Creating a garden that acts as a natural haven for wildlife can be incredibly rewarding. By planting specific annuals, you can attract hummingbirds and butterflies, infusing your garden with color, movement, and life. These creatures not only add to the aesthetic appeal of your garden but also contribute to the pollination of plants. Annuals, which complete their life cycle within one growing season, can provide abundant nectar and serve as host plants for caterpillars.
To maintain a garden that is inviting to hummingbirds and butterflies, regular care is essential. This includes proper watering, fertilizing, and deadheading of spent flowers to encourage new blooms. Furthermore, the layout of your garden is important—grouping plants together can create a more attractive display and make it easier for hummingbirds and butterflies to locate their food sources. Strategically placing these groups throughout your outdoor space can create a mini sanctuary for wildlife while offering you a front-row seat to nature’s splendor.
Key Takeaways
- Planting specific annuals can attract hummingbirds and butterflies, enhancing garden pollination.
- A mix of bright-colored flowers is beneficial for a diverse ecosystem.
- Regular garden care and strategic design are key to maintaining an attractive habitat for wildlife.
Common Annuals for Hummingbirds and Butterflies
Your garden can become a haven for hummingbirds and butterflies with the right selection of annuals. We’ll list a few garden favorites here to get you started, and later talk more specifically about what hummingbirds and butterflies are looking for so you can understand how to make the best selection.
- Zinnia
- Appearance: Zinnias have sturdy stems and large, colorful, daisy-like flowers.
- Attracted: Both butterflies and hummingbirds.
- Height: Typically 1-3 feet.
- Sun/Water: Full sun and moderate water.
- Colors/Varieties: Wide range, including pink, red, yellow, orange, lavender, and white.
- Petunia
- Appearance: Petunias feature funnel-shaped, vibrant flowers.
- Attracted: Primarily butterflies, occasionally hummingbirds.
- Height: 6-24 inches.
- Sun/Water: Full sun, regular watering.
- Colors/Varieties: Includes purple, pink, red, blue, white, and bi-colors.
- Salvia
- Appearance: Salvia displays spikes of densely-packed flowers atop aromatic foliage.
- Attracted: Both butterflies and hummingbirds.
- Height: 1-5 feet depending on species.
- Sun/Water: Full sun, moderate to low water.
- Colors/Varieties: Red, purple, blue, and white are common.
- Impatiens
- Appearance: Impatiens have soft, shiny leaves with vibrant, often pastel-colored flowers.
- Attracted: Butterflies.
- Height: 6-24 inches.
- Sun/Water: Partial to full shade, regular watering.
- Colors/Varieties: Pink, red, white, orange, and purple.
- Lantana
- Appearance: Lantana sports clusters of small, multicolored flowers.
- Attracted: Both butterflies and hummingbirds.
- Height: 1-4 feet.
- Sun/Water: Full sun, drought-tolerant.
- Colors/Varieties: Red, orange, yellow, purple, white, and bi-colors.
- Sunflower
- Appearance: Large, iconic flowers with a central disc surrounded by yellow petals.
- Attracted: Butterflies and other pollinators
- Height: 3-10 feet.
- Sun/Water: Full sun, moderate water.
- Colors/Varieties: Primarily yellow but can be red, brown, or orange.
- Verbena
- Appearance: Small flowers in tight clusters atop slender stems.
- Attracted: Both butterflies and hummingbirds.
- Height: 6-12 inches.
- Sun/Water: Full sun, moderate to low water.
- Colors/Varieties: Purple, pink, red, white, blue.
- Nasturtiums
- Appearance: Rounded leaves with vibrant, trumpet-shaped flowers.
- Attracted: Butterflies.
- Height: 1-10 feet (trailing or bushy types).
- Sun/Water: Full sun to partial shade, low water.
- Colors/Varieties: Yellow, orange, red, and cream.
- Snapdragons
- Appearance: Tall spikes of brightly colored, dragon-shaped flowers.
