Bushes and Shrubs That Attract Hummingbirds

A big part of enjoying the outdoors and planting a garden is having a front-row seat to nature's wonders. Hummingbirds rank among the favorite animals that gardeners try to attract to their yards for observation. Hummingbirds gravitate toward bright colored flowers, fragrance and food sources. The following bushes and shrubs all have features that attract these graceful birds.

The aptly named hummingbird bush reaches three to five feet and thrives in U.S. zones 7 through 10. Flowers bloom in red and orange. The bush's tube shaped flowers appeal to the hummingbird, in part because they access hidden nectar more easily than other birds. The hummingbird bush is drought tolerant.

One of the larger shrubs that attracts hummingbirds, the butterfly bush reaches six to 15 feet. It's fast-growing, drought tolerant and able to survive in zones 5 through 10. Different species of butterfly bush offer different colored blooms, ranging from blue to purple, red, pink and white. Dead flowers must be manually removed but blooms quickly regrow in season.

Another large shrub that attracts hummingbirds is the red flowering currant. Reaching heights of six to 10 feet, and producing red and pink flowers, the red flowering currant is a popular source of food for hummingbirds. This shrub grows in zones 5 through 8.

The lantana shrub grows from four to six feet in zones 8 through 11. Flowers bloom throughout the summer and fall in colors ranging from red and pink to purple and blue, orange, white and yellow. The shrub may occasionally grow in a vine-like manner where appropriate support exists.

The abelia shrub reaches three to six feet and features dark green foliage, along with funnel shaped white, pink and purple flowers throughout the summer. The abelia grows in zones 6 through 9.