Native Plants to Attract Hummingbirds: Perennials and Shrubs That Work
You put up a hummingbird feeder. Maybe you've had some visitors, maybe not. Either way, you know that a yard full of native plants that hummingbirds co-evolved with over thousands of years is going to pull in birds more reliably than a plastic tube of sugar water ever will.
This guide covers the best native plants for hummingbirds — organized by bloom season, plant type, and region — so you can build a yard that keeps hummingbirds coming back from spring through fall migration.
Why Native Plants Attract More Hummingbirds Than Feeders Alone
Hummingbirds need more than nectar. They need protein — from small insects, spiders, and gnats. During nesting season, they feed insects to their chicks almost exclusively.
Native plants support the insect communities that support hummingbirds. A garden full of native flowering plants teems with the tiny arthropods hummingbirds hunt between sips. A feeder has none of that. The most effective hummingbird habitat uses both: native plants as the foundation, with a feeder as a backup during nectar gaps.
Native plants also offer something imported ornamentals can't: millions of years of co-evolution. Hummingbirds and tubular red native flowers evolved together — the plant shaped to deliver nectar at exactly the depth a hummingbird bill can reach, the hummingbird shaped to pollinate the plant as it feeds. That's why native red tubular flowers outperform hybrid exotics at attracting hummingbirds even when the latter produce more nectar.
The Best Native Plants to Attract Hummingbirds
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
If you plant one native hummingbird plant, make it cardinal flower. Brilliant red spikes bloom from mid-July through September — exactly the period when hummingbirds are most actively feeding before fall migration. It thrives in moist to wet soil, making it perfect for rain garden edges, stream banks, or low spots in the yard.
Where it grows: Zones 3–9, most of the eastern US and into the Midwest. Prefers partial shade to full sun with consistent moisture.
Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)
This is the native vine, not the invasive Japanese honeysuckle that smothers roadsides across the South. Trumpet honeysuckle produces clusters of red-orange tubular flowers from April through frost and blooms even in partial shade — an unusual find for a hummingbird plant.
Where it grows: Zones 4–9, native primarily to the eastern US but widely adapted. Train it on a fence, trellis, or arbor. Related article: Native Vines for Your Fence or Trellis.
Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Wild columbine is a spring hummingbird plant — one of the first native nectar sources available when ruby-throated hummingbirds arrive in April and May. Red and yellow nodding flowers with long nectar spurs are perfectly matched to hummingbird bills. It self-seeds freely and naturalizes beautifully under trees.
Where it grows: Zones 3–8, across the eastern US and into the upper Midwest. Tolerates dry shade — rare for a hummingbird plant.
Bee Balm / Oswego Tea (Monarda didyma)
Shaggy red flower heads that look like small fireworks bloom from June through August and pull in hummingbirds, native bees, and swallowtails simultaneously. Bee balm spreads by rhizome and can get aggressive, so give it room or divide it every few years.
Where it grows: Zones 4–9, native to the eastern US. Prefers full sun to partial shade with average to moist soil. Mildew-resistant varieties like 'Jacob Cline' perform better in humid climates.
Coral Bells (Heuchera species)
Native coral bells (particularly H. americana and H. villosa) produce airy stems of tiny red to coral flowers that hummingbirds hover to sip one by one. They bloom May through July and tolerate more shade than most hummingbird plants. The colorful hybrid varieties sold at garden centers are often bred from these native species.
Where it grows: Zones 4–9 depending on species. H. americana is one of the most shade-tolerant hummingbird plants available.
Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans)
Trumpet vine is aggressive — it will climb everything, spread by runners, and generally take over if you let it. But hummingbirds love it with an intensity matched by almost nothing else. Large orange-red trumpet flowers bloom July through September and produce extraordinary amounts of nectar.
Plant it where it can be controlled: on a sturdy trellis away from structures, or use a container to limit spreading. The reward is hummingbirds hovering at eye level all summer.
Where it grows: Zones 4–9, native to the southeastern US but naturalized widely. Full sun for best flowering.
Native Hummingbird Plants by Region
Hummingbird diversity and migration patterns vary dramatically by region, and so do the native plants that support them.
