Garden Plan to Attract Hummingirds
This guide features regional native plants for the Great Lakes that are highly
attractive to pollinators and are well-suited to small-scale plantings in gardens,
on business and school campuses, in urban greenspaces and farm field borders.
These plants are particularly attractive to ruby-throated hummingbirds.
There's no question that hummingbirds make use of plant nectar--or the sugar
water from your feeders--as a source of quick energy. But while they're visiting
those flowers, they may also be gobbling up tiny insects and spiders--both excellent
sources of protein. In fact, some authorities think of hummingbirds as insectivorous
birds that happen to also eat plant nectar. Here’s a list of nectar-producing plants
that should attract them to your garden.
EARLY
|
Beardtongue
|
Penstemon grandiflorus
|
Lavender
|
2 to 4 feet
|
|
S
|
D
|
Columbine
|
Aquilegia canadensis
|
Red, Yellow
|
1 to 3 feet
|
|
L, S
|
D, M
|
Downy Phlox
|
Phlox pilosa
|
Pink
|
1 to 2 feet
|
|
L, s
|
D, M, O
|
Fire Pink
|
Silene virginica
|
Red, Pink
|
1 to 2 feet
|
|
L, S
|
D, M
|
Lupine
|
Lupinis perennis
|
Blue
|
3 feet
|
|
S
|
D
|
Virginia Bluebells
|
Mertensia virginica
|
Blue
|
1 to 2 feet
|
|
C, L, S
|
M, O
|
MID
|
Swamp Milkweed
|
Asclepias incarnata
|
Pink, Red
|
3 to 5 feet
|
|
C, L, S
|
O, W
|
Smooth Penstemon
|
Penstemon digitalis
|
White
|
2 to 3 feet
|
|
C, L, S
|
M, O
|
MID-LATE
|
Butterflyweed
|
Asclepias tuberosa
|
Orange
|
2 to 3 feet
|
|
C, L
|
D, M
|
Common Milkweed
|
Asclepias syriaca
|
Pink, Lavender
|
2 to 4 feet
|
|
C, L, S
|
D, M
|
Lavender Hyssop
|
Cirsium discolor
|
Lavender
|
2 to 4 feet
|
|
L, S
|
D, M
|
New Jersey Tea
|
Ceanothus americanus
|
White
|
2 to 3 feet
|
|
L, S
|
D, M
|
Obedient Plant
|
Physostegia virginiana
|
Pink
|
1 foot
|
|
C, L, S
|
M, O
|
Prairie Blazing Star
|
Liatris pycnostachya
|
Pink, Purple
|
3 to 5 feet
|
|
C, L, S
|
M, O
|
Scarlet Beebalm
|
Monarda didyma
|
Red
|
3 to 5 feet
|
|
C, L, S
|
M, O
|
>LATE
|
Bergamot
|
Monarda fistulosa
|
Lavender
|
2 to 3 feet
|
|
C, L, S
|
D, M, O
|
Cardinal Flower
|
Lobelia cardinalis
|
Red
|
2 to 5 feet
|
|
L, S
|
O, W
|
Fireweed
|
Epilobium angustifolium
|
Pink
|
2 to 6 feet
|
|
L, S
|
M, O, W
|
Great Blue Lobelia
|
Lobelia siphilitica
|
Blue
|
1 to 4 feet
|
|
C, L, S
|
M, O
|
Harebell
|
Asclepias syriaca
|
Pink, Lavender
|
2 to 4 feet
|
|
S
|
D, M
|
Purple Coneflower
|
Echinacea purpurea
|
Purple
|
3 to 4 feet
|
|
D, L, S
|
D, M
|
Rough Blazing Star
|
Liatris aspera
|
Pink, Purple
|
2 to 5 feet
|
|
L, S
|
D, M
|
Tall Bellflower
|
Campanula americana
|
Blue
|
2 to 5 feet
|
|
C, L, S
|
M, O
|
SOIL:
L = Loam
C = Clay
S = Sandy
R = Rocky
MOISTURE:
D = Dry
M = Medium
O = Moist
W = Wet