Are you looking to grow potted flowers that attract hummingbirds? Then you’ve come to the right place!
Potted flowers that lure in hummingbirds include Bee Balm, Fuschia, Sierra Larkspure, Lanata, Petunia, Foxglove, Penstemon, Flowering Tobacco, Cardinal Flower, Columbine, Trumpet Honeysuckle, Salvia, and Trumpet Vine.
Today, we’ll be talking about those 13 different flowering plant species that you can easily add to your garden to encourage the fascinating birds into dropping by. Let’s get started!
1. Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)
- Family: Lamiaceae
- Bloom Time: Summer (July to September)
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
Originating in eastern North America, Bee Balm is a medium-sized potted plant compared to other options on the list. It can grow to a maximum height of 4 feet and maximum width of 3 feet.
Other common names for Bee Balm include Wild Bergamot, Scarlet Monarda, and Oswego Tea.
Bee Balm flowers blossom throughout the summer, showing off unique spiky petals. These flowers bloom in a wide array of brilliant colors including red, pink, purple, scarlet, and lilac.
Bee Balm flowers enjoy full sun and need rich, moist to wet soil for optimal growth.
2. Fuschia (Fuchsia species)
- Family: Onagraceae
- Bloom Time: Spring, summer, fall
- Life Cycle: Annual
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 11
Native to South and Central America, Fuschia is a small-sized potted plant that looks amazing in hanging baskets. It grows to a height of 2 feet and about the same width.
A low-maintenance genus, Fuschia is named after Leonard Fuchs, a German botanist of the 1500s.
Fuschia flowers blossom throughout the spring, summer, and fall. The blooms have an elegant, drooping, teardrop shape that resembles crystals on an extravagant chandelier.
Fuschia flowers come in various vivid shades including pink, red, purple, violet, and white. They thrive in partial shade and in rich, moist (but well-drained) soil.
Also Check: 15 Yellow Perennial Flowers That Bloom All Summer
3. Sierra Larkspur (Delphinium glaucum)
- Family: Ranunculaceae
- Bloom Time: Summer, fall (July to September)
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
Originating in western North America, Sierra Larkspur is on the larger side compared to other potted plants listed today. It can grow as tall as 8 feet and as wide as 1.5 feet.
Other common names for Sierra Larkspur include Mountain Larkspur, Tower Larkspur, and Waxy Pale Larkspur.
The flowers of this plant blossom in the summer and fall, showing off large inflorescences containing more than 50 small flowers. Their petals possess stunning shades of blue and purple.
Sierra Larkspur flowers thrive in partial shade and in rich, moist to wet soil.
4.Lantana (Lantana camara)
- Family: Verbenaceae
- Bloom Time: Summer, fall
- Life Cycle: Mostly annual (perennial in hardiness zones 9 to 11)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 11
Native to Tropical Americas, Mexico, and West Indies, Lantana camara is a small to medium-sized shrub. It can grow as tall as 6 feet and as wide as 5 feet.
Other common names of Lantana camara include Red Sage, Yellow Sage, and Shrub Verbena.
The flowers of this plant bloom in the summer and fall months, producing beautiful clusters of tiny tubular flowers. Their petals show off bright shades of gold, orange, yellow, purple, pink, red, blue, lavender, and white.
Lantana camara flowers thrive in full sun and in moist, well-drained soil.
5. Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana alata)
- Family: Solanaceae
- Bloom Time: Summer, fall
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 11
Originating in South America (northwestern Argentina), Flowering Tobacco is a small-sized plant that makes for gorgeous potted flowers. It can grow as tall as 5 feet and as wide as 2 feet.
Other common names for Flowering Tobacco include Jasmine Tobacco and Sweet Tobacco.
Nicotiana alata blooms in the summer and fall, producing showy, fragrant flowers with tubular, star-shaped petals. They come in various colors such as pink, yellow, white, green, red, burgundy, and purple.
Flowering Tobacco grows best in full sun or partial shade and in moist but well-drained soil.
6. Petunia (Petunia species)
- Family: Solanaceae
- Bloom Time: Spring, summer, fall
- Life Cycle: Annual
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 11
Native to South America, Petunias are among the most popular species of flowering plants in gardens. It’s very easy to maintain, typically growing up to 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide.
The Petunia genus contains around 20 species including Blue Spark Cascadia, Prism Sunshine, and Supertunia Silver.
Petunia blooms year-round except in winter. They produce mostly large, showy, and scented flowers with funnel-shaped fused petals.
