Gardening Wild Birds Attracting & Feeding Birds

23 Best Plants to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Yard

By
David Beaulieu
David Beaulieu
David Beaulieu

David Beaulieu is a landscaping expert and plant photographer, with 20 years of experience.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Updated on 06/25/24
Reviewed by
Kathleen Miller
Kathleen Miller
Reviewed by Kathleen Miller
Kathleen Miller is a highly-regarded Master Gardener and horticulturist with over 30 years of experience in organic gardening, farming, and landscape design. She founded Gaia's Farm and Gardens, a working sustainable permaculture farm, and writes for Gaia Grows, a local newspaper column.
Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board
Hummingbird feeding at a lantana flower.

DansPhotoArt on flickr / Getty Images

There are so many beautiful hummingbird plants you can grow in your garden. However, in addition to understanding the specific types of plants that will bring hummingbirds to your yard, it's also important to know why hummingbirds are attracted to certain types of plants.

Hummingbirds often gravitate towards red flowers, and those with narrow, tubular throats. However, hummingbirds love nectar-rich flowers of all hues.

Creating a habitat is also vital for enticing hummingbirds to visit. Adding water, such as with a bird bath or hummingbird feeder, and providing shelter with vines, trees, and bushes will help hummingbirds feel right at home. You can create a dynamic environment by planting these plants in flower beds, in pots, or in hanging baskets.

Here are 23 annuals, perennials, flowering vines, and herbaceous plants to attract hummingbirds.

  • 01 of 23

    Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)

    Bee balm plant with bright pink showy flowers on thin stems

    The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

    The long-blooming perennial bee balm (Monarda didyma) is a fine choice for plants in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 9. This member of the mint family with red or light purple blooms likes soil that is slightly acidic and on the moist side. It reaches a maximum of 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide (many cultivars are smaller). Full sun in the North is best; in the South, give it partial shade.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
    • Flower Color Varieties: Red, purple, pink, white, lavender
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Rich, moist
    • Mature Size: 10–48 in. tall, 10–36 in. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 02 of 23

    Phlox (Phlox paniculata)

    Phlox plant with small purple and white flowers clustered on end of stem

    The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

    Garden phlox (Phlox paniculata) bears fragrant flowers that draw hummingbirds to yards in zones 4 to 8. These perennials can give you a number of different looks, including the variegated leaves of 'Nora Leigh' (24 to 36 inches tall with a width about half that) and the white flowers of the mildew-resistant 'David' cultivar (3 to 4 feet tall, spreading about 2 to 3 feet) that make it a good moon garden plant. Give garden phlox full sun in the North and partial sun in the South.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
    • Flower Color Varieties: Lavender, lilac, pink, purple, salmon, white
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Moist but well-drained
    • Mature Size: 2 to 4 ft. tall, 2 to 3 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 03 of 23

    Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadense)

    Columbine flower with red and yellow jasper cap-like petals on thin stem closeup

    The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

    Red columbine (Aquilegia canadense) is a 2-foot-tall perennial for zones 3 to 8. Its blooms are showy and timely and are perfect for attracting hummingbirds just beginning to return north from their winter homes. Columbine performs well in partial shade.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
    • Flower Color Varieties: Red, orange, yellow, blue, purple, violet, pink, white
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Sandy, loamy, moist but well-drained; slightly acidic
    • Mature Size: 1-3 ft. tall, 1-2 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 04 of 23

    Blue lupine (Lupinus perennis)

    Blue lupine flowers behind palmate leaves with royal blue petals and green tipped buds at ends of stems

    The Spruce / K. Dave

    Blue lupine (Lupinus perennis) is native to North America; grow it in zones 3 to 8. Two feet tall when in bloom, this plant isn't as showy as the non-native lupines, but native plant enthusiasts will gladly give up a little pizzazz to see hummingbirds sipping nectar from a made-in-America perennial. Give it full sun in the North, and partial shade in the South.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
    • Flower Color Varieties: Blue; sometimes white or pinkish
    • Light: Full
    • Soil Needs: Dry to average moisture, well-drained soil
    • Mature Size: 2–24 inches tall, 12–18 inches wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
    Continue to 5 of 23 below
  • 05 of 23

    Larkspur (Delphinium)

    Delphinium plant with bright blue columnar spikes clustered with small blue flowers in garden

