Attract Hummingbirds and Butterflies with These Flowers

Planting your first hummingbird and butterfly garden can be incredibly fun and rewarding, but where do you even begin? With a wide variety of flowers and bushes available, it can be a little daunting to know where to start. But the good news is that in order to create the garden of your dreams, all you really need is a little bit of knowledge and guidance. Before you know it, you’ll be waking up to the sweet whirring sounds of hummingbird wings and butterfly kisses — while also having the best garden in the neighborhood.

Consider Your Gardens Structure

In order to successfully create a butterfly and hummingbird garden, you really should consider the entire structure of your garden. When trying to attract hummingbirds and butterflies, consider a tiered environment that provides variety to your garden. Between all of the different herbs, flowers, vines, trees and shrubs to choose from, a great place to start designing your dream garden is with your local climate. You should select plants that are native to your area, which will provide more nectar than hybrids and exotics (bonus: native plants will also thrive with minimum care). And by choosing species with different blooming periods, your garden can supply nectar all season long. This makes for some incredibly happy hummingbird tenants! Also, keep in mind when planting your new garden to leave some space between each plant. That way, hummingbirds have room to navigate and hover in place when they find that special flower they like. You can even structure your garden to conserve more water by grouping similar plants together. Find help on how to structure your garden here.

Flowers for Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds are far from dull when it comes to their flower preferences! Hummingbirds are incredibly visual creatures and although red flowers are famous for attracting these little winged gems, they don’t discriminate when it comes to colors. They are often seen frequenting purple, white, orange, pink and blue blooms too! Listed below are some of the best plant species known to attract hummingbirds.

Flowers for Hummingbirds

Perennials

• Bee Balm
• Butterfly bush (also attracts butterflies)
• Columbine
• Daylily
• Iris
• Lupine
• Scarlet Sage (grown as annual in cooler climates)
• Scarlet Trumpet Honeysuckle

Biennials

• Foxglove
• Hollyhock
• Impatiens (Impatient Lucy)
• Larkspur
• Petunia

Annuals

• Cleome
• Fuchsia (grown as a perennial in certain zones)

Flowers for Butterflies

If you’re looking for your garden to be a butterfly haven, you’re in luck! Butterflies and hummingbirds are similar when it comes to their plant preferences. They both love nectar bearing, brightly colored red, yellow, orange, pink and purple tubed flowers (although butterflies tend to like shorter flower tubes). But in order to keep butterflies in your garden all season long, you need to be willing to feed their offspring! This means incorporating plants that serve all stages of a butterfly’s life, including a place to lay eggs, food for their larvae (caterpillars), places to form chrysalides, and nectar sources for adults. Just remember to opt for plants native to your area, since butterflies and their native plant counterparts have co-evolved over time and depend on each other for pollination and survival. Below are some of the best plants to attract butterflies and feed their offspring!

Flowers That Attract Butterflies

• Alyssum
• Aster
• Bee Balm
• Butterfly Bush
• Calendula
• Cosmos
• Dianthus
• Fennel
• Globe Thistle
• Goldenrod
• Hollyhock
• Lavender
• Liatris
• Lupine
• Marigold
• Musk Mallow
• Nasturtium
• Oregano
• Phlox
• Purple Coneflower
• Queen Anne's Lace
• Sage
• Scarlet Sage (grown as annual in cooler climates)
• Scabiosa
• Shasta Daisy
• Stonecrop
• Verbena
• Yarrow
• Zinnia

Plants That Attract Butterfly Larvae (Caterpillars)

• Borage
• Fennel
• Grasses
• Hollycocks
• Lupine

Consider More Than Just Flowers

It’s no secret that butterflies and hummingbirds love their brightly colored blooms, but what about other plants? Yep, they love those too! Beyond blooms, bushes can be a great provider of food and shelter for your new winged friends. They even serve as great hosts for caterpillars. Bushes are also easier to maintain and can add an aesthetic appeal to your garden. They fill in open spaces in corners or can be used as a beautiful border for your garden. Below are some of the best bushes to keep the fluttering fun going all season long.

Best Bushes for Butterflies

• Bluebeard
• Buddleia (butterfly bush)
• Bush Honeysuckle
• Buttonbush
• Columbine
• Elderberry
• Firebush
• French Lilac
• Fuchsia
• Meadowsweet
• New Jersey Tea
• Rabbitbrush
• Rose of Sharon
• Spicebush
• Summersweet
• Virgina Sweetspire
• Weigela

Remember Your Climate

When finalizing your gardening game plan, just remember to keep in mind your climate and the plants that are native to the area. Butterflies and hummingbirds are both attracted to plants that are native to the area in which they live, so it’s best to stay local when it comes to the flowers and plants you place in your garden. If you do choose exotic flowers or plants, be prepared because they may be harder to care for and usually don’t supply as much nectar as native counterparts.

