How to Attract Hummingbirds

Attracting hummingbirds is a fun way to bring some wildlife into your yard. Plus, these tiny birds are also great pollinators. Their presence encourages other beneficial critters to visit as well, promoting the health of your entire garden. Learn what plants attract hummingbirds and other suggestions for drawing hummingbirds into your yard.

Initial Gardening Tips

Tiny hummingbirds have fascinated gardeners for centuries. As you strive to fill your yard with plants that attract hummingbirds, keep the following in mind:

• Create a tiered environment from ground level to 10 feet or more by planting a variety of herbs, flowers, vines, flowering shrubs, and dwarf trees.
• Plant your garden with plenty of space between each plant. This gives hummingbirds room to navigate and hover in place when they find a flower they like.
• Choose varieties with red or orange flowers when possible. Without a keen sense of smell, hummingbirds rely on bright colors to find nectar.
• Opt for plants native to your area, which will provide more nectar than hybrids and exotics.
• Group similar plants together to conserve water.
• Choose species with different blooming periods so hummingbirds have a steady supply of nectar all season long.
• Don’t worry about cramming your yard full of hummingbird-approved flowers. Even one in a window box or hanging basket can serve as a hummingbird magnet.

What Flowers Do Hummingbirds Like?

In general, plants with brightly colored, tubular, nectar-bearing flowers are particularly attractive to hummingbirds. These prolific pollinators tend to prefer bright red, orange, pink, purple, blue, or white flowers. Here are some specific plant species known to attract hummingbirds.

Perennials

• Bee balm
• Butterfly bush (also good for attracting butterflies!)
• Columbine
• Daylily
• Iris
• Lupine
• Scarlet sage (grown as an annual in cooler climates)
• Scarlet trumpet honeysuckle

Biennials

• Foxglove
• Hollyhock

Annuals

• Cleome
• Fuchsia (grown as a perennial in hardiness zones 10 and 11)
• Impatiens
• Larkspur
• Petunia

Other Tips on How to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Yard

Hummingbirds want more than just the right flowers. They also look for shade, shelter, and water. Here’s how to give them what they want:

• Install a drip fountain. A gentle, continuous drizzle from a fountain or misting device is the perfect place to take a quick bath on the fly.
• Hang hummingbird feeders. Fill them with one part white sugar and four parts water. Hang them in the shade to prevent the sugar from fermenting. Feeders with red components are more likely to draw a hummingbird’s gaze, so attach red stickers if necessary to make them more eye-catching. (Note: don’t dye the sugar water red because this could harm the birds.)
• Give hummingbirds a place to rest. This may include simple sticks and branches or commercially available perches. Place them in protected areas hidden from predators and safe from cooler overnight temperatures.
• Minimize or eliminate pesticide use in your yard. Make your property a safe place for birds and other wildlife by pursuing more natural forms of pest control.

If you long for a beautiful-looking yard without the effort, choose The Grounds Guys® for residential landscaping services. A garden planted and cared for by experts is sure to look beautiful year after year. Contact us for a free job estimate today. Then, enjoy watching hummingbirds in the yard from your new deck! Mr. Handyman has the knowledge and experience to install one for you this spring.

Did you know? The Grounds Guys is a Neighborly company. Learn more about Neighborly’s community of home service experts at GetNeighborly.com.