Top 5 Plants to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Yard

A delight to spot flitting about the garden, hummingbirds are small creatures that flap their wings more than 50 times per second. Because these birds burn an immense amount of energy, they must constantly consume flower nectar throughout the day.

If you want to attract hummers to your garden, it’s necessary to provide them with particular types of nectar. These little birds only drink from certain flowers. Red-colored, tubular-shaped blooms are the most alluring to these winged beauties.

Grow flowering plants that attract hummingbirds, and you’ll soon find these delightful visitors in your yard. Here are five easy-to-grow plant selections for your garden.

Beard Tongue (Penstemon)

This pretty perennial attracts hummingbirds, which delight in sipping nectar out of the plant’s bell-shaped flowers. There are more than 300 species of penstemon, which come in a variety of bloom colors. You’ll find pink, red, purple and white penstemon.

Penstemon require well-draining soil and full to partial sun. The plant does well in many garden situations, including rock gardens. Water penstemon when the first one to two inches of soil dries out.

Bee Balm (Monarda)

As its name suggests, this perennial plant attracts bees, but it’s also a hummingbird magnet. Bee balm is a bushy plant that grows two to four feet high. The dark-green leaves smell like mint or basil. Most bee balm plants have red, pink or white blooms. The red flowers do the best job of luring these tiny birds to your yard.

Grow bee balm in full sun or a location that receives morning and midday sun and afternoon shade. Keep the soil surrounding bee balm moist but not soggy.

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia Cardinalis)

This perennial plant produces vivid cardinal-colored flowers in the summer months. The bright red color of the flowers and the sweet nectar they contain attract hummingbirds in droves.

Grow cardinal flower in a location that receives morning sun and afternoon shade. Plant in a location that contains rich soil. Water regularly to keep the soil moist.

Daylily (Hemerocallis)

These eye-catching perennials bloom all summer long, featuring lily-like flowers with large throats that contain tasty nectar for these hungry little birds. There are red, pink, yellow, purple, orange and multi-colored bloom varieties.

Plant daylilies in a full-sun to part-shade location in well-draining soil. Water when the top inch of soil has dried out.

Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)

Famous for its sweet nectar, honeysuckle is well-liked by birds. The plant, which comes in vining and shrub forms, features tubular, fragrant blossoms in pink or white.

Plant honeysuckle in well-draining soil in a full-sun location. When the vine becomes overgrown, prune it back by no more than one-third.