Foxglove ( Digitalis spp.) Perennial in zones 4-10.Four-o’-Clocks ( Mirabilis jalapa) Perennial in zones 7-10.Flowering tobacco ( Nicotiana alata) Perennial in zones 10-11.Fireweed ( Chamerion angustifolium) – not recommended due to aggressive spreading.

Delphinium ( Delphinium spp.) Perennial in zones 3-7.Dame’s rocket ( Hesperis matronalis) Perennial in zones 2-9.Dahlia( Dahlia merckii) Perennial in zones 7-9.Coral bells ( Heuchera sanguinea) Perennial in zones 3-9.Columbine ( Aquilegia ssp.) Perennial in zones 3-8.Century plant ( Agave Americana) Perennial in zones 8-10.Carpet bugle ( Ajuga reptans) Perennial in zones 4-10.Cardinal flower ( Lobelia cardinalis) Perennial in zones 2-9.

Canna ( Canna generalis) Perennial in zones 8-10.

Butterfly weed ( Asclepias tuberosa) Perennial in zones 4-9.

Bleeding heart ( Lamrocapnos and Dicentra spp.) Perennial in zones 2-9.

Blazing star ( Liatris spp.) Perennial in zones 5-9.

Begoniam ( Begonia spp.) Perennial in zones 6-9.

Bee balm & Bergamot ( Monarda spp.) Perennial in zones 4-9.

SeedsNow | Botanical Interests United States.

Together, these basic things will help create a hospitable environment that the hummingbirds will return to year after year. We can’t stop natural predators but reducing other threats benefits all wild things. It’s touchy subject but allowing domesticated cats outdoors is another issue.

Is the area pesticide and herbicide-free?.

Is there a diverse selection of plants to support the food web?.

Are there places to nest and shelter in trees and shrubs?.

So, when you think about providing a welcoming garden for hummingbirds, along with the right flowers for nectar, consider the big picture. Every animal needs certain plants (and plants rely on animals), and, with all needs met, the circle of life can thrive. This means an assortment of non-invasive trees, shrubs, and flowers along with fresh water and healthy soil-all teeming with life. In order to have a garden with lots of protein-rich bugs, you need diversity. The bulk of their diet is invertebrates like insects, spiders, and various larvae. Hummingbirds need nectar but they also need protein and lots of it. The main staple of a hummingbird’s diet is protein-rich insects. We tend to put a lot of emphasis on flowers but it’s the totality of the environment that matters, not just within our garden but all along their migratory routes and within nesting locations. When one flower species has peaked, they find another.īut nectar is just one part of their survival. Hummingbirds and other nectar consumers will seek out the best supply in the moment. Nectar supply varies throughout blooming cycles. In turn, hummingbirds may provide pollination services.Īlso, timing is everything. Many of these flowers have long, tubular structures including cardinal flower and columbine, perfectly suited to the unusual shape of the hummingbird’s bill. Hummingbirds have co-evolved with certain flower species. So which flowers do hummingbirds like and why do they favor certain flowers within a garden even when many varieties are available? Get your own elsewhere or you will be chased away! Sensing a good food source, bees, butterflies, and other hummingbirds may approach, but the dining hummingbird will have none of it. Sometimes they take in so much they spit the excess out in a little spray! Out comes it’s long, unusual, tongue-like proboscis, shaped just-so, reaching deep inside to access the nectar. If you are close enough, there’s no mistaking the whirring sound of the wings as the bird hovers in place. It is mesmerizing to watch a hummingbird gathering nectar from flowers.

Homemade hummingbird nectar with agave