Hummingbirds are by far the most charismatic and sought-after garden visitor. Whirring jewels that glimmer in the sunlight, hummingbirds bring delight whenever they stop by to sip nectar from homegrown plants. Whether hovering silently mid-air to feast on flowers, resting on a little branch, or darting up higher than you thought possible, these tiny birds bring special magic to the garden.
It is incredibly easy to lure more hummingbirds to your garden space—and flowers are the best way to do it! Though tubular red flowers are always a hit with hummingbirds, they will happily visit a wide range of flower colors, sizes, and styles. We’ve compiled our very favorite Summer-blooming hummingbird plants that are guaranteed to make these flying jewels a fabulous fixture of your garden space.
1. Firecracker Plant – Cuphea sp.
Cuphea has all the attributes of a perfect hummingbird plant—it produces hundreds upon hundreds of blooms in Spring, Summer, and Fall until the first frost, with virtually no maintenance required. In fact, Cuphea was our annual of choice for our popular 7 Underappreciated Sun Plants blog! These reliable annuals require minimal deadheading, love full sun, and can withstand Summer heat without issue. They grow 1–2′ tall by 1–1.5′ wide.
Cuphea comes in creamy whites, deep purple with red “ears”, and some stunning pink colorations. But we are particularly in love with ‘Vermillionaire’, which features vibrant, vermillion orangey-red blooms that are small, narrow, and guaranteed to lure hummingbirds to your container gardens!
2. Million Bells – Calibrachoa sp.
Calibrachoa is one of the most iconic “spillers” when it comes to annuals, leading us to wonder—would it even be Summer without Million Bells? This phenomenal plant blooms nonstop for months and months, comes in nearly every color imaginable (Peach! Magenta! Crimson!), and most importantly, provides valuable nectar for hummingbirds.
Hummingbirds will gladly visit Calibrachoa planted in hanging baskets or container gardens, making it a fantastic choice for anyone hoping to attract them to balcony gardens. Even though they bloom best in full sun, Million Bells will tolerate a surprising amount of shade and still put on a show, growing to 6–8” tall and 8–16” wide.
3. Littleleaf Sage, Baby Sage – Salvia sp.
Salvias, or Sages, are a startlingly diverse group of plants, many of which are hardy perennials in the Pacific Northwest. The flowers of nearly all Salvias will entice hummingbirds, but the one with the stellar reputation for being the most reliable hummingbird magnet has to be Hot Lips Salvia. Bicolor flowers of white and red are profuse and bloom from Spring through to Fall. Plus, this Sage is a plant that can really stand up to the heat, performing well even during dry spells once it has been established.
If red isn’t your color, check out Amethyst Lips Salvia, which is a great analog to Hot Lips but with violet purple and white blooms. Or for a walk on the wild side, venture to a different species of Sage and check out Black and Bloom—a stunning plant with black stems and true blue flowers that will overwinter in sheltered locations. No matter the style of your garden, we are sure you’ll find a Salvia to stun and act as a beacon for hummingbirds! Salvias will grow to 1.5–3’ tall and 1.5–3’ wide.
4. Hardy Fuchsia – Fuchsia sp.
Hardy Fuchsias are a sure-fire way to bring hummingbirds to the garden, and best of all, they allow shady-space gardeners to get in on the action! Adorned with hundreds of dancing, skirted flowers, Hardy Fuchsias are incredibly easy to grow, especially once established. These hummingbird plants feature flowers in the classic red and purple combos, but look out for fabulous, less common combos like coral and peach, or our favorite, Hawkshead, which has delicate soft pink blooms hanging over the entire plant, making it appear like a chandelier.
Unlike their annual counterparts which are most commonly sold in hanging baskets, Hardy Fuchsias will survive Pscific Northwest Winters, dying back to their main branches or even back to the ground completely if the weather is severe. They can grow to 1.5–4’ tall and 1.5–5’ wide.
5. Montbretia – Crocosmia x
One of the most lauded hardy hummingbird plants is Crocosmia, and rightfully so. The flower shape (many tubular flowers!), habit (flowers that bloom in succession!) color (blood red!), and height (eye level when seated!) of Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ makes it an ideal plant for attracting zippy little hummingbirds to the garden.
Shockingly hardy and easy to grow, Crocosmia thrives in hot, dry, exposed areas in part-sun under other tree canopies where root space is limited, and even in parking strips. A true Summer all-star, C. Lucifer reaches its peak right around the fourth of July, making it a fabulous floral alternative to fireworks—and a lot more wildlife friendly! This perennial grows to 2–4’ tall and 1–3’ wide.
6. Honeysuckle – Lonicera sp.
With the sweetest scent and sweetest nectar, Honeysuckle is a treat for humans and hummingbirds alike! The lovely soft yellow flowers are borne in long straight stems that grow off the twining, woody structure of this hardy vine, making it an excellent cut flower (one of our 7 best!) in addition to being a hummingbird magnet.
Many varieties have a blush of gold, pink, or purple alongside the white to butter-yellow blooms. Honeysuckle will grow in full or partial sun, and the more you cut the flowers, the more it will produce, though typically a big wave of blooms occurs in May alongside the first Roses, and again in September as the weather cools down. Honeysuckle vines can grow to 15’.
7. Butterfly Bush – Buddleia x
Don’t let the name fool you—Butterfly Bush is as adept at attracting hummingbirds as it is an array of butterflies. Pollinators of all kinds flock to the sprays of clusters of tiny blooms that carry a simple, sweet fragrance and come in jewel tones of purple and pink.
While the straight variety of Butterfly Bush has proved to be invasive in the PNW and is no longer sold in stores, new introductions are sterile and won’t reseed or damage native ecosystems. We are particularly drawn to the poppy purple-pink of Buddleia ‘Miss Ruby’ and the classic purple of ‘Miss Violet’, both of which stay at a more reasonable height than the straight species, growing to 4–5’ tall and 4–5’ wide, and bloom profusely all Summer.
Hummingbirds are a thrilling treat for Pacific Northwest gardeners, whether they are zipping through the garden, resting contentedly on a branch, or drinking nectar from their favorite flowers. To encourage more hummingbirds to visit your garden, plant our seven favorite hummingbird plants in pots or straight into garden beds. Then sit back, relax, and watch the magic!