Butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted to brightly colored, fragrant flowers that provide nectar. By planting a garden with flowers that appeal to butterflies and hummingbirds, you can easily attract these beautiful creatures to your yard.
Do butterflies and hummingbirds like the same flowers?
There is quite a bit of overlap between flowers that attract butterflies and flowers that attract hummingbirds. That’s because butterflies and hummingbirds are both drawn to tubular shaped flowers with ample nectar. However, hummingbirds prefer red, orange, and pink blossoms, while butterflies tend to favor purple, yellow, and red flowers.
What is the best way to attract butterflies?
To draw butterflies to your garden, plant plenty of bright, fragrant flowers in red, yellow, orange, pink and purple hues. Butterflies especially love clustered flowers where they can easily hop from one blossom to the next. Some top butterfly flowers include:
- Lantana
- Verbena
- Lavender
- Zinnia
- Butterfly bush
- Purple coneflower
- Black-eyed Susans
- Cosmos
- Marigolds
- Pentas
In addition to blossoms, provide mud puddles for butterflies to obtain minerals and nutrients. Overripe fruit also attracts butterflies.
What flowers attract the most hummingbirds?
Hummingbirds flock to tubular flowers in fiery shades of red, orange and hot pink. They have excellent color vision and are drawn to blossoms packed with sugary nectar. Some of the best hummingbird flowers include:
- Trumpet vine
- Cardinal flower
- Bee balm
- Petunias
- Fuchsia
- Coral bells
- Columbine
- Impatiens
Hummingbirds also love flowering native plants like honeysuckle, salvia and penstemon. Place feeders filled with sugar water near your hummingbird plants to maximize visits.
When is the best time to plant flowers for butterflies and hummingbirds?
Aim to have flowers blooming from spring through fall to provide nectar for butterflies and hummingbirds all season long. Some key times to have flowers in peak bloom include:
- Spring: Early blooming flowers attract hummingbirds migrating back and hungry butterflies emerging from hibernation.
- Summer: This is baby season! Flowers provide nectar to fuel hummingbirds and butterflies as they nest and lay eggs.
- Fall: Late blooms provide energy for migrating hummingbirds and hibernating butterflies.
Stagger your plantings so you have different flowers coming into bloom over an extended time. Annuals like zinnias and cosmos can be replanted every few weeks to ensure continuous blossoms.
Where should I plant my butterfly and hummingbird garden?
Look for a sunny spot protected from the wind. Butterflies and hummingbirds are cold blooded, so they need warmth from the sun to raise their body temperature high enough for flight. Windy areas make it difficult for them to feed and fly.
Ideally, place flowering plants near trees and bushes where hummingbirds and butterflies can rest in the shade. Provide a water feature, tree stump or other perch for resting too.
How can I arrange the flowers in my garden?
Arrange your butterfly and hummingbird flowers in dense clusters rather than spaced apart. These winged creatures conserve energy by flying short distances between closely grouped blossoms.
Plant tall flowers like delphiniums and foxglove towards the back and shorter flowers like impatiens and marigolds up front for visual appeal. Repeat colors and flower shapes to create a cohesive look.
For hummingbirds, make sure there is an unobstructed flight path to each flower. They need space to maneuver with their wings buzzing at high speeds.
Should I use native plants?
Absolutely! Native plants are ideally suited to your local climate and soil. They require less maintenance and provide vital food and habitat to native pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds.
Check with your local native plant society or extension office for recommendations on great native plants for pollinators in your area.
What type of maintenance is required?
Fortunately, butterfly and hummingbird gardens do not require much work once established. Here are a few tips:
- Apply compost or mulch around plants to improve soil and retain moisture.
- Deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowering.
- Keep flower beds free of weeds that can crowd out blossoms.
- Water plants during dry periods so they continue producing nectar-rich flowers.
- Avoid using pesticides which can be harmful to pollinators.
With a little planning and minimal care, you can easily create a stunning and ecologically friendly flower garden to attract butterflies and hummingbirds galore!
Conclusion
Butterflies and hummingbirds flock to brightly colored, nectar-rich blossoms that provide the food they need. By planting flowers in their favorite colors and designing your garden with their needs in mind, you can turn your yard into a butterfly and hummingbird haven. Core elements like plenty of sun, shelter from the wind, and clusters of tubular flowers will entice these winged beauties to visit your blooms again and again.
