Hummingbirds are quite spectacular to watch as they dart from flower to flower with blurry wings and then hover with ease at flowers to feed. They use a great deal of energy and must feed almost constantly. The best way to attract hummingbirds is to provide a hummingbird feeder filled with a sugar-water solution. Use one part sugar and four parts water. Hummingbirds are bold little creatures, so don’t be shy about hanging the feeder close by where you can see it. Remember to change the sugar water every 3-4 days – more often in hot weather. Wash thoroughly with hot water and soap then rinse feeders before refilling.

Your feeder should be in place well before hummingbirds arrive in the spring to ensure that food is available as soon as they arrive from their long migration. You can put up a feeder anytime during the summer and still attract hummingbirds. Add a mister to your birdbath & see them dart back and forth through the mist to bathe or take a drink.

Hummingbirds visit a large variety of plants with flowers in all shapes, sizes and colors. They favor mostly red, odorless, trumpet shaped flowers. Bright red, yellow and orange flowers are preferred but pink and blue flowers are also very popular. This plant list will get you started.

Trees

Crabapples

Shrubs

Azalea
Beauty Bush
Butterfly Bush
Cotoneaster
Currant
Flowering Quince
Honeysuckle
Lilac
Rose of Sharon
Viburnum
Weigela

Perennials

Agastache
Ajuga
Bee Balm
Bleeding Heart
Butterfly Weed
Campanula
Columbine
Coral Bells
Crocosmia
Daylilies
Dianthus
Delphinium
Foxglove
Gladiola
Hollyhock
Lilies
Lupine
Penstemons
Red Hot Poker
Salvia
Speedwell

Annuals

Flowering Tobacco
Impatiens
Morning Glory
Nasturtium
Petunia
Phlox
Salvia
Snapdragon
Zinnia

Vines

Honeysuckle
Scarlet Runner Bean
Trumpet Vine