As May settles in and gardens begin to wake in full color, hummingbirds return in search of sweet nectar and safe places to rest. These tiny aerial acrobats are naturally drawn to vivid blooms—especially flowers with long, narrow shapes perfectly designed for their delicate beaks.
If you dream of a garden alive with fluttering wings and soft humming sounds, choosing the right plants can make all the difference. Here are some beautiful spring bloomers that hummingbirds simply cannot resist.
Salvia
Salvia is one of the most reliable flowers for attracting hummingbirds. Its tall spikes of tubular blooms offer both nectar and tiny insects that hummingbirds feed on. Many varieties bloom in shades of red, pink, and purple—colors that naturally catch a hummingbird’s attention from high above the garden.
Beyond attracting pollinators, salvias add rich texture and movement to flower beds throughout spring and summer.
Trumpet Creeper
This fast-growing flowering vine produces dramatic trumpet-shaped blossoms that hummingbirds eagerly visit throughout the warmer months. Whether climbing a fence, arbor, or trellis, trumpet creeper creates a lush cottage-garden feel while serving as a dependable nectar source.
Its thick vines can also provide shade and shelter for beneficial wildlife around the yard.
Lantana
Lantana bursts into clusters of fiery orange, yellow, pink, and red blooms from spring until frost. While the flowers themselves may not hold as much nectar as some other plants, they attract plenty of tiny insects—which hummingbirds also rely on for protein.
In warm Southern gardens, lantana thrives with very little fuss and keeps the landscape glowing with color for months.
Lupine
With their tall spires covered in dozens of tiny blossoms, lupines create an irresistible feeding stop for hummingbirds. Each stem offers multiple feeding points filled with nectar and small insects.
Although many lupines bloom in cool shades of blue and violet, hummingbirds still flock to them because of the abundant food source they provide.
Eastern Columbine
Eastern columbine brings graceful movement and woodland charm to the spring garden. Its dangling red-and-yellow blooms seem almost perfectly crafted for hummingbirds, whose long beaks can easily reach deep inside the flowers.
Blooming from early spring into summer, this native favorite adds both elegance and ecological value to the landscape.
Coral Honeysuckle
Unlike invasive honeysuckle varieties, coral honeysuckle is a native vine that supports pollinators while adding stunning color to the garden. Its long coral-red blooms are packed with nectar and bloom steadily through much of spring and summer.
Hummingbirds are especially fond of this plant during migration and nesting season when dependable food sources are essential.
Beard tongue
Beardtongue produces elegant spikes of tubular flowers in shades of white, pink, and lavender. These upright blooms create an easy feeding station for hummingbirds moving quickly through the garden.
Flowering in late spring and early summer, beardtongue also attracts bees and butterflies, helping create a thriving pollinator habitat.
Bradbury’s Beebalm
Bradbury’s beebalm features unusual crown-like blooms filled with delicate tubular flowers that hummingbirds adore. The soft lavender and white blossoms rise above the foliage, making them easy for passing hummingbirds to spot.
This plant not only provides a rich nectar source, but also adds a whimsical, cottage-garden beauty to flower beds and borders.
Creating a hummingbird-friendly garden is about more than flowers—it’s about creating a peaceful little refuge filled with movement, color, and life. A few thoughtfully chosen blooms can turn an ordinary backyard into a place hummingbirds return to again and again.
Intentional living is a good thing.