    The Spruce / Autumn Wood

    Larkspur (Delphinium) is a traditional favorite that supplies hummingbirds with food. Their value also comes from the heights they reach. Some delphiniums can be grown in zones 3 to 9, often up to 7 feet tall.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
    • Flower Color Varieties: Blue, pink, purple, white
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Moist loam, well-draining
    • Mature Size: 6 in. to 7 ft. fall
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 06 of 23

    Hollyhocks (Alcea)

    Hollyhock mallow plant with pink, white and red trumpet-shaped flowers and buds on flower spikes

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Sun-loving hollyhocks (Alcea) often outgrow even the delphiniums and are hardy to zone 3. Despite technically being biennials, hollyhocks self-seed so well that they are usually treated as perennials. Both delphiniums and hollyhocks come in a variety of colors and, due to their stately stature, are an excellent choice to form a back row in a tiered perennial bed.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 2-10
    • Flower Color Varieties: White, pink, red, yellow, lavender
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained
    • Mature Size: Typically up to 8 ft. tall, 1-2 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Somewhat
  • 07 of 23

    Crocosmia 'Lucifer'

    Crocosmia

    The Spruce / Autumn Wood

    Seek the 'Lucifer' cultivar of Crocosmia (30 to 36 inches tall and about half as wide) for flowers in the orange-to-red color range. This South African native is "for the birds," while rabbit pests avoid it. Crocosmia plants spring out of corms and should be grown in full sun to partial shade in zones 5 to 9.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
    • Flower Color Varieties: Red, yellow, orange
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Well-drained
    • Mature Size: 2-3 feet high
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 08 of 23

    Salvia (Salvia nemorosa)

    Salvia plant with small purple flowers on spikes closeup

    The Spruce / Krystal Slagle

    Cold-hardy to zone 4, Salvia nemorosa is usually known for its spikes of bluish or purplish flowers. But this perennial salvia also attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Many cultivars are available. Size is commonly 18 to 24 inches in height, with a similar spread. The leaves are lance-shaped and give off a pungent aroma. Give Salvia nemorosa full sun and adequate water, and deadhead it, and it will provide color all summer long.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
    • Flower Color Varieties: Lavender to violet blue
    • Light: Full
    • Soil Needs: Moist, well-draining
    • Mature Size: 18 to 24 inches in height, with a similar spread
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
    Continue to 9 of 23 below
  • 09 of 23

    Coral Bells (Heuchera spp.)

    "Honey Rose" Coral Bells stems with small pink flowers closeup

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    The plants are small, and the flowers are even smaller, but Heuchera spp. attract hummingbirds. 'Blondie' is a cultivar of coral bells with yellow flowers for zones 4 to 9. This perennial can take full sun. It's a small (5 inches when not in bloom) plant, useful at the front of a perennial border.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
    • Flower Color Varieties: Red, white, pink, orange
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Rich, moist but well-drained
    • Mature Size: 8–18 in. tall, 12–24 in. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 10 of 23

    Impatient Lucy (Impatiens)

    Impatiens plant with dark green leaves surrounding bright pink flowers

    The Spruce / Leticia Almeida

    Impatiens is a bedding plant that draws hummingbirds. This small annual will grow in the shade, allowing you to attract hummingbirds to your yard even if you have a small property and don't get much sun on your land. Impatient Lucy doesn't get much bigger than a foot tall and commonly flowers in white, red, pink, violet, coral, or purple.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 11
    • Flower Color Varieties: White, red, pink, orange, purple, yellow
    • Light: Partial sun, full shade
    • Soil Needs: Well-draining; acidic
    • Mature Size: 6–36 in. tall; 1–3 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: No
  • 11 of 23

    Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii)

    Butterfly bush plant with tiny pink flower clustered on spike closeup

    The Spruce / Leticia Almeida

    A shrub that has a prime place in sunny hummingbird gardens is Buddleia davidii (though it should be treated as a herbaceous perennial rather than a shrub). For some gardens, it can become too large, so pruning the butterfly bush will be necessary in late winter or early spring. It can be invasive in some areas, including the Pacific Northwest. A new cultivar, 'Blue Chip,' is touted as a non-invasive alternative.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
    • Flower Color Varieties: Purple, pink, blue, white, yellow
    • Light: Full
    • Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained soil
    • Mature Size: 3–12 ft. tall, 3-8-ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 12 of 23

    Rhododendron

    Rhododendron shrub with light purple flowers clustered on tall branches

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Catawba rhododendron shrubs (Rhododendron catawbiense) are broadleaf evergreen bushes with dark-green, leathery foliage. They bear spectacular flowers in the spring that are effective for attracting hummingbirds. This rhododendron shrub is easy to transplant, but, like other rhododendrons, it does require acidic soil.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
    • Flower Color Varieties: White, lavender, rose, or red
    • Light: Partial sun to full shade
    • Soil Needs: Fertile, well-drained; acidic
    • Mature Size: 6-8 ft. tall, 4-6 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: No

    Warning

    Rhododendron is toxic to people, dogs, cats, and other pets.

