By Julie Sullivan
To satisfy hummingbirds’ needs, grow nectar-rich, tubular flowers in bright colors, such as orange, pink, or purple, and opt for native perennial herbaceous plants the birds are likely to recognize. So too, group a variety of different flowering plants that will bloom in succession throughout the growing season.
The following plants generally require full sun. They also attract insects the birds need for protein.
Hummingbirds’ favorite flowering plant species on Long Island:
FULL SUN ONLY
(Asclepias ssp.) milkweed Full Sun
(Euthamia graminifolia) flat-top goldentop Full Sun
(Heliopsis helianthoides) smooth oxeye Full Sun
(Liatris scariosa var: Novae-angliae) New England blazing star Full Sun
(Limonium carolinianum) sea lavender Full Sun
(Lonicera sempervirens) trumpet honeysuckle vine Full Sun
(Solidago ssp.) goldenrod Full Sun
SUN TO PART SHADE
(Actaea racemosa) black cohosh Sun to Part Shade
(Aquilegia canadensis) wild colombine Sun to Part Shade
(Chamaenerion angustifolium) narrow-leaf fireweed Sun to Part Shade
(Clethra alnifolia) summersweet Sun to Part Shade
(Diervilla lonicera) northern bush honeysuckle Sun to Part Shade
(Impatiens capensis) jewelweed Sun to Part Shade
(Lilium canadense) Canadian lily Sun to Part Shade
(Lilium superbum) Turk’s cap lily Sun to Part Shade
(Lobelia cardinalis) cardinal flower Sun to Part Shade
(Lobelia siphilitica) great blue lobelia Sun to Part Shade
(Monarda didyma) scarlet beebaum Sun to Part Shade
(Monarda fistulosa) wild bergamont Sun to Part Shade
(Monarda punctata) dotted horsemint Sun to Part Shade
(Penstemon hirsutus) hairy beardtongue Sun to Part Shade
(Penstemon pallidus) pale beardtongue Sun to Part Shade
(Rhododendron periclymenoides) pink azalea Sun to Part Shade
(Symphyotrichum ssp.) asters Sun to Part Shade
PART SHADE ONLY
(Chelone glabra) white turtlehead Part Shade
(Rhododendron viscosum) swamp azalea Part Shade
Avoid using insecticides or other chemicals, and purchase plants from reliable native plant nurseries to be sure they haven’t been grown with systemic neonicotinoid insecticides, which kill insect pollinators and deter hummingbirds. Some local reliable suppliers include: Northport Native Garden Initiative; Long Island Native Plant Initiative; ReWild LI; KMS Native Plants LLC; Dropseed Native Landscapes L.I.; Quality Parks Native Plants; and Wild Seed Project Maine. Remember to specify the scientific name when purchasing. If possible, request a straight plant, not a ‘cultivar’. Ask too if your supplier will help design your garden.
Be sure to visit NY Flora Atlas for information about the plant’s natural habitat. Also, check out Audubon’s Native Plants for Hummingbirds by Zip Code then enter “Hummingbirds” in Filter by keyword.