You may not think of late summer and early fall as prime hummingbird season, but it IS the time to consider what shrubs and perennials attract hummingbirds so you can to get them in the ground before the first frost hits.
Hummingbirds not only serve as gorgeous, tiny, and fascinating members of the bird species, but they play two very important roles in the ecosystem: pollination and insect control.
What Do Hummingbirds Eat?
Hummingbirds feed on the nectar from flowers and on small insects such as aphids, mosquitos, and gnats.
Their feeding activity on flowers allows the hummingbirds to also be fantastic pollinators as they move from flower to flower, dusting each new spot with pollen from previous feeding places.
Hummingbirds in New England
Here in northern New England (southern Maine, Hardiness Zone 5b), I order my spring bulbs in July for planting in September.
In September, I’m also considering what shrubs and perennials I want to plant in the fall that will add some extra pop to my gardens in the years to come.
And if you’re seasoned gardener, you’ll also know that not only do these additions boost color, but some of the shrubs and perennials you choose will attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds.
Flanking either side of my screened porch, where I spend my mornings drinking coffee, working, and reading from May through October, are a giant flowering shrub and my recently planted perennial garden.
I’ve been spying dozens of hummingbirds feasting on the flowers in both areas since June and the bird activity since mid-August has increased dramatically. It’s as if they know – and they DO know! – that their season in the north is ending soon before they migrate south for the winter. They’re beefing up on nectar to fuel themselves for the trip!
What to Plant to Attract Hummingbirds
If you’re looking to attract more hummingbirds to your yard with flowering shrubs and perennials, here are 5 great options to plant!
5 Great Shrubs and Perennials to Attract Hummingbirds
Black Adder Hyssop, part of the Agastache genus, is also known as a type of hummingbird mint.
Rose of Sharon shrubs bloom gorgeous and ruffled hibiscus flowers, which hummingbirds love to feed on.
Butterfly bushes aren't only for attracting butterflies! Hummingbirds love these fast-growing, drought-tolerant purple bushes all summer long!
As one of the most fragrant and hardy climbing vines the summer gardening season has to offer, honeysuckle bushes attract hummingbirds like almost nothing else. The European honeysuckle grows over a tree stump in my yard near the pool so we enjoy watching the hummingbirds all summer long!
Named for another pollinator, Bee Balm is also a phenomenal treat for hummingbirds. You'll love seeing how quickly the hummingbirds flock to this bee balm!
Reasons to Avoid Hummingbird Feeders
I’ve never been a fan of hummingbird feeders for one primary reason: the ants the feeders attract.
Most feeders are filled with hummingbird food, which essentially is just a sugar and water mixture, otherwise known as simple syrup. A sweetened liquid like this is a prime food source for ants and other human food-loving bugs.
In addition to the ants, I don’t like having to remember to fill the feeder. Flowering shrubs and perennial flowers provide a natural source of hummingbird food without any human interaction.
And lastly, why are we feeding human-processed food to these fluttery friends? They don’t need sugar – they need nectar, which they not only feed on, but also directly pollinate other flowers with as well.
You can’t pollinate flowers and plants with sugar water!
These are just 5 of my favorite shrubs and perennials that attract hummingbirds and other pollinators here in my southern Maine yard (Zone 5b). Visit your favorite garden center soon and ask for help if you need help with recommendations for hummingbird-friendly shrubs and perennials!
Thank you. My zone is 10b & 11a. The most southwest corner of the USA!