30 Plants to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Lawn

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Looking for some new foliage that could attract some pretty tiny-winged friends to your backyard? Turns out, hummingbirds certainly have an eye for bright colored plants—30 plants, to be exact. According to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, hummingbirds look for specific plants, trees, shrubs and vines during the spring, summer and fall months. Between late-March and mid-November are the times to attract hummingbirds to your backyard, and there are certain plants that can do it for you!

Although a birdbath and feeder can attract other winged friends, hummingbirds love to look for flower plants. These types of plants provide hummers with nectar for energy and insects for their protein. The trees and shrubs serve as great vertical structures for hummingbirds to perch, take shelter and even build a nest. However, hummingbirds are scared off easily by other wildlife. So it may be harder to attract hummingbirds if you have a rowdy pet.

Since hummingbirds search for nectar blossoms by sight and not smell, having brighter colored flowers is attractive to their eyes. When you grab a bright colored flower, be sure to plant a bunch together in one spot. The bright color will attract the tiny 3-in. bird to your shrubs.

Here are the plants you want to add to your backyard in order to attract hummingbirds, both flowers and shrubs/vines. By planting both types, you’ll not only see hummingbirds feed but possibly experience some hummingbirds make a home at your home!

Spring bloom:

• Azalea – all
• Columbine – all
• Coral Bells – white, pink, red
• Coral (Trumpet) Honeysuckle – red, yellow
• Fire Pink – red
• Foxglove – white, pink, yellow, lavender
• Fuchsia – white, pink, lavender, red
• Red Buckeye – red
• Sweet William – white, pink, red, lavender
• Tulip Poplar – white, orange
• Verbena – all
• Weigela – pink, red

Summer bloom:

• Abelia – white, pink
• Bee Balm – white, pink, red, lavender
• Blazing Star – lavender
• Cardinal – red
• Columbine – all
• Cypress-Vine – red, white
• Fire Pink – red
• Flowering Tobacco – blue
• Four o’clock – blue
• Fuchsia – white, pink, lavender, red
• Hibiscus – all
• Jewelweed – orange
• Penstemon – pink, red
• Petunia – all
• Red Morning glory – red
• Scarlet Runner-Bean – red, white
• Trumpet Vine (Creeper) – red, orange, yellow
• Verbena – all
• Zinnia – blue

Fall bloom:

• Blazing Star – lavender
• Cypress-Vine – red, white
• Fuchsia – white, pink, lavender, red
• Hibiscus – all
• Jewelweed – orange
• Petunia – all
• Red Morning glory – red
• Verbena – all

Timing varies with species:

• Salvia (Sage) – red, blue, white, lavender
• Phlox – all