10 Hummingbird Plants

Hummingbird Plants for Sale: A 10-Plant Starter Mix of Nectar Flowers

Hummingbird plants are flowering perennials with tubular, nectar-rich blooms in red, orange, pink, purple and blue that hummingbirds feed from. The TN Nursery 10 Hummingbird Plants package is a bare-root, grower's-choice mix of 10 hummingbird-friendly plants for USDA zones 4–8, hand-selected from what is fresh and ready at our nursery to bloom from spring into fall.

Hummingbirds find food by sight, not smell, and they favor long, tube-shaped flowers in bright colors that match the length of their bills. In the eastern United States, the ruby-throated hummingbird arrives in March and April and stays until September or October, so the best hummingbird garden offers nectar flowers in every one of those months. This 10-plant package gives you a ready-made start: a mix of nectar plants that fills a small bed or border and keeps hummingbirds, bees and butterflies coming back all season.

• What you get: 10 bare-root hummingbird plants, hand-selected by our growers
• Plant types: nectar-rich perennials with tubular or clustered flowers
• Flower colors: a colorful mix that can include red, orange, pink, purple, lavender and blue
• Bloom season: spring through early fall across the mix
• Zones: 4–8
• Light: full sun to part shade
• Wildlife value: nectar for ruby-throated hummingbirds, native bees, bumblebees and butterflies

What Comes in the 10 Hummingbird Plants Package?

The 10 Hummingbird Plants package is a grower's-choice mix: our team picks 10 hummingbird-friendly plants from the healthiest, best-rooted stock in the nursery at the time your order ships. Every package is chosen for nectar-rich flowers, strong roots and a spread of bloom times.

Because we pack from what is at its peak in the nursery, each mix is fresh and garden-ready, and gardeners who order more than once often enjoy a new combination of colors each time.

What Makes a Plant a Good Hummingbird Plant?

The best plants for hummingbirds have tubular, brightly colored flowers that hold plenty of nectar, especially red and orange blooms that face outward or hang downward where a hovering bird can reach them.

Hummingbirds feed every 10 to 15 minutes during the day, visiting hundreds of flowers, so a garden with many blooms open at once becomes a regular stop. Flowers with long throats hold more nectar than flat, open blooms, and plants that rebloom or flower for weeks at a time keep the feeding station busy. A mix of heights also helps: taller spikes catch the eye from across the yard, and lower plants fill the front of the bed.

How Do You Plant a Hummingbird Garden?

Plant a hummingbird garden in a sunny spot that gets at least 6 hours of light a day, group plants of the same kind in clusters of 3 or more, and set taller plants at the back of the bed.

Clusters of color are easier for hummingbirds to spot from the air than single plants scattered around a yard. A bed about 6 by 8 feet holds all 10 plants with room to grow. Place the bed where you can watch it from a window or patio, so you can enjoy the visitors all summer.

1. Soak the bare roots in water for 30 minutes to an hour.
2. Loosen the soil 8 inches deep and mix in compost.
3. Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart.
4. Set each crown at soil level, firm the soil and water well.
5. Keep the soil lightly moist for the first 4 to 6 weeks while roots grow.

When Do Hummingbird Plants Bloom?

Hummingbird plants bloom from spring through early fall, and a mixed package spreads that color across the season so hummingbirds find nectar from their spring arrival to fall migration.

Bare-root perennials planted in fall or early spring settle in during the first season and bloom fully in their second summer, then return bigger and fuller every year. Keep a shallow birdbath or mister nearby, and the garden becomes a favorite stop for hummingbirds through the whole season.

Are Hummingbird Plants Good for Other Pollinators?

Yes. Hummingbird plants also feed native bees, bumblebees, butterflies and moths, so one hummingbird garden supports a wide range of pollinators.

Many hummingbird flowers are favorites of swallowtail butterflies and bumblebees, and seed heads left standing in fall feed goldfinches and other songbirds. Add more nectar plants from our pollinator plants and birding plants collections to extend the season.

Planting & Growing Information

Package: 10 bare-root hummingbird plants, grower's-choice mix
Plant Types: Nectar-rich perennials
Ships: Bare root
Planting Zone: 4–8
Height at Maturity: Varies by plant, most 1–4 feet
Spacing: 12–18 inches
Sun or Shade: Full sun to part shade
Water Needs: Moderate; water weekly the first season
Soil: Average to rich, well-drained garden soil
Bloom Season: Spring through early fall across the mix
Flower Colors: A colorful mix of reds, oranges, pinks, purples and blues
Care: Cut spent flower stems after bloom for a tidy bed, mulch with shredded leaves, and cut perennials back in late winter before new growth.
Plant Attributes: Hummingbird plants, pollinator plants, butterfly plants, long bloom season

Hummingbird Plants FAQ

What colors attract hummingbirds the most?

Red and orange flowers attract hummingbirds the most, followed by pink and purple tubular blooms.

How many plants come in the hummingbird plants package?

The hummingbird plants package includes 10 bare-root plants, hand-selected by TN Nursery growers from the in-stock plants at their best when your order ships.

What zones are the hummingbird plants for?

The 10 Hummingbird Plants package is suited to USDA hardiness zones 4 through 8.

When should you plant hummingbird plants?

Plant bare-root hummingbird plants in fall or early spring while the plants are dormant, so the roots settle in before summer bloom.

Do hummingbird plants need full sun?

Most hummingbird plants bloom best with at least 6 hours of sun a day, and many also grow well in part shade.

Are hummingbird plants perennials?

Yes. The plants in the 10 Hummingbird Plants package are perennials that come back every year.

Grown and Shipped by TN Nursery

TN Nursery has grown hardy plants since 1959, more than 65 years of experience, and has supplied plants to major U.S. landmarks like the Washington Monument and Arlington National Cemetery. At our Altamont, Tennessee nursery, our growers hand-select each 10 Hummingbird Plants package from the nectar plants that are at their best that week, then dig and pack the plants bare root so they arrive fresh and ready to plant. For more ideas, read What Plants Attract Hummingbirds to Your Garden, How To Attract Hummingbirds To Your Garden and A Hummingbird's Favorite Color on our garden blog.