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Summer gardens are at their very best by the middle of the season. The tomatoes are growing, butterflies are fluttering by, and if you're lucky, you’ll spot tiny hummingbirds zipping from flower to flower in search of nectar. While many spring blooms have already faded, there's still plenty you can plant (or enjoy if it's already growing) to keep these feathered visitors stopping by through late summer and even into fall.
So, what are the best flowers to attract hummingbirds through the season? Well, these lively little creatures are especially drawn to brightly colored tubular flowers in shades of red, orange, pink, and purple. Choosing a mix of plants that bloom throughout the hottest months means your garden stays colorful while providing a reliable food source for these incredible pollinators. Think: salvia, trumpet vine, bee balm, and zinnias. Even better? Many of these summer flowers are also magnets for butterflies and bees, creating a backyard buzzing with life.
Create a hummingbird haven:
- How to Make Hummingbird Nectar
- Hummingbird Feeders to Attract All the Birds
- When Do Hummingbirds Migrate? Here’s What to Know
Bee Balm
With its shaggy blooms in vibrant shades of red, pink, and purple, bee balm is one of the very best flowers for hummingbirds. It blooms for weeks in mid-to-late summer and provides plenty of nectar while adding a cottage garden feel to your landscape. As its name suggests, bees and butterflies can't resist it either.
Cuphea (Cigar Plant)
The tiny tubular flowers on cuphea bloom almost nonstop throughout summer. Because they produce nectar for months on end, hummingbirds often visit these plants multiple times a day. They're especially beautiful spilling over containers or hanging baskets.
Agastache (Hummingbird Mint)
The nickname says it all! Hummingbird mint sends up spikes of fragrant blooms in shades of coral, pink, lavender, and orange that hummingbirds flock to. It's drought-tolerant once established and keeps blooming well into early fall.
Zinnias
Easy to grow from seed, zinnias keep blooming from summer until the first frost. While butterflies adore their open flowers, hummingbirds frequently stop by the taller varieties, especially those in bright pink, red, and orange shades. The more you cut the blooms for bouquets, the more flowers they'll produce.
Trumpet Vine
This vigorous climber produces clusters of large trumpet-shaped orange or red flowers that hummingbirds simply can't resist. Give it a sturdy arbor or fence to climb, and it'll become a favorite feeding stop throughout mid and late summer. Just be aware that it's an enthusiastic grower and benefits from regular pruning.
Cardinal Flower
If you really want to catch a hummingbird's eye, plant cardinal flower. Its brilliant scarlet blooms are one of nature's brightest beacons, and hummingbirds rarely pass them by. This native perennial prefers consistently moist soil, making it perfect near ponds or rain gardens.
Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia)
Few plants make a statement quite like red hot poker. Its tall flower spikes, topped with fiery shades of red, orange, and yellow mean that hummingbirds can spot them from across the garden. Blooming in mid-to-late summer, this sun-loving perennial provides plenty of nectar while adding dramatic height and texture to flower beds.
Salvia
Salvia's tall flower spikes are practically made for hummingbirds' long beaks. Available in reds, blues, purples, and pinks, many varieties bloom continuously through the hottest part of summer, especially if you deadhead spent flowers. It's also wonderfully heat- and drought-tolerant.
Petunias
Don't overlook this classic annual. Petunias bloom continuously all summer with very little effort, and hummingbirds are especially fond of the trumpet-shaped flowers. Plant them in window boxes, containers, or borders for colorful curb appeal.
Coral Honeysuckle
Unlike some invasive honeysuckle varieties, coral honeysuckle is a well-behaved native vine with clusters of coral-red tubular blooms. It flowers throughout much of the summer and provides both nectar and shelter for hummingbirds.
