Well…not wrong exactly. Hummingbirds like red but not any more than they like other colors. Truth is they don’t give a flying hoot…wait…that would be an owl. What kind of sound does a hummingbird make? Anyone? Fodder for a future article I’d say!
But back to hummingbirds and their color preferences. Hummingbirds don’t care what color the flower…or feeder might be.
It’s all about the nectar not the color.
And location. Hummingbirds pin the location of nectar rich dining experiences into their internal GPS. Sort of like humans when they find a good restaurant. Only humans would probably use their phones.
Attracting hummingbirds is a lot like opening a good restaurant. You need the right food (see menu listed below) and you need to be patient while you wait for your business to attract a loyal following. Don’t give up if you don’t get any hummingbirds in the first year. Or even two. Plant it and they will come. Eventually. And once they have, you can count on them to return year after year after year.
Whatever you do, don’t close shop.
If you’ve ever returned to a restaurant you liked only to find it has closed or worse-the restaurant has turned into a gym where the only thing on the menu is memberships and yoga mats-then you can feel a hummingbird’s pain when he arrives at what once was a nectar filled location only to find the nectar source has moved or been replaced.
There’s a lot of buzz about feeding hummingbirds food coloring and processed sugar. We shouldn’t. Even if it wasn’t bad for the birds, those feeders are a pain in the arse to keep filled and to clean. And they should be cleaned at least once a week.
Planting a patch of hummingbird friendly plants is so much easier and it’s so much better for the birds.
Here’s a list of nectar rich plants that are sure to make your home a hummingbird haven. Eventually. Bloom times have been added so you can ensure something is blooming for the entire dining season.
The Menu
One Dozen Nectar Rich Plants for Your Hummingbirds Dining Pleasure
1. Borage
Not only does borage attract happy hummingbirds this prolific herb also makes fantastic companion plants for tomatoes and strawberries.
Annual – but a prolific (read potentially invasive) self seeder.
Full Sun
Bloom Time – Late spring through early summer. Staggering plantings will ensure blooms all season long.
2. Bee Balm Monarda didyma
Okay, I admit we’re definitely seeing red in this picture. Bee balm is on the far right. It is red, but bee balm also comes in shades of pink, white and purple which the hummingbirds like equally well. The white shrubby plant in the background is a Persicaria polymorpha. The red wall planter on the easel holds a variety of herbs including cilantro, basil, parsley and thyme.
Perennial
Full Sun/Partial Shade
Bloom Time – Mid/Late Summer
3. Columbine Aquilegia These self seeding perennials come in a huge variety of colors ranging from yellows to blues to purples to pinks and yes, to reds. Hummingbirds love them all.
Columbines readily cross with each other making them a fun project for amateur botanists. Maybe you can come up with a unique color combination and have it named after you!
Perennial – and a prolific self seeder. New plants usually won’t bloom until the following year.
Full Sun/Partial Shade
Bloom time – Spring to Early Summer
4. Lilies Asiatic, canna, trumpet, martagon, oriental, day…white, yellow, pink, red; it just doesn’t matter. Hummingbirds love them all.
Perennial
Full Sun/Partial Shade
Bloom Time – Ranges from early summer, to summer, to all season long depending on variety you choose.
5. Delphinium
There are some short varieties available but most delphiniums are tall – six feet (two meters) or more kind of tall! You will need to stake them or grow them along a fence to keep from toppling over in the wind.
These beautiful bloomers don’t just grab the attention of visiting humans; they attract hummingbirds by the handfuls.
Perennial
Full Sun
Bloom Time – Early to Mid Summer
6. Echinacea
The jury is out on whether this herb cures the common cold, but we have proof positive that hummingbirds love them. And I’ve never heard a hummingbird sneeze. Have you?
Perennial
Sun/Part Shade
Bloom Time – From mid summer to fall.
7. Fuchsia
Gorgeous blooms that are right at home in hanging baskets on your patio. The perfect place to relax and watch hummingbirds feast on your fuchsias!
You can also eat them yourselves. The fuchsias not the hummingbirds.
Perennial – but will need to be wintered over indoors in less than tropical climates.
Part Shade especially in the heat of the afternoon.
Bloom Time – Early Summer to Fall
8. Gaillardia
Also known as blanket flower this orange and yellow blossom fires up flower borders and brings in hordes of hummingbirds. Butterflies too.
Perennial
Full Sun
Bloom Time – Early Summer to Early Fall
9. Honeysuckle Vine
This is a beautiful porch climber that will feed and attract hummingbirds all season long. Can reach heights of 16 feet (5 meters) so needs a trellis, lattice or some tall sturdy structure to climb on.
Perennial
Full Sun/Partial Shade
Bloom Time – Early summer to fall
10. Hosta
Hostas are rarely considered for their blooms. They’re usually grown for their fabulous foliage. Hummingbirds beg to differ. They seem to find the tiny, delicate Hosta blooms irresistible.
Perennial
Full/Partial Shade
Bloom Time – Mid Summer though can vary depending on variety
11. Petunia
Ah, the dependable workhorse of the flower world otherwise known as the petunia. One for every color scheme, they fill our baskets, fill our containers, fill in gaps in our perennial gardens and they also fill hummingbird bellies with nectar.
Annuals – except in tropical climates
Full sun/Part shade
Bloom Time – Early Summer to Frost
The hummingbird diving into these pretty pink peony blooms are proof positive that red isn’t the only color that attracts these winged jewels to your garden.
12. Peony
Last on our list, but never least, the big, bold, beautiful peony. A hardy perennial that offers up big balls of blooms from spring to early summer and then carries on with pretty foliage right through to fall. Comes in a variety of petal types and colors including yellow, peach, white, pink and red.
Perennial
Full Sun
Bloom Time – Spring to Early Summer
Garden Trivia 
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