A well-planned hummingbird garden will fulfill a bird's basic needs (food, water, shelter, space) and in turn, provide you with hours of enjoyment, entertainment, and connection with nature!
Along with being super cute and fascinating to watch, hummingbirds are remarkable avian pollinators. Their ability to hover and move rapidly from flower to flower along with their long, slender bills for extracting nectar makes these tiny birds extremely efficient in their craft. As hummingbirds feed, pollen gets picked up from the flower's stamens and transferred to the stigma, promoting cross-pollination!
Local Hummingbirds in the Pacific Northwest
There are eight different kinds of hummingbirds that live in Oregon, but two species are most common in the Portland metropolitan area: Anna's and Rufous.
Male Anna's Hummingbird
Female Anna's Hummingbird
Male Rufous Hummingbird
Female Rufous Hummingbird
The Anna's hummingbird is a year-round resident all along the West Coast and inland to southwest Arizona, and one of the earliest breeding birds—often laying eggs as early as December. Larger and greener than the Rufous, the male Anna's sports a bright, iridescent red forehead and throat. The Rufous hummingbird, by contrast, migrates to Mexico in Winter and returns to our area each summer around June.
Selecting Plants to Attract Hummingbirds
Flower nectar is the primary fuel source for hummingbirds, making a well-stocked garden essential to their health and survival. Aim to have something in bloom throughout every season, and when selecting plants, know that hummingbirds are drawn to red, orange, purple, and white flowers—particularly tubular, funnel-shaped, or cup-shaped blooms that make nectar easy to access. Flowers with a natural perch nearby are an added bonus.
A successful hummingbird garden also relies on layering and diversity. A well-layered mix of plants is not only more aesthetically pleasing—it's also more accessible to hummingbirds, giving these precise but tiny flyers the space they need to maneuver through foliage. Whenever possible, reach for native plants, which are naturally adapted to support local wildlife.
See below for a list of our favorite hummingbird perennials, shrubs, vines, and annuals. For even more inspiration, check out our guide to The 7 Best Hummingbird Plants for the Garden!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Avoid pesticides and herbicides! Beyond eliminating insects, a critical part of the hummingbird's diet, these chemicals can be directly harmful to the birds themselves.
The Best Garden Plants for Hummingbirds
Perennials for Hummingbirds
- Abutilon
- Agastache
- Bee Balm
- Bleeding Heart
- Cape Fuchsia
- Catmint
- Columbine
- Crocosmia
- Foxglove
- Hardy Fuchsia
- Heuchera
- Hosta
- Knifophia
- Lavender
- Lobelia
- Lupine
- Monarda
- Oregano
- Penstemon
- Phygelius
- Pulmonaria
- Sage/Salvia
Shrubs for Hummingbirds
- Azalea
- Butterfly Bush
- Camellia
- Ceanothus
- Daphne
- Flowering Quince
- Hibiscus
- Lilac
- Oregon Grape
- Pieris
- Red-Flowering Currant
- Spiraea
- Weigela
Vines for Hummingbirds
- Clematis
- Honeysuckle
- Morning Glory
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Star Jasmine
- Trumpet Vine
Annuals for Hummingbirds
- Calendula
- Calibrachoa
- Cerinthe
- Cuphea
- Fuchsia
- Lantana
- Nicotiana
- Zinnias
- And more!
Other Food Sources for Hummingbirds (Insects & Feeders)
In addition to nectar, insects account for a great deal of hummingbird diets during Winter, early Spring, and blooming lulls. Insects are also important during the nesting season. Most of a nestling’s diet consists of insects, which provide vital protein and fat critical for growth. Eventually, nectar brought by the mother becomes the bulk of a young hummingbird diet. Lastly, insects help sustain the Rufous during its long migration back to Mexico, filling in gaps between nectar stops.
The average hummingbird consumes half its weight in sugar daily! Hummingbird feeders help sustain them year-round. Because they eat every 10–15 minutes to fuel their lightning-fast metabolisms, feeders are essential even in flower-filled gardens—bridging blooming gaps, powering migration, and providing reliable calories when natural habitat falls short.
Making nectar is simple:
- Mix 1 part white sugar with 4 parts water. Skip the honey, artificial sweeteners, and food coloring—plain white sugar only.
- Boil the water, stir until sugar dissolves, cool completely, then fill your feeder. Store extra in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Be sure to clean and refill your feeder at least once a week. In Winter, keep nectar from freezing by wrapping the feeder in holiday lights, taping a hand warmer to the side, or bringing it in overnight.
Providing Water for Hummingbirds
Water features such as shallow bird baths, water fountains, ponds, streams, and sprinklers help support hummingbirds. Like all birds, hummingbirds need water for drinking and bathing—bathing keeps their feathers in top condition for the precise flight control they depend on to feed and survive. Since they don't have knees, these birds can't walk or crouch down into deep bird baths, nor can they swim. They prefer to wet their feathers by flying through falling water or gentle sprays, and often dart through wet shrubs for a quick "shower".
Shelter & Habitat for Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds may be bold and fast, but they still need safe places to rest, hide, and raise their young. Evergreen, coniferous plants including thickets, hedges, and dense shrubs provide critical habitat for nesting, while tall, deciduous trees and shrubs, along with unexpected favorites like tomato cages, offer perches for safety and rest.
The right plants can turn any garden into a hummingbird paradise—and this list is your launchpad. Visit us at any of our Garden Centers to explore what's in season and find the perfect plants to keep your local hummingbirds coming back year after year.