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hermie3rd

What plants do you suggest for a butterfly/hummingbird garden?

hermie3rd
11 years ago

Hi! I have a flower bed that I am planning on turning into a butterfly/hummingbird garden. It is on the north side of our house, and on a slope. If I had to guess, I would say it is probably 10 feet wide by 15 feet long. (Although I'm horrible at estimating spaces). It is a bed my husband and I created when we moved into our house, so it's pretty much a blank canvas. So far, I've only planted 4 butterfly bushes on the side of the bed that borders the house. My hope is to hide the ugly concrete that is underneath our siding. I would like suggestions on plants (bushes, flowers, anything!) to provide the best environment for butterflies and hummingbirds to come to.

Also, we have a 6 foot privacy fence that borders the one side of the bed, so climbing plants are welcome too! I would like them to not be too invasive though, because our vegetable garden is on the other side. :)

Thank you!

Comments (33)

  • greenthumbzdude
    11 years ago

    Here are my top 10 attractors:
    1. Beebalm 'Jacob Cline' (likes to spread out)
    2. Coral Honeysuckle vine
    3. Trumpet Creeper vine (can be aggressive)
    4. Cardinal Flower
    5. Black and Blue Saliva (needs protection in winter)
    *if you plant these you will get a lot of hummingbirds
    Here are my top 5 Butterfly Plants
    1. Orange Butterfly Weed
    2. Joe Pye Weed
    3. Garden Phlox 'Jeana'
    4. Summersweet 'Ruby Spice'
    5.Purple Giant Hyssop

    This post was edited by greenthumbzdude on Thu, Feb 28, 13 at 12:32

  • hermie3rd
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Great! Thank you for your suggestions!! I'm starting to make a list so I'm ready for Spring! :)

  • eric580
    11 years ago

    Here are some plants that worked for me. I am giving you the specific variety, but as far as I know,the actual species will work too. I have also included a picture of my garden to show you what the plants look like.

    Tango Hyssop

    Blue Butterfly Delphinium

    Purple Petunia

    Red Petunia

    Empress of India Nasturtium

    Foxglove

    Mini Bee Balm

    Hosta

    And don't forget a good hummingbird feeder! GOOD LUCK!

  • hermie3rd
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks so much! I actually have mickey mouse ear hostas my father-in-law gave me, that I have at the front edge of the bed right now. I saw hummingbirds going to them last summer, so I'll keep those there. Thanks for the picture and suggestions! It helps give me an idea of how to start planning for this bed, and I love how colorful yours is. I've got a couple of Hummzinger feeders right now, and I plan to add at least one to the garden as well. Once I get things planted and established, I'll post a picture.

    Thanks again! Keep any suggestions coming! :)

  • eric580
    11 years ago

    Thanks for the support hermie3rd! That was my garden last year which was my first year. I have a hummzinger too! Completely eliminated my ant and wasp problems:) Here's a picture. The hyssop and delphinium were in bloom and a robin was foraging for worms.

  • rbrady
    11 years ago

    My top hummingbird flowers-
    1. Lobelia cardinalis
    2. Monarda Raspberry Wine
    3. Penstemon-any
    4. Salvias-any
    5. Lonicera sempervirens
    6. Agastache-any
    For butterflies-
    1. Agastache Foeniculum or any
    2. Helenium autumnale
    3. Echinacea purpurea
    4. Salvias-any
    5. Eupatoriums-any
    6. Sedums-any
    7. Asclepias-any
    8. Ratibidas-any

    Rhonda

  • hermie3rd
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks Rhonda for the suggestions! Eric580 - don't you love those feeders? I had a cheap one I bought from the grocery store, and I was emptying out a ridiculous amount of wasps from it. I pitched it at the end of last season and I'm replacing it with another Hummzinger. They're a little pricey, but I think well worth it! :)

  • roper2008
    11 years ago

    Like Rhonda posted, Lobelia cardinalis is a favorite
    in my garden. Cardinal Climber, Lady in Red
    salvia and Coral Nymph salvia are very good also.

