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.
See the KEY at the bottom for details on the 'Soil' and 'Moisture' codes.
EARLY
|
Beardtongue
|
Penstemon grandiflorus |
Lavender |
2- 4 feet |
|
S |
D |
Columbine
|
Aquilegia canadensis |
Red, Yellow |
1-3 feet |
|
L,S |
D,M |
Downy Phlox
|
Phlox pilosa |
Pink |
1-2 feet |
|
L,S |
D,M,O |
Fire Pink
|
Silene virginica |
Red, Pink |
1-2 feet |
|
L,S |
D,M |
Lupine
|
Lupinis perennis |
Blue |
3 feet |
|
S |
D |
Virginia Bluebells
|
Mertensia virginica |
Blue |
1-2 feet
|
|
C,L,S |
M,O |
MID
|
Swamp Milkweed
|
Asclepias incarnata |
Pink, Red |
3-5 feet
|
|
C,L,S |
O,W |
Smooth Penstemon
|
Penstemon digitalis |
White |
2-3 feet |
|
C,L,S |
M,O |
MID-LATE
|
Butterflyweed
|
Asclepias tuberosa |
Orange |
2-3 feet |
|
C,L |
D,M |
Common Milkweed
|
Asclepias syriaca |
Pink, Lavender |
2-4 feet
|
|
C,L,S |
D,M |
Lavender Hyssop
|
Cirsium discolor |
Lavender |
2-4 feet |
|
L,S |
D,M |
New Jersey Tea
|
Ceanothus americanus |
White |
2-3 feet |
|
L,S |
D,M |
Obedient Plant
|
Physostegia virginiana |
Pink |
1 foot |
|
C,L,S |
M,O |
Prairie Blazing Star
|
Liatris pycnostachya |
Pink, Purple |
3-5 feet |
|
C,L,S |
M, O |
Scarlet Beebalm
|
Monarda didyma |
Red |
3-5 feet |
|
C,L,S |
M,O |
>LATE
|
Bergamot
|
Monarda fistulosa |
Lavender |
2-3 feet |
|
C,L,S |
D,M,O |
Cardinal Flower
|
Lobelia cardinalis |
Red |
2-5 feet |
|
L,S |
O,W |
Fireweed
|
Epilobium angustifolium |
Pink |
2-6 feet |
|
L,S |
M,O,W |
Great Blue Lobelia
|
Lobelia siphilitica |
Blue |
1-4 feet |
|
C,L,S |
M,O |
Harebell
|
Asclepias syriaca |
Pink, Lavender |
2-4 feet |
|
S |
D,M |
Purple Coneflower
|
Echinacea purpurea |
Purple |
3-4 feet |
|
D,L,S |
D,M |
Rough Blazing Star
|
Liatris aspera |
Pink, Purple |
2-5 feet |
|
L,S |
D,M |
Tall Bellflower
|
Campanula americana |
Blue |
2-5 feet
|
|
C,L,S |
M,O |
SOIL:
L = Loam
C = Clay
S = Sandy
R = Rocky
MOISTURE:
D = Dry
M = Medium
O = Moist
W = Wet