Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Draws hummingbirds with white nectar tubes in May and Jun; 1–2 ft wide.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
New York · Zones 3–7
Native Hummingbird Plants in New York
Tubular, nectar-heavy native flowers that draw hummingbirds far more reliably — and safely — than any sugar-water feeder. New York sits in a landscape of Adirondacks, Finger Lakes & Hudson Valley, and the natives that thrive here are the ones built for its humid continental character. The list below — led by Foxglove Beardtongue and Virginia Bluebells — is filtered to species genuinely native to New York and the wider flora of the Northeast and hardy through zones 3–7. 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.
The plants
16 native species for New York
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 3–7 · see this collection in other states.
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
Hummingbirds work its sky blue flowers from Mar to May — spreading 12–18 in.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Tubular red flowers shaped for a hummingbird's bill from Apr to Jun, 1–2.5 ft tall.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
Hummingbird fuel — slender electric scarlet tubes too deep for most insects from Jul to Sep; for clay and loam ground.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
Tubular lavender-blue flowers shaped for a hummingbird's bill in Apr and May, for loam ground.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
Draws hummingbirds with coral-red nectar tubes from Apr to Sep, 3–6 ft wide.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Scarlet Beebalm
Monarda didyma
A nectar stop hummingbirds return to, its scarlet red flowers carried in Jul and Aug; reaching 2.5–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2.5–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
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
Wild Bleeding Heart
Dicentra eximia
A hummingbird flower — rose pink tubular blooms from Apr to Aug; cold-hardy to zone 3.
- Part shade
- Average
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Apr–Aug
Crossvine
Bignonia capreolata
Hummingbird fuel — slender orange-red tubes too deep for most insects in Apr and May; reaching 25–50 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 25–50 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Hummingbirds work its white flowers from Jun to Aug; happy in clay and loam soil.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
A nectar stop hummingbirds return to, its deep blue flowers carried in Aug and Sep, 12–18 in wide.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Tubular pink flowers shaped for a hummingbird's bill in Aug and Sep; spreading 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Hummingbird fuel — slender lavender tubes too deep for most insects from Jun to Aug; for clay, rocky, and loam ground.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
New Jersey Tea
Ceanothus americanus
A nectar stop hummingbirds return to, its frothy white flowers carried from May to Jul — 2–3.5 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–3.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Built for hummingbirds, with pink-white nectar tubes borne in Apr and May, 4–8 in tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Sourcing
Where to find these in New York
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome 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.