Attracting hummingbirds to your yard is easy!
Nectar sources are your biggest advantage.
Drought tolerant plants and flowers are what you want for hot, dry climates like Arizona.
Here's what to expect:
- 11 Flowers in Arizona Hummingbirds Can’t Resist
- 5 Tips for Using Plants to Attract Hummingbirds
- Links to popular hummingbird articles
1. Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
- Perennial
Names: Scarlet Lobelia, Indian Pink
The Cardinal Flower depends on hummingbirds since many insects find the flowers difficult to navigate.
It’s practically a beacon for hummingbirds!
The flowers bloom from late summer through early fall, which is when young hummingbirds are feeding and adults are fueling up for migration.
2. Hummingbird Mint (Agastache)
- Perennial
Names: Anise Hyssop
Hummingbird Mint has tubular, nectar rich flowers that are perfect for hummingbirds (hence its name).
It's a hardy drought resistant plant in Arizona, making it ideal for hummingbirds and butterflies.
There are varieties of reds, purples, pinks, yellows, and even blues.
3. Foxglove (Digitalis)
- Perennial
Foxglove is known for its purple and pink spire-like flowers. They’re native to Europe but have adapted to the Americas.
Foxglove is great for partially shaded areas. It’s an ideal hummingbird flower for rural or suburban yards where deer may appear as it’s considered deer resistant.
Beware— Foxglove is toxic. All plant parts cause severe poisoning.
Avoid it if you have small children or pets.
4. Columbine (Aquilegia)
- Perennial
The red, yellow, and tube shape make Western Columbine flowers a hummingbird favorite.
They bloom in early spring when hummingbirds return from their wintering grounds.
The varieties differ a bit in appearance but have the same soft red and orange hues.
5. Cuphea
- Annual
Names: Red Cigar Flower, Firecracker Plant
Cupha is perfect for attracting hummingbirds to your yard.
Its non-stop tube-shaped flowers bloom from spring to fall.
They do well in planters and hanging baskets.
6. Lantana
- Annual
Names: shrub verbena, wild sage, red sage, or Spanish flag
The rich cluster of tubular flowers of Lantana are great for attracting hummingbirds.
Wild Sage is a drought resistant plant in Arizona, making it ideal for gardens, too.
Butterflies and bees love them, too, dubbing the plant a pollinator workhorse.
7. Fuchsia
- Annual
Fushia is known for its bell shaped upside down hanging flowers. They remind me of Bleeding Hearts
Try Jungle or Garden News varieties, and aim for partial shade and well draining soil.
8. Petunias
- Annual
Petunias are a popular and abundant flower.
You can find them in every garden center this spring and probably in a number of grocery stores.
They can be an uncommon magnet for all pollinators.
9. Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans)
- Perennial
Names: Yellow trumpet, trumpet creeper,
Trumpet vine is a gorgeous orange and peach colored flower.
If you’re looking to channel a warm sunrise vine in your garden, this is the flower to use.
This plant is a crawling and climbing vine ideal for fences and trellis.
- Related: 5 Steps to Clean Hummingbird Feeders
10. Golden Currant (Ribes aureum)
- Perennial
These early blooming, yellow shrubs offer essential early nectar making it a premier native plant for hummingbirds.
This drought resistant flower in Arizona blooms April-May in Arizona and has yellow trumpet shaped flowers.
This plant also doubles as a great nesting site for other birds.
11. Great Red Paintbrush (Castilleja miniata)
- Perennial
A vibrant red flowering plant with firework-like bracts that bloom from March to October.
Everything from the shape to the color makes it a hummer magnet!
It's a popular plant for pollinator gardens, too.
5 Tips for Attracting Hummingbirds During Migration
1. Use Red Flowers
Hummingbirds are red sensitive.
They visit many colors but warm reds, yellows, and oranges increase the odds of them picking your flowers.
2. Avoid Invasive Plants
They can displace native vegetation.
- Butterfly Bush crowds out the native plants that support Mississippi's local butterfly population
- Lantana forms dense allelopathic thickets (chemicals that prevent other plants from growing) and is toxic to livestock.
Check with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife and Fisheries before planting.
3. Group Plants Together
Grouping similar plants in clumps makes them easier for hummingbirds to spot.
Use companion planting to make sure your garden thrives!
4. Use Hummingbird Feeders
When in doubt put up nectar feeders.
Hummingbirds will come for easy food. They'll notice your flowers & keep coming back for more.
5. Avoid Pesticides
Insecticides protect plants from destructive insects.
Many store bought pesticides can kill the insects hummingbirds eat and rely on for protien.
This throws off the delicate balance of the ecosystem.
Opt for these eco-friendly insecticide alternatives:
What flowers do your hummingbirds like?
Share them on the Sparkbird App! Where likeminded birders and nature enthusiasts go to share.
Available in the Apple App Store.