Eastern US (Zones 4–7)
The ruby-throated hummingbird is the only species regularly seen east of the Mississippi. It arrives in late April and departs by early October. The most effective eastern native plants: cardinal flower, wild columbine (spring), bee balm, trumpet honeysuckle (vine), and coral bells. Add native azaleas (Rhododendron species) for an outstanding early-spring boost.
Southeastern US (Zones 7–9)
The southeast hosts ruby-throated hummingbirds plus occasional western strays. Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) is a southeastern native that blooms before ruby-throated hummingbirds arrive — the plant has evolved to coincide with early migrants. Scarlet sage (Salvia coccinea), cross vine (Bignonia capreolata), and native azaleas round out the palette.
Western US and Rocky Mountains (Zones 4–10)
The west has over a dozen hummingbird species — black-chinned, rufous, broad-tailed, Anna's, calliope, and more. Native penstemons (Penstemon species) are the workhorses here: dozens of species cover every region from the Great Plains to the Pacific coast, blooming April through August. Add hummingbird mint (Agastache species), native sages (Salvia species), and scarlet gilia (Ipomopsis aggregata) in drier western climates.
Pacific Northwest (Zones 7–9)
Anna's hummingbird overwinters along the coast and is present year-round. Key native plants: red flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum) blooms in February and March — one of the earliest nectar sources in the country and perfectly timed for overwinter Anna's and early rufous migrants. Columbines, native penstemons, and salvia species carry flowering through fall.
How to Design a Hummingbird Garden with Native Plants
A single cardinal flower is nice. A garden designed to offer continuous nectar from April through October is a hummingbird magnet.
Bloom sequence matters. Hummingbirds need food the moment they arrive in spring and all the way through fall migration. Structure your planting around three seasons:
- Spring (April–May): Wild columbine, red flowering currant (west), native azaleas
- Summer (June–August): Bee balm, trumpet honeysuckle, coral bells, penstemons, scarlet sage
- Late summer–fall (August–October): Cardinal flower, trumpet vine, hummingbird mint, native agastache
Height and structure. Layer your plantings vertically. Hummingbirds feed at every height — from knee-high perennials to overhead vine-covered trellises. Include something at ground level (wild columbine, coral bells), mid-height (bee balm, cardinal flower), and climbing (trumpet honeysuckle, trumpet vine).
Water nearby. Hummingbirds bathe frequently — they need clean, moving water. A dripper, mister, or shallow birdbath with a fountain keeps them coming back between flower visits.
Skip pesticides. Hummingbirds need the insects that native plants support. Pesticides — even "organic" ones applied broadly — crash insect populations and eliminate the protein hummingbirds depend on during nesting. A native plant garden that supports insects is a better hummingbird habitat than a "clean" garden with a feeder.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is consistently rated the top native hummingbird plant in North America. Its brilliant red tubular flowers are perfectly shaped for hummingbird bills, it blooms mid-to-late summer when competition from other nectar sources is lowest, and it grows across most of the eastern two-thirds of the continent.
Hummingbirds visit both, but native plants offer something feeders can't: insects. Hummingbirds need protein from small insects and spiders, especially during nesting season. Native plants support the insect populations hummingbirds depend on, making them far more valuable than a sugar-water feeder alone.
Hummingbirds are strongly attracted to red, orange, and deep pink tubular flowers — colors their eyes detect well and that bees often can't see as vividly. That said, hummingbirds are opportunistic and will visit any high-nectar flower. Cardinal flower, coral bells, and trumpet honeysuckle all hit these preferred colors.
Yes. Hummingbirds gather spider silk (found on native plants that support spiders) and plant down to build their tiny cup-shaped nests. A yard with diverse native plantings provides both the food and the nesting habitat hummingbirds need.
Nature's Best Hope by Doug Tallamy
The landmark book on designing yards to function as wildlife habitat — including the research behind why native plants attract far more birds and pollinators than conventional landscaping. Essential reading for anyone building a hummingbird or pollinator garden.
View on AmazonRelated Guides
- Native Plants for Pollinators in Zone 6 — Season-by-season pollinator garden guide that complements hummingbird plantings.
- Native Plants for Monarch Butterflies — Milkweed and nectar plant guide for another wildlife garden focus species.
- Native Vines for Your Fence or Trellis — Includes trumpet honeysuckle and other hummingbird-attracting climbing plants.