- Attracted: Butterflies and occasionally hummingbirds.
- Height: 6-36 inches.
- Sun/Water: Full sun, moderate water.
- Colors/Varieties: Pink, red, yellow, orange, white, purple.
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Appearance: Tall, stalky plant with spidery clusters of flowers.
- Attracted: Butterflies.
- Height: 3-5 feet.
- Sun/Water: Full sun, moderate water.
- Colors/Varieties: Pink, purple, white.
- Cuphea ‘Vermillionaire’
- Appearance: Bushy plant with small, tubular orange-red flowers.
- Attracted: Both hummingbirds and butterflies.
- Height: 1-2 feet.
- Sun/Water: Full sun, moderate water.
- Colors/Varieties: Mostly red and orange.
- Gomphrena (Globe Amaranth)
- Appearance: Globe-shaped blooms atop stiff, upright branches.
- Attracted: Butterflies.
- Height: 1-2 feet.
- Sun/Water: Full sun, drought-tolerant.
- Colors/Varieties: Pink, purple, white, red.
- Heliotrope
- Appearance: Clusters of tiny, fragrant flowers.
- Attracted: Butterflies.
- Height: 1-4 feet.
- Sun/Water: Full sun to partial shade, regular watering.
- Colors/Varieties: Purple, white.
- Sunstar Red Pentas
- Appearance: Dense clusters of star-shaped red flowers.
- Attracted: Both butterflies and hummingbirds.
- Height: 18-24 inches.
- Sun/Water: Full sun, moderate water.
- Colors/Varieties: Primarily red.
- Cannas
- Appearance: Large, tropical leaves with bold, iris-like flowers.
- Attracted: Hummingbirds.
- Height: 2-6 feet.
- Sun/Water: Full sun, needs ample water.
- Colors/Varieties: Red, orange, yellow, pink.
Do Hummingbirds And Butterflies Always Like the Same Flowers?
Although they are both nectar-drinkers, hummingbirds and butterflies do not always prefer the same kinds of flowers. While there is some overlap in their preferences, each group has distinct characteristics that typically attract them:
Hummingbirds
- Flower Shape: Hummingbirds are particularly attracted to tubular flowers that accommodate their long, narrow beaks. These shapes allow them to access nectar deep within the flower.
- Color Preference: Red, bright pink, and orange flowers are often preferred, although they will feed from flowers of other colors as well.
- Flower Position: They prefer flowers that are oriented to allow them to hover while feeding. They don’t land and perch while feeding, they nearly always remain in flight..
Butterflies
- Flower Shape: Butterflies, with their proboscises, are better suited to flat, open flowers or clusters of small flowers that provide platforms for landing. This allows them to “sit” and feed at leisure.
- Color Preference: They are attracted to bright colors like yellow, orange, pink, red, purple, and white.
- Nectar Accessibility: Unlike hummingbirds, butterflies cannot reach deep into tubular flowers, so they prefer those with easily accessible nectar.
Overlap
There are certain plants that cater well to both, often because they provide ample nectar and have characteristics that are accessible to both creatures, like lantanas and salvia. These plants typically have a combination of attributes that make them versatile in attracting a range of pollinators.
By incorporating a variety of plants that cater to each group’s specific preferences, you can create a garden that’s a haven for both hummingbirds and butterflies.
Selecting Your Annuals
When you choose annuals for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies, focus on varieties with bright colors, abundant nectar, and long-lasting blooms. When selecting annuals, consider factors like bloom time, color, and the conditions they thrive in to ensure your garden offers a year-round buffet.
Color Preferences
Hummingbirds are particularly drawn to red, orange, and pink flowers, although they will visit blooms of other colors. Butterflies prefer a wide range of bright colors, including yellow, blue, pink, and purple. Selecting a variety of colors can attract a diverse array of species.