Petunia flowers are available in just about every color other than true blue, including pink, yellow, white, green, red, orange, and purple.
Petunia flowers grow best when exposed to full as well as light, moist, and well-drained soil.
7. Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
- Family: Plantaginaceae
- Bloom Time: Spring, summer
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
Indigenous to Northwest Africa and Europe, Foxglove is a small to medium-sized plant that’s simple to grow but requires careful handling as it’s highly toxic to humans and animals if ingested.
Reaching up to 5 feet high and 2 feet wide, other common names for Foxglove include Lady’s Glove, Bloody Bells, Dragon’s Mouth, and Fairy’s Cap.
Foxglove blooms during the spring and summer seasons. The plant gives showy, funnel-shaped flowers in many lovely shades such as pink, lavender, yellow, white, red, and purple.
Foxglove flowers thrive in full sun to partial shade and in well-drained, slightly acidic soil.
8. Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
- Family: Campanulaceae
- Bloom Time: Summer, fall
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 9
Native to North, Central, and South America, Cardinal Flower is a small-sized plant that’s easy to grow but needs careful handling as ingesting it can be highly toxic to humans and animals.
Reaching up to 4 feet high and 2 feet wide, other common names for Cardinal Flower include Water Gladiole, Bog Sage, Red Bay, and Hog’s Physic.
Cardinal Flower blossoms during the summer and fall seasons. It produces clusters of tubular flowers with thin, tapered petals.
These flowers come in red, pink, and white shades. They thrive in full sun to partial shade and in moist to wet soil.
9. Penstemon (Penstemon species)
- Family: Plantaginaceae
- Bloom Time: Spring, summer
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
Originating in North America, Penstemon is a genus of flowering plants that contains over 250 species. Easy to grow and relatively large, they can reach up to 8 feet tall and 2 feet wide.
Also known as Beardtongue, Penstemons blossom during the spring and summer seasons. Their flowers look like trumpets and come in shades of red, pink, orange, purple, blue, yellow, and white.
Optimal growth conditions for this plant include exposure to full sun and well-drained soil.
10. Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
- Family: Ranunculaceae
- Bloom Time: Spring, summer
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
Columbine is indigenous to North America, Asia, and Europe. It’s a genus of small-sized plants that pot well and are tolerant to drought.
Growing up to 3 feet high and 2 feet wide, additional common names for Columbine include eastern red columbine, Canadian columbine, and wild red columbine.
Columbine flowers bloom from July to September. They carry spurs and uniquely resemble a jester’s hat.
Columbine flowers blossom in red, violet, pink, blue, orange, yellow, purple, and white shades. They thrive in partial shade and love sandy, well-drained soil with moderate watering.
Read more: Why is My Succulent Growing a Long Stem with Flowers?
11. Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)
- Family: Caprifoliaceae
- Bloom Time: Spring, summer
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 11
Native to North America, Lonicera sempervirens is one of the largest plants on today’s list. Also known as Trumpet Honeysuckle, it can grow as tall as 25 feet and as wide as 25 feet.
Other common names for Trumpet Honeysuckle include Scarlet Honeysuckle and Coral Honeysuckle. It’s not to be confused with Trumpet Vine, which we’ll discuss later on.
Trumpet Honeysuckles produce long, slender, tubular-shaped blossoms. They come in a wide variety of red, pink, orange, and yellow shades.
Optimal growth conditions for this plant include exposure to full sun and well-drained soil with regular watering.
12. Salvia (Salvia species)
- Family: Lamiaceae
- Bloom Time: Summer, fall
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 10
Originating in North America and Mexico, Salvia belongs to the mint family. Also known as Garden Sage, the plants can grow up to 5 feet high and 4 feet wide.
Salvias produce tubular, upright blossoms with a camphor-like scent. They bloom in vivid shades of pink, purple, and blue.
This plant thrives in full sun and well-drained soil with moderate watering.
13. Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans)
- Family: Bignoniaceae
- Bloom Time: Summer
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
Campsis radicans is native to North America. It can grow pretty huge, reaching a height of 40 feet and a width of 10 feet.
Other common names for Trumpet Vine include Hummingbird Vine, Trumpet Creeper, and Cow Itch Vine.
Trumpet Vines produce clusters of tubular-shaped blooms. These flowers typically possess red, orange, and yellow shades.
Trumpet Vines do well in full sun or partial shade. They can handle various types of soil with moderate watering.
Wrap Up
There you have it, 13 species of potted flowers that attract hummingbirds. If you’re a bird watcher looking to spot those tiny daredevils, follow our lead and you’ll lure them in no time!