Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
Hummingbirds work its coral-red flowers from Apr to Sep — spreading 3–6 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Virginia · Zones 6–8
Native Hummingbird Plants in Virginia
Tubular, nectar-heavy native flowers that draw hummingbirds far more reliably — and safely — than any sugar-water feeder. Virginia sits in a landscape of Blue Ridge, Piedmont & Tidewater, and the natives that thrive here are the ones built for its humid, four-season character. The list below — led by Trumpet Honeysuckle and Buttonbush — is filtered to species genuinely native to Virginia and the wider flora of the Mid-Atlantic and hardy through zones 6–8. 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
15 native species for Virginia
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 6–8 · see this collection in other states.
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Hummingbird fuel — slender white tubes too deep for most insects from Jun to Aug; for clay and loam ground.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Crossvine
Bignonia capreolata
Hummingbird fuel — slender orange-red tubes too deep for most insects in Apr and May; hardy in zones 6–9.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 25–50 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
Tubular electric scarlet flowers shaped for a hummingbird's bill from Jul to Sep — 1–2 ft wide.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Wild Bleeding Heart
Dicentra eximia
Built for hummingbirds, with rose pink nectar tubes borne from Apr to Aug — good through zone 8.
- Part shade
- Average
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Apr–Aug
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
A magnet for hummingbirds — lavender blooms held from Jun to Aug for them to probe, reaching 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
A magnet for hummingbirds — red blooms held from Apr to Jun for them to probe; cold-hardy to zone 3.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
Built for hummingbirds, with deep blue nectar tubes borne in Aug and Sep; cold-hardy to zone 4.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
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
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
Built for hummingbirds, with lavender-blue nectar tubes borne in Apr and May; cold-hardy to zone 3.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Scarlet Beebalm
Monarda didyma
A nectar stop hummingbirds return to, its scarlet red flowers carried in Jul and Aug, for clay and loam ground.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2.5–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Tubular white flowers shaped for a hummingbird's bill in May and Jun; 1–2 ft wide.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
A nectar stop hummingbirds return to, its sky blue flowers carried from Mar to May — reaching 1–2 ft.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Built for hummingbirds, with pink nectar tubes borne in Aug and Sep — reaching 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
New Jersey Tea
Ceanothus americanus
A hummingbird flower — frothy white tubular blooms from May to Jul, spreading 2.5–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–3.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Sourcing
Where to find these in Virginia
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.