Hummingbirds are attracted to flowers in general, for they seek the sweetness of the nectar. However, some flowers do a better job of enticing hummingbirds than others. When you are trying to make a garden that will appeal to hummingbirds, you will have to think about what flowers do hummingbirds like.
For the most part, your focus should be on flowers that are bright and have a rich tone. However, flowers with specific shapes also appeal to hummingbirds. As they have long bills, they find it easier to drink nectars from certain shaped flowers than others.
Here’s the thing, the plant that attracts hummingbirds is also the one that calls out to bees and butterflies. If you go to a local center that specializes in flowers, they should be able to tell you what kind of flowers you should keep in your garden based on where you live and what would be easier to cultivate. For now, let’s take a look at some of the obvious flowers that do certainly attract hummingbirds.
Cardinal Flowers
Belonging to the Lobelia family among flowering plants, this is a perennial plant, with particularly long flowers. It can grow up to about 4 feet. The shape of the bloom is extremely pretty, a bit of delicateness to them. When you combine that with the deep red color of the flower, nor do they belong into the category of what flowers attract hummingbirds, they also make perfect sense in your garden, making for pretty scenery.
While you do not have to divide cardinal flowers, it doesn’t have an extremely long life span. It is good at self-seeding, which can lead to the flowers making a colony of itself without any help from your end.
Bleeding Heart
The Bleeding Heart plant is ideal for cool climates. It’s also best if it has some shade over it, though it shouldn’t be kept away from the sunlight. The plant type is such that it’s quite thick with leaves and from its thin branches, we see blooms that are heart-shaped, hence the name. The color of the bloom could be white or pink, though if you have a pink bloom, it’s more likely to attract hummingbirds than white ones.
It can take from 24 to 36 inches. As it grows longer, it can be divided so transplanting can take place. Once summer comes around, the leaves might lose their color and even die. However, once spring returns, the plant starts gaining color again. The plant also thrives in moist soil, though you have to drain it from time to time so the root doesn’t rot.
Bee Balm
Bee balms have a spherical shape and have blooms that basically scatter in every direction like spikes. In a garden, the deep pink of the bloom makes it quite an attractive addition. It also has a large appeal for all pollinators along with hummingbirds.
In fact, the reason for the name, Bee Balm, is due to how quickly it appeals to pollinators. Typically, the plant is about 4 feet tall. You might have to divide it every 4 years or so. It’s also likely to self-seed unless you make it a point to deadhead the flowers once they are done blooming.
Final Thoughts
The fun part of attracting hummingbirds to your garden by enticing them with attractive flowers is that they tend to find the very same flowers attractive that we do. If you think about what flowers attract hummingbirds, you will notice all of them look right at home in a person’s garden. So, it’s not like you have to make a huge sacrifice for the birds. You only have the added bonus of waking up to the birds chirping.
Ornithology
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