
Salvia coccineas - annual
Agastache rupestris - zsone 6 hardy
Agastache cana - zone 6 hardy
Canna indica - zone 8 hardy
Penstemon barbatus coccineus - zone 6 hardy
Penstomon murrayanus - zone 6 hardy
Crocosmia 'Lucifer' - zone 6 hardy
Bignonia capriolata (Crossvine) - z 6 hardy
Cypress Vine - annual vine
Cardinal Climber- annual vine
Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal flower) - perennial
Hersperaloe parviflora (Red Yucca)zone 6 hardy
Red Buckeye - zone 6 hardy
Bleeding Hearts - perennial
Aquilegia canadensis (eastern columbine)- perennial
Silene virginica - perennial
Heuchera (Coral Bells) - perennial
Russelia equisetiformis - annual
Pentas - annual
Cuphea ignea 'David Verity' - annual
Ipomopsis rubra (Standing cypress)biennial
Silene regia -zone 6 hardy
Others that I haven't tried yet are Turks Cap,Native Azaleas, and Penstemon eatonii,
Right now I have 4 feeders
Right now I have 4 feeders hanging out, others in my area have seen the flying jewels, but I haven't yet. I'm hoping to see some soon. I planted salvia, nasturiums and butterfly bushes. I have to get more planted. I'm sure they'll show up at my place soon. I also put out some fake Hawaiian Leis, they're colorful and they're hanging on a former swing that I'm using to hang my jewel feeders on.
Which are the hardiest for
Which are the hardiest for full sun? I have a small patio area and a few hummers coming regularly. I'd like to draw more! I've bought hibiscus bushes but have nowhere to store them for winter.
Sandra, I assume your are in
Sandra, I assume your are in zone 6 or colder. I moderate a hummingbird forum. Many of the plants listed above are more for butterflies than hummers though the the hummers will investigate them. Hardy perennials in sun for hummers would include Coral Honysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens), Coral Bells (Heuchera sanguinea), Penstemon barbatus coccineus, Agastache rupestris, Salvia azurea, Eastern Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis). Salvias, Penstemons and agastaches need excellent drainage. the native eastern columbine needs moist but well draining soil and Coral Bells will work with most soils as long as it doesn't stay too wet. Iris fulva works well in wet areas as does Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) Monarda Jacob's Cline' works in sun or shade but needs moist soil. Red Hot Poker does well in half day sun and is somewhat doubht tolerant and Crocosmia 'Lucifer' does well in parto or full sun. but does best in well draining soil. There are lots of more tender plants that will work great for attracting hummers. Check out The Hummingbird Forum We discuss the best plants to grow and where to find them.
Many of the plants listed
Many of the plants listed above are not hummer plants though a hummer may investigate them. Sweet rocket, mint and purple loosestrife are very invasive and will choke out natural vegetation. Some honeysuckles that are either European or Asian are also extremely invasive. For the eastern part of the US Lonicera sempervirens in the native honeysuckle that has coral red flowers and a very well behaved perennial vine.
The HUM from a hummingbird is
The HUM from a hummingbird is made by the vibration of their wings.
I found that Hummingbirds in
I found that Hummingbirds in my area love the Fuschia plant, so I get one every year. The problem that I have is with bees and wasps, and need a way to keep them away from the feeder without killing them. They also go after the grape jelly I put out for the Baltimore Orioles. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Bees and wasps like yellow
Bees and wasps like yellow flowers. The last 3yrs I had a swarm of bees that took over my hummer feeders and scared off the scouts. I then only had about seven of them vs the 20 or more I had previously. Last year mofher nature planted large clumps of Indian mustard, which are yellow. The bees went to them and left my feeders alone. Next year I will make sure that I have a lot of yellow flowers in the early spring growing in the proximity of the feeders
the only plant that i know
the only plant that i know will attract humming birds is the pineapple sage.I've already seen two humming birds.
I plant lantana in containers
I plant lantana in containers on my deck, and my hummers LOVE it! I just store the containers in the garage through the winter.
I am new to this area and
I am new to this area and have only seen 3 hummingbirds, twice at my liquid feeder. I do hope they will still be around mid-October. The Cleveland, Ohio in the city gets little action.
I've planted lilacs,
I've planted lilacs, butterfly bushes, hibiscus, various hostas, salvia, various Lillie's, roses & much more. In addition I have put out three red hummingbird feeders. I live in the northeast, in the garden state of New Jersey & did not see a single hummingbird last year. I'm very frustrated & disappointed. Any suggestions. ???? I also have a birdbath & several fountains.
In case they help, here are a
In case they help, here are a few suggestions:
* Make sure that your feeders have clean sugar water (with no red dye). Change it before it gets cloudy--daily in summer heat.
* Avoid using pesticides in your yard.
* Set out a hanging basket of tubular flowers close to the feeders.
* Check for any animals that may be scaring the hummingbirds away, such as cats, dogs, or hawks. Even praying mantises have been known to hang out at bird feeders to catch hummingbirds!
Good luck!
Post new comment