10 beautiful drought tolerant flowers that attract hummingbirds
Hummingbirds are always welcome visitors in gardens. Besides being excellent pollinators, watching them almost seems otherworldly. When I see one in my backyard, it’s almost as if the world stops around me as I quietly watch the bird dart from flower to flower.
If there ever were a creature most like fairies, it would have to be hummingbirds.
Photo by Djalma Paiva Armelin from Pexels
While planning my recent landscape designs, I knew I wanted to incorporate a hummingbird garden. Or at the very least, pockets of flowers that attract them. When researching how to set one up, there were plenty of recommendations on flowering trees, shrubs, and plants.
What I had a hard time finding, however, were drought tolerant flowers.
Here in California, we’re always encouraged to put plants in the landscape that are beneficial to the environment. It’s a plus if you can get a large portion of native species. And due to the recent droughts, plants should try to be water conserving. In fact, my neighborhood requires at least half of our landscape to be drought tolerant.
I’ve put together a list of 10 really gorgeous flowers to add to your garden! All of the items in my list are drought-tolerant, with some not even requiring any summer watering at all.
So how to create a hummingbird garden with water conservation in mind?
Before I started making this list, I had to first make sure that I knew what the hummingbirds are going to be looking for in terms of food sources.
What exactly are types of flowers are they attracted to?
Photo by Frank Cone from Pexels
In general, we know that hummingbirds prefer a few things:
the color red - the order of preference for hummingbirds goes like this: red, orange, pink, with white and yellow being the least attractive.
Long tubular flowers - hummingbirds have long beaks that can reach far to retrieve nectar, so these long necked flowers are really their favorite
Tall or vining plants on trellises
Flowers that are known to have lots of nectar, either in a single plant or by grouping many flowers together so that the hummingbird can get multiple flowers at once.
Now onto the plants! All flowers in this list require little to no water. Try to look for colors that will catch the hummingbird’s attention!
Most plants below still require excellent drainage, so make sure you prepare the soil properly when planting.
For a lasting effect, try to time the bloom seasons so you get flowers throughout the year for your cute friends.
So take a look at the list below and see if you can come up with some ideas to bring hummingbirds into your backyard. Below this list I’ll tell you what I’m planning to plant.
10 beautiful drought-tolerant flowers for hummingbirds
Agastache
Perennial
Full to part shade
Well draining Soil
Flowers midsummer to fallA compact plant with fragrant, upright tubular flowers that bloom for many weeks. The flowers are beautiful in arrangements or dried. Will self-sow.
Species to try:
Agastache rugosa
Also known as “Korean hummingbird mint” with purple-ish blue flowers.
(photo by Stanislav Doronenko)
Agastache aurantiaca
Also known as “orange hummingbird mint”, grows to 2 feet tall with pink flowers.
(photo by Dick Culbert from Gibsons, B.C., Canada)
2. Aloe
Perennial
Full to part sun
Requires excellent drainage
Flowers late winter to late spring
Bright red, orange, or yellow flowers that poke up from fleshy leaves. Some must be grown in frost-free areas, otherwise these plants grow great in containers.
Species to try:
Aloe aborescens
Also known as tree aloe, this shrub produces spikes of red, orange or yellow flowers.
photo: Andrew massyn
Aloe Striata
Also known as coral aloe, produces clusters of coral flowers. Can be frost tolerant.
photo: Raffi Kojian - http://www.gardenology.org
3. Clarkia
Annual
Full to part shade
Good drainage
Flowers late spring until hot weather sets in
Gorgeous flowers native to California. Great for arrangements.
Species to try:
Clarkia amoena
Other names: farewell-to-spring or godetia, this annual produces light purple or pink flowers.
Clarkia rubicunda
Pink or lavender blooms
photo: Eric Hunt
4. Crocosmia
Perennial
Full to part sun
Good drainage
Flowers throughout the summer
Originally native of southern Africa, these beautiful yellow, orange or red blooms bring bright color to your summer garden. Long lasting as cut flowers and has iris-like foliage. There are many hybrids available.
Species to try:
Crocosmia x crocosmiflora
Produces orange, yellow or cream flowers.
photo: KENPEI - KENPEI's photo
5. Echium
Perennial/Biennial
Full sun
Good drainage
Flowers in the spring
Stunning spiked flower clusters or purple-ish or pink flowers. The flowers are also great for bees!
Species to try:
Echium candicans
Also called the Pride of Madeiera, this large plant grows striking purple-blue flowers.
Echium wildpretii
Also known as the Tower of Jewels. This plant starts growing in its second year, creating columns (or towers) of red flowers.
photo: I, Jörg Hempel
6. Iris
Perennial
Full to part sun
Good drainage
Dormant in summer and flowers in early spring
Grassy, long leaves with beautifully diverse flowers that are typically made of three petals. Many species of irises are available (about 250) so make sure the ones you choose are drought-tolerant.
Species to try:
Iris fernalidii
photo: Stan Shebs
Iris hartwegii
photo: Tom Hilton
7. Kniphofia
Perennial
Full sun to part shade
Blooming time depends on species
Unique looking flower that looks like a flaming rod. Also called red hot poker. Lancelike and grass-like foliage. The flowers change color as they mature.
Species to try:
Kniphofia uvaria
Green leaves and coral flowers in the summer
photo: Berthold Werner
8. Lupinas
Annuals/perennials (depends on your region)
Full sun
Require excellent drainage
Blooming time depends on species
Shrubs that provide fragrant flowers that are similar to sweet peas. Flowers gather on spikes on the tips of plants.
Species to try:
Lupinas nanus
Also known as the “sky lupine”, this annual provides blue flowers in the spring.
Lupinas arboreus
This evergreen shrub is native to CA coastal areas and can reach 5-8ft in height. Blooms in spring with white, yellow, or lavender flowers.
photo: Clickie
9. Penstemon
Perennial
Full to part sun.
Requires excellent drainage
Blooming time depends on species
This plant is also known as “beard tongue” and produces tall, woody stalks with beautifully bright tubular and narrow flowers. Perfect for hummingbirds! Even better if you can score these in a bright red color. Great in arrangements. Native to the North American West. Plants typically live 3-4 years.
Species to try:
Penstenom strictus
Also known as “Rocky Mountain Penstemon” and produces deeply purple flowers that bloom in the summer. Can get 2-3’ high.
photo: JerryFriedman
Penstenom heterophyllus
Also known as “Foothill Penstemon”. Can get to 3’ tall and provide spikes of blue or red-purple flowers in the spring and early summer.
photo: Stickpen
10. Salvia
Perennial (Shrubby)
Full sun
Requires excellent drainage
Bloom time depend on species
This mint family genus contains many beautiful species with brightly colored flowers that produce lots of nectar for hummingbirds. Be sure to check if the one you’re after is actually drought tolerant.
Species to try:
Salvia chamaedryoides
Also known as germander sage, this perennial blooms early summer into autumn with blue flowers. Silver foliage.
photo: Stan Shebs
Salvia officinalis
Also known as a garden sage, this perennial blooms from spring to summer, has green gray foliage. Can have lavender-blue, purple, white or pink blooms.
photo: Kurt Stüber [1] - caliban.mpiz-koeln.mpg.de/mavica/index.html
I hope my list gives you plenty of ideas for your hummingbird garden.
There are really some great ones on this list, but my plan to stagger the blooms for the hummingbirds are as follows:
Spring to Summer: Salvia officianalis
Off into the backyard for some fun!
