Which perennial flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies?

When planning a garden that will attract hummingbirds and butterflies, choosing the right types of flowers is key. Hummingbirds and butterflies have preferences for certain colors, shapes, and scents when seeking out nectar sources. Selecting flowers with these attributes in mind will help create an enticing habitat.

Do hummingbirds and butterflies like the same flowers?

There is some overlap between flowers that attract hummingbirds and flowers that attract butterflies. That’s because hummingbirds and butterflies are both drawn to flowers with ample nectar rewards. However, there are also differences in what each pollinator prefers.

Hummingbirds favor tubular, brightly colored flowers with little to no scent. Red flowers are particularly attractive to hummingbirds. Butterflies prefer flowers with flat, open petals and sweet fragrances. They are drawn to red, yellow, orange, pink and purple blooms.

Some examples of flowers that appeal to both hummingbirds and butterflies include:

• Bee balm
• Butterfly bush
• Lantana
• Verbena
• Penstemon
• Salvia
• Petunia
• Fuchsia
• Zinnia

Planting a variety of flowering plants with different colors, shapes and scents will help attract both hummingbirds and butterflies to your garden.

What are the best perennial flowers that attract hummingbirds?

Here are some excellent perennial flower options to attract hummingbirds:

Tubular red flowers

• Cardinal flower – A shade-loving red flower that blooms in late summer. Native to eastern North America.
• Trumpet honeysuckle – Features bright red tubular blooms. Blooms repeatedly from spring to fall.
• Coral honeysuckle – Has red-orange tubular flowers. A vining plant that does well on trellises.
• Scarlet bee balm – Produces bright red flowers in tiered whorls. Has a long bloom period.
• Scarlet sage – Vibrant red spikes complemented by dark green foliage. Does best in full sun.

Tubular orange and yellow flowers

• Columbine – Comes in shades of yellow, gold, orange and red. The tubular shape and nectar attracts hummingbirds.
• Foxglove – Produces tall stalks of tubular flowers in an array of colors, including yellows.
• Daylily – Select varieties with an orange or yellow tubular shape. Early to late summer blooms.
• Sundrops – Provides bright yellow tubular flowers in summer. Does best in full sun.

Other hummingbird favorites

• Fuchsia – A shade lover with tube-shaped red and pink flowers depending on variety.
• Penstemon – Tubular flowers on tall spike stems. Comes in reds, pinks, purples, whites.
• Non-vining clematis – Provides colorful tubular blooms in shades of purple, red and white.
• Firecracker plant – Produces masses of tubular red flowers midsummer into fall.
• Delphinium – Tall spires lined with blue, purple or white tubular flowers.

What are the best perennial flowers that attract butterflies?

Here are some excellent perennial flowers to attract a variety of butterfly species:

Purple and blue flowers

• Purple coneflower – A classic with pink-purple petals and dark center. Blooms midsummer into fall.
• Aster – Daisy-like blooms in purple and blue shades. Mid to late season bloom time.
• Russian sage – Spiked lavender-blue flowers with silvery foliage. Thrives in full sun and heat.
• Veronica – Spike flowers in shades of blue, purple and pink depending on variety.
• Catmint – Blue, lavender or white flowers on aromatic foliage. Blooms spring to fall.

Yellow and orange flowers

• Black-eyed Susan – Bright yellow daisies with dark centers. A classic flowering field perennial.
• Blanket flower – Produces fuzzy pompom-like flowers in shades of orange, yellow, red or white.
• Tickseed – Yellow and orange varieties provide flat clusters of small daisy flowers.
• Yarrow – Flat-topped clusters of small flowers in shades of yellow, white, pink or red.
• Helenium – Daisy-like flowers with yellow, burnt orange or reddish-brown petals around a dark center.

Red and pink flowers

• Bee balm – Tubular flowers in shades of red, pink, purple and white. Very attractive to butterflies.
• Phlox – Dense panicles of pink, magenta, white or red flowers. Summer blooming.
• Sedum – Star-shaped clusters of tiny pink or red flowers. Thrives in full sun and dry conditions.
• Astilbe – Plume-like blooms in white, pink and red varieties. Does best in partial shade.

Other top butterfly flowers

• Butterfly weed – Clusters of bright orange flowers. A milkweed that monarch butterflies depend on.
• Blazing star – Unique purple, blue or pink flowers with long petals. A late summer bloomer.
• Coneflower – Daisies in white, pink, orange and yellow shades. Good for pollinators.
• Aster – Star-shaped daisy flowers in purples, blues, pinks and whites depending on variety.
• Joe Pye weed – Plume-like purplish-pink blossoms that butterflies flock to in late summer.

How to choose the best placement for hummingbird and butterfly flowers

Proper placement of flowers can help make your garden more attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. Here are some tips:

• Plant flowers in sunny areas. Butterflies and hummingbirds are most active in warmth and sunshine.
• Provide some shelter from wind, which makes it difficult for pollinators to feed. Use structures, trees or shrubs as windbreaks.
• Plant flowers in clusters or groups rather than individual plants spaced far apart. Massed flowers are easier for pollinators to locate.
• Include plants of different heights such as tall flowers, mid-height flowers and short flowers. This creates more landing spots.
• Allow some flowering plants like mint and sage to bloom and set seed, which provides food for caterpillars.
• Include trees, shrubs and vines that provide ample nectar, pollen and berries. Examples are lilacs, crabapples, honeysuckle.
• Ensure there is mud for butterflies to obtain minerals from. This could be along a stream edge or seep in the garden.
• Provide shallow water sources for butterflies and hummingbirds to drink from such as a bird bath, fountain or garden pond.

When to plant flowers for continuous bloom

Providing flowers from spring through fall will help supply food for hummingbirds and butterflies through their breeding season and migration. Here is an example planting schedule for continuous blooms:

Focus on choosing a mix of plants that provides blooms from early spring into fall. Don’t forget some winter-blooming plants like witch hazel to provide food on warmer winter days as well.

Tips for growing and maintaining hummingbird and butterfly flowers

Here are some tips for successfully growing the flowers that attract these pollinators:

• Soil prep – Enrich soil with compost or manure before planting. Most flowering perennials thrive in nutrient-rich soil.
• Sunlight – Give most flowers a site with 6+ hours of daily sun for best growth and flowering.
• Mulch – Use 2-3 inches of shredded bark, leaves or other organic mulch to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.
• Water – Water plants 1-2 inches per week, aiming to keep soil consistently moist but not saturated.
• Fertilizer – Use an organic balanced flower fertilizer, or compost/manure tea, monthly during growing season.
• Deadheading – Remove spent blooms to encourage repeat flowering on many plants.
• Cut back – Cut back flower stems by 1/3 to 1/2 after first flush of blooms on perennials.
• Division – Divide overcrowded clumps of perennials in spring or fall to rejuvenate growth.

Pay close attention to each plant’s specific needs. Provide proper care and your flower garden will thrive and supply essential food for hummingbirds and butterflies!

Conclusion

Creating a garden that attracts hummingbirds and butterflies is very rewarding. By choosing a variety of tubular and flat-petaled flowers in the colors these pollinators prefer, you’ll have great success. Place flowers strategically in sunny sites protected from wind. Include bloom times from spring through fall to provide a consistent nectar source. With proper soil preparation, planting, watering, and maintenance, your flowers will flourish and bring in a bounty of beautiful and beneficial hummingbirds and butterflies.