    Continue to 13 of 23 below
  • 13 of 23

    Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)

    Rose of Sharon plant with large orange flower and single pistil

    The Spruce / Autumn Wood

    Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is a late-blooming shrub with an upright growing habit that can reach a height of 8 to 10 feet with a spread of 4 to 6 feet. These bushes profit from pruning and do their best in full sun. Blooms can be red, pink, purple, blue, or white. They work well in shrub borders in zones 5 to 9.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8
    • Flower Color Varieties: Pink, purple, lavender, red, blue, white; often with dark throats
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained; acidic
    • Mature Size: 8–12 ft. tall, 6–10 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Somewhat
  • 14 of 23

    Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans)

    Trumpet vine flowers with orange trumpet-shaped petals closeup

    The Spruce / David Beaulieu

    Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans) produces orange or reddish-orange to salmon flowers throughout most summer months in zones 4 to 9. It does best in full sun to partial shade. Provide this 40-foot-tall vine with an arbor, trellis, or fence, and let it climb. This vigorous vine must be pruned back to keep it "within bounds." Indeed, even in the southeastern U.S. (to which it is native), this vine is sometimes considered a weed. It may be too aggressive or invasive for many gardeners, so do not grow it if you do not want it popping up all over your yard.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
    • Flower Color Varieties: Orange, red, yellow
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Average, moist but well-drained
    • Mature Size: 25–40 ft. long, 5–10 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: No
  • 15 of 23

    Trumpet Honeysuckle

    Common honeysuckle plant with tubular pink, yellow and orange flowers on vine-like branches

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Honeysuckle vines can be grown in full sun to partial shade. Magnifica honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens 'Magnifica'), with its large, scarlet flowers that attract hummingbirds, can be grown in zones 3 to 9. Unlike the trumpet vine, this 10-to-20-foot plant is a true creeper, meaning more maintenance is required to climb a trellis, achieving the best display. Some species of honeysuckle are invasive, so be mindful when choosing one for your garden.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9 (varies by species)
    • Flower Color Varieties: Yellow, pink, peach, red, and creamy white
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Rich, moist, well-drained
    • Mature Size: Up to 25 feet (some species)
    • Deer Resistant: Depends on the species
  • 16 of 23

    Cardinal Climber (Ipomoea x multifida)

    Cardinal Climber Vine

    The Spruce / Marie Ianotti

    As its name suggests, the cardinal climber (Ipomoea x multifida) has a striking red bloom. This 6-to-15-foot vine must be treated as an annual north of zone 6. Grow it in full sun. A more commonly grown plant in the same genus that attracts hummingbirds is Ipomoea tricolor 'Heavenly Blue.' The latter is the annual vines famous for bearing those wonderfully sky-blue flowers on vines 10 feet tall.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 12
    • Flower Color Varieties: Red
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Well-drained
    • Mature Size: 6-15 ft. long, 9-2 in. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
    Continue to 17 of 23 below
  • 17 of 23

    Lantana (Lantana camara)

    Lantana plant with tiny flower clusters with yellow, bright pink and red petals

    The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

    Lantana plants (Lantana camara) are perennials in zones 8 to 10, where they become 6 feet tall, with a spread of 8 feet. But, in colder climates, Lantana plants are often used as annuals for hanging baskets and stay much smaller. The 'Spreading Sunset' cultivar has a flower head with gold centers surrounded by an orange that later fades to pink. Like most of the entries on the list, these plants are sun lovers.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 11
    • Flower Color Varieties: Red, orange, yellow, blue, white, pink
    • Light: Full
    • Soil Needs: Well-drained
    • Mature Size: 6 ft. high and wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 18 of 23

    Fuchsia (Fuchsia spp.)

