Rapidly Blossoming Flower Species Irresistible to Zippy Hummingbirds
Growing a Hummingbird-Friendly Garden
Discover the joy of attracting hummingbirds to your backyard with these fast-growing and vibrant flowers. These beauties not only add a splash of color to your garden but also provide a much-needed nectar source for these delightful creatures.
Fast-growing flowers are an excellent choice for hummingbird gardens, as they typically produce abundant blooms, ensuring a steady food supply for these fascinating birds. Annuals and perennials that have long blooming seasons are perfect for this purpose. Their tube-shaped blossoms are perfect for hummingbirds' long tongues and beaks.
Here are eight blooms that will make both you and the hummingbirds happy.
Bold Blooms for Hummingbirds
Bee Balm
Bee balms will catch the attention of hummingbirds with its eye-catching purple hues signaling an abundant food source. This flower thrives in full sun and offers a stable nectar supply during the breeding and migration season. In addition to being appealing to hummingbirds, bee balm flowers have a pleasant fragrance that will heighten your garden experience.
- Growing Zones: 3 to 9
- Size: 12 to 48 inches tall x 12 to 48 inches wide
- Care Requirements: Full sun; evenly moist, well-draining soil; deep, infrequent watering
Columbine
Columbine flowers feature long tubular spurs, creating an ideal shape for hummingbirds’ bills and tongues to access nectar easily. These flowers are vibrant red and orange, which attract hummingbirds, and their blooming period aligns with the birds' migration season, making it a consistent food source during peak activity. Columbines are drought-resistant, requiring minimal water.
- Growing Zones: 3 to 8
- Size: 1 to 3 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
- Care Requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-draining soil; moderate watering
Zinnias
Zinnias are excellent prolific bloomers, offering single, double, or semi-double flowers in a variety of bold colors. The central florets provide easy access to nectar and produce a steady supply throughout the summer, essential for hummingbirds' high energy needs. Zinnias are drought-tolerant, thriving in a wide range of growing zones. To encourage continuous blooms, it is best to regularly deadhead spent flowers.
- Growing Zones: 3 to 10
- Size: 12 to 36 inches tall x 8 to 10 inches wide
- Care Requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil
Nasturtium
Nasturtium’s brilliant blooms in shades of canary, carmine, and salmon, set against vibrant green leaves, delight both gardeners and hummingbirds. While the flower shape is shorter than some other hummingbird favorites, its abundant nectar is still easily accessible to the birds' long tongues. These fast-growing blooms benefit from occasional trimming to maintain a tidy appearance in the garden.
- Growing Zones: 2 to 11
- Size: 12 to 18 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wide
- Care Requirements: Full sun to partial shade; moist, rich, well-draining soil
Morning Glory
Morning glory is a fast-growing vine that blankets fences and walls, offering beautiful, trumpet-shaped blooms in various colors. Its rapid growth makes it ideal for adding a quick burst of color to your garden.
- Growing Zones: 2 to 11
- Size: 6 to 10 feet tall x 3 to 6 feet wide
- Days to Maturity: 50 to 90
- Growing Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil
Petunia
Petunias are some of the most popular garden flowers, thanks to their wide range of hues, fragrant, trumpet-shaped blooms, and vibrant colors that attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
- Growing Zones: 2 to 11
- Size: 1 to 3 feet tall x 1 to 4 feet wide
- Care Requirements: Full sun to part shade; moist, well-draining soil rich in organic matter
Red Salvia
There are many salvia varieties, but hummingbirds are especially attracted to red salvia for its eye-catching color. Its bold hue signals an abundant nectar source, making it extremely attractive to the birds. Beyond its appeal to hummingbirds, red salvias are low-maintenance and drought-tolerant once established in the garden. They add color and vertical dimension to flower beds and container gardens.
- Growing Zones: 4 to 9
- Size: 1 to 3 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
- Care Requirements: Full sun; well-drained to clay soils
Spider Flower
Spider flowers have dark-green foliage and bright white blooms that add charm to your garden. They thrive in full sun and grow well across a wide range of growing zones, blooming until the first frost. While they don't display bright colors, the flowers' simple beauty still attracts hummingbirds and butterflies into the garden. Spider flowers can self-sow, ensuring fresh sprouts return in the next spring.
- Growing Zones: 2 to 11
- Size: 3 to 6 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
- Care Requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil rich in organic matter
Martha Stewart's flower gardens often include a hummingbird-friendly selection, as she appreciates the connection between vibrant floral displays and the delightful creatures they attract. Adorning her garden, these flowers not only add a display of color but also become a prime destination for hummingbirds seeking food and energy.
Lifestyle enthusiasts, driven by their ever-evolving fashion-and-beauty and food-and-drink preferences, can incorporate hummingbird-friendly flowers into their gardens to enhance their outdoor experiences. Pet owners, especially those who mind homely pets like cats and dogs, can enjoy watching hummingbirds flutter about their gardens while maintaining a harmonious balance between fauna species.
Hummingbirds are known to make striking subjects for travel photography, their dazzling speeds and captivating beauty perfectly complementing picturesque landscape shots. Car owners can easily transport these beautiful flowering plants between homes or gardens, making it easier to grow a hummingbird-friendly garden wherever they choose to reside.
Shopping for specific flower species or gardening tools becomes an enjoyable quest for those who hold a passion for home-and-garden activities, allowing them to seek out exotic blooms and environmentally-friendly solutions for potting and nurturing their plants. Sports enthusiasts can appreciate the calming influence of hummingbird gardens, finding solace in peaceful outdoor spaces amidst their hectic schedules and competitive pursuits.
In essence, growing a hummingbird-friendly garden is an experience that transcends age, gender, or lifestyle choices, appealing to a diverse audience of gardeners and nature lovers alike who seek to add a touch of charm, beauty, and vitality to their homes and gardens.
