Five Great Hummingbird Plants

Wild birds enliven The Huntington’s landscape throughout the year thanks to the ample habitat that the gardens provide. Among the most cherished avian guests are hummingbirds. These tiny, vibrant visitors avail themselves of The Huntington’s abundant nest sites and nesting materials, water features, and food sources.

In our region, Anna’s (Calypte anna), Costa’s (Calypte costae), and Allen’s (Selasphorus sasin) hummingbirds are present year-round. Others that sometimes make seasonal appearances include black-chinned (Archilochus alexandri), rufous (Selasphorus rufus), calliope (Selasphorus calliope), and broad-tailed (Selasphorus platycercus) hummingbirds.

Hummingbirds consume fewer than 10 calories per day, which may seem meager, but proportionately this is the equivalent of a human consuming about 155,000 calories daily. Their high-octane metabolism calls for constant access to nectar-rich plants, particularly during nesting season, when the female hummer must find food for herself and up to two rapidly growing chicks. Hummingbirds also consume insects and spiders, which are an important source of protein, and use spider silk to construct their nests, so it is important to avoid pesticide use.

Although a few artificial feeders are available in the Children’s Garden, plants are the premier food sources for hummingbirds. The Huntington’s diverse flowering plant species from around the world offer nectar throughout the year. To boost the hummer appeal of your garden or outdoor space, consider these five great hummingbird plants (plus a few alternates).

1. Salvias

Hummingbirds occur naturally only in the Americas, so plants native to North and South America are natural choices for attracting them to your garden. A bounty of flowering plants from California, the Southwest, and Mexico can be found in multiple gardens at The Huntington. Salvias are among the most attractive to hummingbirds.

Roughly 50 species of Salvia are native to North America, and many are chaparral staples. In addition to the aptly named Hummingbird Sage (Salvia spathacea), Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii) is an exceptional hummingbird magnet. Native to southwest Texas, it is a compact, low-maintenance shrub with minty aromatic foliage and ample flowers that are generally red but sometimes vary in shades of pink, purple, or white.

A mass planting of Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii) near the Huntington Art Gallery routinely attracts hummingbirds. Even when recorded in slow motion, these birds are speedy. Video by Sandy Masuo.

2. California Fuchsia

California Fuchsia (Zauschneria californica/Epilobium canum) is a hardy, drought-tolerant shrub that produces vibrant, scarlet flowers that are highly attractive to hummingbirds—indeed, one of its many common names is Hummingbird Flower. This tough native plant can be found in dry chaparral areas and blooms during peak summer months. Supplemental water can extend the bloom season. Pink- and white-flowering forms have been cultivated.

3. Aloes

Aloes are welcome additions to Southern California gardens. Generally easy to grow, these succulents are available in a wide range of sizes and forms, from tree-like giants to miniatures that are happy in pots. Most are winter bloomers, and their torchlike inflorescences of bright orange and yellow blooms add flourishes of bright color during the cooler months. The long-lasting flowers also provide a valuable source of nectar for birds and insects. In their native range, primarily the Cape region of Africa, aloes are an important food source for native sunbirds and weaver birds, which occupy ecological niches parallel to those of hummingbirds in the Americas.

A hummingbird sips nectar from flowers produced by Aloe ‘Jacob’s Ladder’. Sound on for an immersive nature experience! Video by Sandy Masuo.

4. Grevillea

A bounty of plants from Down Under appeal to hummingbirds, and many are included in The Huntington’s collections. More than 300 species of Grevillea are native to Australia, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia. They range from low-growing groundcovers to towering trees, and all produce distinctively shaped flowers in colors that vary from luminous gold to hot red.

In addition to the Australian Garden, you can find Grevillea at the Education and Visitor Center and many other locations on The Huntington’s grounds. In their native habitat, they attract honeyeaters, which, like Africa’s sunbirds and weaver birds, are unrelated to hummingbirds but have evolved to fill a similar ecological role.

Hummingbirds enthusiastically feed on nectar from Grevillea flowers. Sound on for an immersive nature experience! Video by Sandy Masuo.

5. Coral Tree

More than 100 species of Coral Tree (Erythrina) are found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. Smaller species such as Tambuki Thorn (Erythrina acanthocarpa), native to Africa, reach about 5 feet in height, while the largest can grow more than 50 feet high. All produce striking clusters of bright flowers in varying shades of red, orange, and coral that draw hungry hummingbirds. Erythrina caffra, native to southeastern Africa, is the official tree of Los Angeles.

Plants that entice hummingbirds often appeal to other nectar-feeding birds, such as orioles, mockingbirds, and grosbeaks as well as many insect pollinators. So, in addition to bringing beauty to any garden, these plants also play an important role in sustaining wildlife.

Other noteworthy hummingbird plants of the Americas include:

• Bladderpod (Peritoma arborea)
• Echeveria species
• Fairy Duster (Calliandra sp.)
• Fountainbush (Russelia equisetiformis)
• Hummingbird Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora)
• Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens)

Other African plants with hummingbird appeal include:

• Gasteria species
• Leucospermum species
• Protea species
• Strelitzia species (Bird of Paradise)

Other hummingbird magnets from Australia include:

• Banksia species
• Bottlebrush Tree (Callistemon species)
• Callistemon species
• Hakea species
• Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos species)
• Melaleuca species

Sandy Masuo is the botanical content specialist at The Huntington.

Related content on Verso:

• Interactive Guide Puts Birds on the Map
• Chaparral Superstar