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Native Hummingbird Plants

Tubular, nectar-heavy native flowers that draw hummingbirds far more reliably — and safely — than any sugar-water feeder.

Tip: open your state below for the version of this list filtered to plants native to your region and hardy in your zone.
The plants

26 native species in this collection.

Hummingbirds are wired to investigate red and orange tubular flowers, so a few well-placed natives will out-pull a feeder and never need cleaning. Stagger bloom times so there is nectar from spring migration through fall departure, and plant near a perch or shrub where the birds can rest between feedings.

Shrub

Red-Flowering Currant

Ribes sanguineum

Hummingbird fuel — slender rose-pink tubes too deep for most insects in Mar and Apr; spreading 4–8 ft.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry–average
  • 5–9 ft
  • Blooms Mar–Apr
Spring ephemeral

Virginia Bluebells

Mertensia virginica

A nectar stop hummingbirds return to, its sky blue flowers carried from Mar to May — happy in loam soil.

  • Part shade
  • Average–wet
  • 1–2 ft
  • Blooms Mar–May
Subshrub

Autumn Sage

Salvia greggii

A nectar stop hummingbirds return to, its red flowers carried from Apr to Oct; for sand, rocky, and loam ground.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry
  • 2–3 ft
  • Blooms Apr–Oct
Vine

Crossvine

Bignonia capreolata

Tubular orange-red flowers shaped for a hummingbird's bill in Apr and May — good through zone 9.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry–average
  • 25–50 ft
  • Blooms Apr–May
Vine

Trumpet Honeysuckle

Lonicera sempervirens

Tubular coral-red flowers shaped for a hummingbird's bill from Apr to Sep — hardy in zones 4–9.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry–average
  • 8–15 ft
  • Blooms Apr–Sep
Perennial wildflower

Western Columbine

Aquilegia formosa

Built for hummingbirds, with red nectar tubes borne from Apr to Jul — 1.5–3 ft tall.

  • Part shade
  • Average
  • 1.5–3 ft
  • Blooms Apr–Jul
Perennial wildflower

Wild Bleeding Heart

Dicentra eximia

A nectar stop hummingbirds return to, its rose pink flowers carried from Apr to Aug; 12–18 in tall.

  • Part shade
  • Average
  • 12–18 in
  • Blooms Apr–Aug
Perennial wildflower

Wild Columbine

Aquilegia canadensis

A magnet for hummingbirds — red blooms held from Apr to Jun for them to probe — good through zone 8.

  • Part shade
  • Dry–average
  • 1–2.5 ft
  • Blooms Apr–Jun
Perennial wildflower

Woodland Phlox

Phlox divaricata

Built for hummingbirds, with lavender-blue nectar tubes borne in Apr and May — for loam ground.

  • Part shade
  • Average
  • 10–15 in
  • Blooms Apr–May
Small tree

Desert Willow

Chilopsis linearis

Built for hummingbirds, with orchid-pink nectar tubes borne from May to Sep, for sand, rocky, and loam ground.

  • Full sun
  • Dry
  • 15–25 ft
  • Blooms May–Sep
Subshrub

Turk's Cap

Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii

Draws hummingbirds with turban red nectar tubes from May to Oct — 2–5 ft tall.

  • Sun to shade
  • Dry–average
  • 2–5 ft
  • Blooms May–Oct
Perennial wildflower

Anise Hyssop

Agastache foeniculum

Built for hummingbirds, with lavender-blue nectar tubes borne from Jun to Sep; reaching 2–4 ft.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry–average
  • 2–4 ft
  • Blooms Jun–Sep
Shrub

Buttonbush

Cephalanthus occidentalis

Draws hummingbirds with white nectar tubes from Jun to Aug — 5–10 ft tall.

  • Full–part sun
  • Average–wet
  • 5–10 ft
  • Blooms Jun–Aug
Shrub

Flame Acanthus

Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii

Built for hummingbirds, with orange-red nectar tubes borne from Jun to Oct — for sand, rocky, and loam ground.

  • Full sun
  • Dry
  • 2–4 ft
  • Blooms Jun–Oct
Perennial wildflower

Wild Bergamot

Monarda fistulosa

A nectar stop hummingbirds return to, its lavender flowers carried from Jun to Aug — happy in clay, rocky, and loam soil.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry–average
  • 2–4 ft
  • Blooms Jun–Aug
Perennial wildflower

Cardinal Flower

Lobelia cardinalis

Built for hummingbirds, with electric scarlet nectar tubes borne from Jul to Sep — reaching 2–4 ft.

  • Full–part sun
  • Average–wet
  • 2–4 ft
  • Blooms Jul–Sep
Perennial wildflower

Scarlet Beebalm

Monarda didyma

Hummingbird fuel — slender scarlet red tubes too deep for most insects in Jul and Aug, for clay and loam ground.

  • Full–part sun
  • Average–wet
  • 2.5–4 ft
  • Blooms Jul–Aug
Perennial wildflower

Great Blue Lobelia

Lobelia siphilitica

Draws hummingbirds with deep blue nectar tubes in Aug and Sep — spreading 12–18 in.

  • Full–part sun
  • Average–wet
  • 2–3 ft
  • Blooms Aug–Sep
Perennial wildflower

Obedient Plant

Physostegia virginiana

Tubular pink flowers shaped for a hummingbird's bill in Aug and Sep, cold-hardy to zone 3.

  • Full–part sun
  • Average–wet
  • 2–4 ft
  • Blooms Aug–Sep
Evergreen shrub

Hairy Manzanita

Arctostaphylos columbiana

Hummingbirds work its pink-white flowers from Mar to May — 3–9 ft tall.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry
  • 3–9 ft
  • Blooms Mar–May
Evergreen shrub

Oregon Grape

Berberis aquifolium

A nectar stop hummingbirds return to, its bright yellow flowers carried in Mar and Apr; spreading 3–5 ft.

  • Sun to shade
  • Dry–average
  • 3–6 ft
  • Blooms Mar–Apr
Browse by state

Hummingbirds, near you.

Native ranges differ across the country — open your state for the list that actually applies to your yard.

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Sourcing

Where to find hummingbirds plants

Seeds & live plants on Amazon

Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.

Browse on Amazon

Some links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.