Now is the time to decide what plants you might like to grow to attract hummingbirds to your yard this summer and fall.
In my Zone 5 garden one of the perennials that the tiny birds visit regularly is bee balm (Monarda) which comes in many different colors and sizes including ‘Marshall’s Delight’:
And ‘Jacob Kline’:
They also adore cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) which likes to grow in moist, rich soil. I like these bright-red plants because they tolerate part-shade in my yard (morning sun, afternoon shade):
When it comes to annuals, hummingbirds are attracted to coccinea salvias like ‘Lady in Red’ (the red flowers in photo at the top of the post) and ‘Snow Nymph’ (below):
They also like the easy-to-grow splendens salvias like ‘Flare’ or ‘Whopper Lighthouse’ (below). I like ‘Whopper Lighthouse’ because it blooms a little later in the summer (late July) and adds a burst of color to the yard when many of the other plants are starting to look a little worn out:
I start nicotiana (flowering tobacco) plants from seed indoors each year (you can also direct-sow them outdoors). For the last couple of years I’ve tried some of the taller varieties like ‘Daylight Sensation’ and ‘Whisper Mix” and have been delighted to discover that they are hummingbird magnets:
And if you’re looking for a very inexpensive flower to coax hummingbirds into your yard, plant some tall zinnias which also double as a favorite for butterflies like monarchs and swallowtails:
If you only garden in pots and planters on a patio or deck you’re still in luck. Hummingbirds love brightly-colored petunias of all kinds (this is ‘Opera Supreme Pink Morn’):
And I haven’t grown any lantana plants for years but one of the first hummingbirds I ever saw in my yard was sipping nectar from a lantana plant on my patio:
Don’t worry, shade gardeners. There’s something for you, too. Hummingbirds love impatiens!
Hummingbirds supposedly favor red flowers, but in my yard I’ve seen them sipping nectar from flowers in just about every color except dark purple. Just choose plants in colors that make you happy and see what happens!