Many Different Plants Will Attract Hummingbirds

If hummingbirds are present in your garden and you want more, determine which plants they visit and add to the supply.

They are such an aerial delight that certain plants are worth growing just to attract them.

They are attracted to a long list of common flowers, shrubs and trees. Some likely candidates: bottlebrush, lantana, honeysuckle, hollyhock, penstemon, pinks, phlox, salvia, morning glory, bird of paradise, acacia, lobelia, ocotillo, columbine, larkspur, petunia and aloe.

Start by determining what plants survive in your climate and will be in flower when hummingbirds are likely to be present.

Brilliant colors, mostly reds, attract them because they stand out the most in daytime. Yellow and orange do just as well in the shade.

The typical hummingbird flower has a long floral tube into which they, but not much else, can reach.

They supplement a high carbohydrate diet by capturing aphids off plant tips or capturing insects in flight. Another plus: berries and fruits do not appeal to them.

The rapid motion of their wings enables them to hover. They obtain nectar and tiny insects by thrusting their needlelike bills into flowers. Pollen brushes off onto the body as they feed and is transferred to the next flower they visit. Many such flowers are in turn specialized to ensure their pollination results from hummingbird activity.

In general, flowers pollinated by hummingbirds have little or no fragrance.

While they look fragile, they can be downright aggressive to larger birds.

They aren’t constantly in flight, stopping on small branches, and seem to take frequent advantage of opportunities to rest.