    Fuchsia plant with bright pink and purple bicolored flowers and buds on stems closeup

    The Spruce / Kara Riley

    Another hummingbird magnet commonly found in hanging baskets in the North is Fuchsia. Unlike Lantana, this one should be grown in the shade. It is even more tender than Lantana (zone 10 or 11). Flower color is commonly pink, purple, red, white, or violet and the most popular types have bi-colored flowers. It is shrubby and becomes 1 to 2 feet tall and wide.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 11
    • Flower Color Varieties: Red, pink, white, violet, purple
    • Light: Partial, shade
    • Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained
    • Mature Size: 1 to 2 ft. tall, with a similar spread
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 19 of 23

    Silk Tree (Albizia julibrissin)

    Persian silk tree with pink flower and fern-like leaf closeup

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    A tree that attracts hummingbirds is the silk tree, or "mimosa" (Albizia julibrissin). It's a member of the pea family. This vigorous Chinese exotic quickly naturalizes at the southern end of its range in areas. It is considered an invasive plant in the southeastern U.S. Its puffy, pink flowers are aromatic, and its nectar attracts hummingbirds in zones 6 to 9. It stands 20 to 40 feet with a canopy as wide as 50 feet. Locate this tree in full sun to partial shade.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9 
    • Flower Color Varieties: Pink
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained
    • Mature Size: 20-40 ft. tall, 20-50 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 20 of 23

    Beardtongue (Penstemon)

    Close up of the bloom of a purple penstemon flower

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Beardtongue is a member of the Penstemon genus, which contains more than 250 beardtongue species. Beardtongue offers a variety of hues including purple, blue, orange, red, yellow, pink, and white. Herbaceous perennials, beardtongues have lance-shaped foliage and tubular flowers. Beardtongue gets its name from the pollen-free stamen that sticks out from its flower.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
    • Flower Color Varieties: Purple, blue, orange, red, yellow, pink, white
    • Light: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Well-drained
    • Mature Size: 6 in. to 8 ft. tall and 8 to 20 in. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
    Continue to 21 of 23 below
  • 21 of 23

    Mandevilla (Mandevilla spp.)

    mandevilla flowers

    ​The Spruce / Phoebe Cheong 

    Fragrant mandevilla, also known as rocktrumpet, sprouts five-petal trumpet-shaped flowers that come in shades of pink, red, and white. If grown in their designated USDA zones, mandevilla plants can be grown as perennials. If being grown outside of zones 10 to 11, these do great as container plants. Mandevilla are fairly low-maintenance, so long as their growing conditions are met: plenty of light, warmth, and moisture.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 11
    • Flower Color Varieties: Pink, red, white
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Moist but well-drained
    • Mature Size: 3–10 ft. tall, 3–4 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 22 of 23

    Passionflower (Passiflora spp.)

    passion flower

    ​The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

    There are many varieties of passionflowers, with most being classified as vines. However, some passionflowers are considered to be shrubs, annuals, perennials, and trees. Passionflowers can be toxic, depending on the type, so be careful if you have a home with children or pets.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 10
    • Flower Color Varieties: Purple, blue, pink, red, white
    • Light: Full to partial
    • Soil Needs: Moist but well-drained
    • Mature Size: 10–30 ft. tall, 3–6 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes, depending on the variety
  • 23 of 23

    Hummingbird Bush (Flame Acanthus)

    The hummingbird bush, also known as flame acanthus, blooms vibrant red to orange tubular flowers. It's a low-maintenance shrub that needs lots of sunlight. It's also great to grow in pots or containers. It's best planted during the fall after the summer heat has passed.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 10
    • Flower Color Varieties: Red, orange
    • Light: Full sun, partial shade
    • Soil Needs: Well-drained
    • Mature Size: Up to 5 ft. tall
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
FAQ
  • What are the best hanging plants to attract hummingbirds?

    The best hanging plants to attract hummingbirds are latanas, fuchsia, petunias, and shrimp plants.

  • Which flowers attract both hummingbirds and butterflies?

    Flowers that attract both hummingbirds and butterflies include bee balm, salvia, cardinal flower, butterfly bush, columbine, fuchsia, and phlox.

  • Do hummingbirds prefer feeders to be high or low?

    You should hang a hummingbird feeder so it's far enough off the ground that predators, such as cats, can't jump at the birds. Also, make sure the feeder is visible; place it where it can catch light.

Top 10 Trees That Attract Hummingbirds
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  1. Poisonous and Non-Poisonous Plants, Poison Control - National Capital Poison Center

  2. Rhododendron, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)

  3. Invasive Exotic Shrub Honeysuckles, United States Department of Agriculture

  4. Plants, California Poison Control System