- Attractive colors for hummingbirds: Red, Orange, Pink
- Attractive colors for butterflies: Yellow, Blue, Pink, Purple
Nectar Production
For a garden that sustains visiting butterflies and hummingbirds, choose annuals known for their high nectar production. These will provide ample food and entice hummingbirds and butterflies to return throughout the season. If you have some flowers in mind, you may want to check online before purchasing to make sure they are nectar producing.
It may surprise you to know that even some of the most colorful blooms don’t make enough, or any, nectar! For example, I always like to have some geraniums in the yard because they grow well at my house and will bloom into early fall. However, they produce very little nectar . So even colorful geraniums won’t attract hummingbirds or butterflies. Some other common favorites that are low nectar producers are begonia, pansies, and tulips.
Bloom Duration
Select annuals that maintain flowers for many months to provide a consistent food source. Continuous bloomers are essential to support wildlife throughout their active seasons. From our list of favorites above, lantana, salvia, petunia, zinnas and verbena are a few that are known for their long blooming season. But bloom duration also depends on the climate where you live, so you may want to look into what works best for your particular state.
You can get around some shorter blooming plants by planting a variety that will bloom at different times. If you have some flowers that don’t continue past early summer, make sure to compliment them by planting some mid to late summer bloomers.
Planting and Care
To attract hummingbirds and butterflies, your garden needs to meet specific requirements. Proper soil, sunlight, and watering practices are crucial for the health of your annuals. The specifics of course depend on the individual species you are choosing, so always consult the care instructions that come with your chosen plant. But here are a few general things to keep in mind –
Soil Requirements
Your annuals need well-draining soil rich in organic matter. Aim for a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Perform a soil test using a kit from your local garden center and amend your soil accordingly:
- For acidity (pH < 6.0): Add lime to raise the pH.
- For alkalinity (pH > 7.0): Add sulfur to lower the pH.
Sunlight Exposure
Most annuals that attract hummingbirds and butterflies thrive in full sun. Ensure your plants get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Some examples include:
- Petunias prefer full sun but can tolerate partial shade.
- Zinnias require full sunlight to produce the best blooms.
Watering Practices
Regular watering helps annuals grow, but overwatering can cause issues like root rot. Follow these guidelines:
- Water deeply a few times per week to encourage root growth.
- Use mulch to retain soil moisture and reduce watering frequency.
- Avoid watering leaves directly to prevent disease; focus on the soil.
via Deposit Photos
Designing your Garden
While just having a few flowers here and there will still attract some hummingbirds and butterflies, if you really want your yard to be a bustling hot-spot for these pollinators, a little design will go a long way.
Spatial Arrangement
Your garden’s spatial arrangement is a key ingredient to maximizing your “flower footprint” and attracting pollinators. Place taller annuals like Sunflowers (Helianthus) and Cleome towards the back of your garden space. Use medium-sized plants such as Salvia and Snapdragons in the middle layers. Position low-growing flowers like Zinnias and Petunias at the front where they’re easily accessible for hummingbirds and butterflies. This tiered approach not only creates a visually appealing garden but also facilitates easy access and a variety of habitats.
Layered approach:
- Back: Taller plants
- Middle: Medium-height plants
- Front: Ground cover and low-growing plants
Companion Planting
Companion planting is the strategic placement of different plants together in a garden to enhance growth, deter pests, and promote a healthier ecosystem. This technique leverages the natural interactions between plants to achieve benefits such as improved pollination, better use of space, and enhanced pest control.
Aromatic herbs like lavender and thyme can deter pests while attracting butterflies. Intersperse with nectar-rich flowers to keep hummingbirds returning. Plant them in clusters to create a bold visual impact and ensure there’s always something in bloom.
Pair these with foliage plants that caterpillars can feast on, like Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) and Parsley, to provide a full lifecycle habitat for butterflies.
Mary is an outdoor enthusiast, nature lover, and amateur birdwatcher that enjoys sharing her knowledge and experiences with others.