While you’re tending to your beautiful, new hummingbird and butterfly haven, you may need some help with the rest of your landscaping. Contact the local landscaping professionals at The Grounds Guys! They offer a variety of landscape services that will keep your yard looking it’s absolute best and give you more time to do what you really enjoy.

FAQs About Flowers that Attract Hummingbirds

Our 200 franchise locations across the U.S. and Canada share a common goal — use our years of experience and expertise to help you bring the vision for their property to life. This includes answering questions you have about landscaping and lawn care. Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about hummingbird flowers.

What flowers do hummingbirds like?

Hummingbirds are attracted to tubular flowers and are often found visiting vibrant colors like red, purple, orange, pink, white, and blue blooms. The best hummingbird flowers offer rich nectar content and an accessible flower shape.

Top perennials that reliably attract hummingbirds include:

• Bee balm (Monarda): Produces abundant nectar and blooms repeatedly
• Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis): Bright red tubular flowers are perfect for hummingbird beaks
• Salvia: Long blooming period with continuous nectar production

When selecting flowers that attract hummingbirds, choose species with different blooming periods to ensure continuous nectar sources throughout the growing season. Annual options that provide season-long color include cleome, impatiens, and petunias.

In addition, native plants typically produce more nectar than hybrid varieties, making them especially attractive to hummingbirds. Finally, select flowers with deep, tubular shapes that match the length of hummingbird beaks and tongues, allowing easy access to nectar while the birds hover in place.

Which plants help support butterfly larvae (caterpillars)?

Adult butterflies lay their eggs on specific host plants that allow larvae and caterpillars to develop in safety. While adult butterflies feed on nectar, caterpillars need particular plant leaves for nutrition during their growth stages.

Did you know? Each butterfly species typically requires specific plants. Butterflies and their host plants have co-evolved over thousands of years, so native plants work best for attracting local populations. For example, monarch butterflies can only reproduce on milkweed plants, while black swallowtails depend on plants in the carrot family, like fennel and parsley.

Acceptable host plants for caterpillars include:

• Milkweed species: Essential for monarch butterfly caterpillars
• Native grasses: Support skippers and other butterfly larvae
• Fennel and dill: Host plants for swallowtail caterpillars
• Hollyhocks: Provide food for painted lady larvae
• Wild cherry and spicebush: Support spicebush swallowtail caterpillars

Creating a complete butterfly habitat means balancing nectar plants for adult butterflies with larval host plants for reproduction. Without these essential host plants, butterflies may visit your garden for nectar but won't establish a breeding population that returns year after year.

How does garden structure impact hummingbird and butterfly activity?

Garden structure significantly influences how successfully you'll attract and retain hummingbirds and butterflies. A well-planned tiered garden design creates multiple feeding and nesting opportunities while providing the variety these creatures need.

Allow optimal spacing for feeding:

• Leave 2–3 feet between plants so hummingbirds can easily hover and maneuver
• Create clusters of the same flower type rather than single scattered plants
• Position taller plants like butterfly bushes as backdrops with shorter flowers in front

Utilize vertical diversity to attract more wildlife:

• Canopy layer: Trees for nesting sites and shelter
• Shrub layer: Bushes like butterfly bush and summersweet for nectar and protection
• Ground layer: Low-growing flowers and host plants for larvae

Strategic plant groupings enhance visual impact and feeding efficiency. Hummingbirds prefer concentrated nectar sources, so planting 3–5 of the same species together creates stronger attractions than individual plants scattered throughout the garden.

Shelter elements like small trees and dense shrubs provide resting spots and protection from predators and weather. Butterflies especially need sunny, wind-protected areas for warming their wings and safe zones near their host plants for egg-laying.

Consider bloom timing across your garden structure. Planting early, mid, and late-season bloomers ensures continuous nectar availability from spring through fall. This is a great way to support butterflies and hummingbirds throughout their active periods.

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and may not be applicable to every situation. You are responsible for determining the proper course of action for your home and property. The Grounds Guys are not responsible for any damages that occur as a result of this blog content or your actions. For the most accurate guidance, contact The Grounds Guys location nearest you for a comprehensive, on-site assessment.