Do Hummingbirds Hum?: Fascinating Answers to Questions about Hummingbirds

Appendix A: Garden Plants That Attract Hummingbirds

APPENDIX A Garden Plants That Attract Hummingbirds There are many flowers that will attract hummingbirds to your garden Most are perennial flowers that are relatively easy to grow and care for, while some are shrubs, climbing vines, or trees. Most of the plants on this list are available from a nursery or garden center. Most entries give the genus but not the species (spp.), because many varieties are available . Ask the gardener or horticulturalist at your local plant nursery which species or varieties are best for your area. Most of the plants listed have flowers in the red family, and these seem the most popular for attracting hummingbirds. Those with yellow and blue flowers are more attractive to butterflies and honey bees. The first group includes plants most frequently recommended by several web sites and hummingbird-gardening books. For more detailed information, search for “hummingbird flowers” on the Web or consult the books and web sites listed. Plants Most Frequently Recommended Bee Balm Monarda spp. Annual and perennial; pink to red flowers Canada Lily Lilium canadense. Perennial; pink to red flowers Cardinal Climber or Cypress Vine Ipomoea quamoclit. Annual; pink to red flowers Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis. Perennial; red flowers Delphinium Delphinium elatum. Perennial; magenta, blue, purple flowers Fuchsia Fuchsia spp. Shrub; white, pink, mostly red flowers Hollyhock Althea spp. Perennial; white, pink to red flowers Honeysuckle Lonicera spp. Perennial vine or shrub; white, pink, orange flowers Hummingbird Trumpet Zauschneria cana. Perennial; red flowers 150 APPENDIX A Indian Pink Spigelia marilandica. Perennial; red flowers with yellow centers Mountain Flame Anisacanthus spp. Perennial; yellow, orange to red flowers Mountain Rosebay Rhododendron catawbiense. Shrub, pink flowers Penstemon Penstemon spp. Perennial; pink, red to blue flowers Red Buckeye Aesculus pavia. Small tree; orange-red to red flowers Red Columbine Aquilegia canadense. Perennial; red flowers Rose of Sharon Hibiscus syriacus. Large shrub; white, pink, red, lavender to purple flowers Scarlet Gilia or Skyrocket Ipomopsis. Perennial; red flowers Silk Tree Albizia julibrissin. Small tree; puffy pink flowers Spotted Jewelweed Impatiens capensis. Annual; yellow flowers with red spots Trumpet Creeper or Trumpet Vine Campsis or Bignonia spp. Annual; yellow to pink and red-orange flowers Other Hummingbird Attractors Abelia Abelia grandiflora. Shrub; white to pink flowers African Floxglove Ceratotheca. Annual; white, pink to purple flowers Agastache Agastache spp. Perennial; red, pink to blue flowers Aloe Aloe karasburgensis. Perennial; pink to red flowers Aloe vera Aloe barbarensis. Perennial; yellow flowers Azalea Rhododendron spp. Shrub; white, pink to blue and purple flowers Bottlebrush Callistemon spp. Shrub to small tree; red, orange, or white flowers Bouvardia Bouvardia glaberrima. Perennial small shrub; red to orangered flowers Butterfly Bush Buddleia davidii. Shrub; white, yellow, pink, red, blue flowers Candelilla Pedilanthus macrocarpus. Perennial; red flowers Canna Cannas spp. Perennial lily relative; red, pink, orange flowers Cardinal Monkey Flower Mimulus cardinalis. Perennial; red flowers Cardinal Vine—See Cardinal Climber Catnip Nepeta spp. Perennial; pale violet flowers Coral Bean Erythrina flabelliformis. Perennial; red flowers Coral Bells Heuchera sanguinea. Perennial; pink to red flowers Cosmos Cosmos spp. Perennial; white, yellow, pink to red flowers Dahlia Dahlia spp. Perennial bulb; white, pink, orange to red flowers Fairy Duster Calliandra spp. Perennial small shrub; red to pink flowers APPENDIX A 151 Flame Acanthus or Bear’s Breeches Acanthus mollis. Perennial; white to pink flowers Flame Vine or Golden Shower Pyrostegia venusta. Perennial vine; orange flowers Flowering Currant Ribes sanguineum. Shrub; pink flowers Flowering Quince Chaenomeles spp. Shrub; pink to red flowers Four O’Clock Mirabilis jalapa. Perennial; pink to magenta flowers Foxglove Digitalis spp. Perennial; pink to magenta flowers Galvezia Galvezia juncea. Perennial; red flowers Gladiolus Gladiolus spp. Perennial bulb; flowers of all colors available Hesperaloe Hesperaloe spp. Perennial; white to pink flowers Iris Iris spp. Perennial bulb; most colors available Jacobiana Cochliostema jacobiana. Perennial bulb; pink, red to blue flowers Jasmine Jasminum spp. Shrub; white flowers Lantana Lantana spp. Perennial shrub or herbaceous; pink, magenta, yellow flowers Lilac Syringa spp. Perennial shrub; pink to violet flowers Lobelia Lobelia laxiflora. Perennial; red flowers Lupine Lupinus spp. Perennial; pink to blue and purple flowers Mallow Malva spp. Perennial; pink, white flowers Manzanita Arctostaphylos spp. Shrub to small tree; tiny white to pink flowers Milkweed or Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberose. Perennial; orange-red flowers Mimosa Mimosa spp. Shrub to tree; yellow or pink flowers Monkeyflower Mimulus hybridus. Perennial; orange and yellow flowers Montbretia Crocosmia spp. Perennial bulb; vermilion flowers Morning Glory Ipomoea spp. Perennial vine; white, blue...