  • Tony G
    11 years ago

    Hermie, I'm newer to the hummingbird scene, and i just got a new hummzinger a couple weeks ago..can't wait to try it.

    My two BEST hummer plants the past two seasons:

    1. Agastache 'Ava'...they visit this every day. it's their home base plant.

    2. black and blue salvia

    The best butterfly plants:

    verbena bonariensis- attracts MANY butterflies and hummingbirds too

    mexican sunflowers- attract butterflies AND hummingbirds

    big zinnias like cal giant or tall state fair- attract butterflies and hummingbirds

    liatris ligulistylis- attracts monarchs in MASS...amazing in late summer

    good luck, Tony

  • hermie3rd
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Great! Thanks guys so much!

    Renee

  • Leafhead
    11 years ago

    A few hidden away host plants for butterflies:
    Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis spp) and Pussytoes (Antennaria) -American Lady Butterflies
    Nettles-Red Admiral, Milbert's Tortoise Shell
    Fennel and Parsley in your herb garden- Eastern Black Swallowtail
    Marsh Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)- out front-Monarch, all-around nectar
    Butterfly Weed (A.tuberosa)-out front-Monarch, nectar for all.

    Trees for Butterflies include:
    Tulip Poplar and Wild Cherry-Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
    Hackberry- Snouts and Emperors.
    Chokecherries- Red-Spotted Purples.

  • texasmorningglory
    11 years ago

    I would also add some Buddleia. There are some gorgeous ones out now and hummingbirds and butterflies love them.
    Look for Miss Ruby or Miss Molly. Guinevere, Bicolor, Blueberry or Peach Cobbler just to name a few. I also suggest Salvias....

  • Leafhead
    11 years ago

    Make sure to include lots of Helena, Liatris and Asters to fuel the migrating Monarchs in the fall.

  • eric580
    11 years ago

    Don't forget early spring bloomers that will help hummingbirds when they first arrive. Some are

    Virginia Bluebell

    Bleeding heart

    Columbine

    Lupines

    And lily of the valley

    Good luck :)

  • hermie3rd
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks, everyone!! :)

  • bluebirdbabe
    10 years ago

    just a note...I saw red liquid in the hummingbird feeder...plain sugar water is the best for the hummers. 4 cups boiled water to 1cup of sugar. stir to melt the sugar, cool and feed :) Thanks for the question!! I got a lot of tips too :)

    I raise monarch butterflies in my laundry room, thanks for all of the suggestions!

  • eric580
    10 years ago

    Yeah silly me :) Aunt got red nectar mix as a gift. Only a little left though.

  • terrene
    10 years ago

    Top hummer plants in my gardens -

    Monarda didyma
    Monarda 'Raspberry Wine'
    Lobelia cardinalis
    Salvia guaranitica 'Black & Blue'
    Yvonne's Salvia
    Salvia coccinea
    Ipomoea - various morning glories
    Tithonia rotundifolia
    Zinnia 'Cut & Come again', 'State Fair'

    There are many other species of plants they nectar on, but not quite as frequently as the above - Buddleia, Cleome, Physostegia, Aquilegia, Dicentra, Silphium perfoliatum, and others.

  • mdahms1979
    10 years ago

    Ipomposis rubra is a fantastic hummingbird plant. I always grew this plant up on my 14th story balcony and it never failed to bring the hummers up to feed. A stunning plant when planted as a group in the garden or it does great in pots.

    Mike

    Here is a link that might be useful: Ipomopsis rubra

  • harleylove
    10 years ago

    I never see it mentioned but the absolute favorite hands down for both hummingbirds and butterflies in my garden is Porterweed. Once it starts blooming, the hummers will guard it. Not the prettiest plant but must have a high sugar content because They absolutely LOVE it.

  • mehitabel
    10 years ago

    Eric580-- thanks for the post about early plants for hummers. That was a question I wanted to post, since so many plants suggested are summer bloomers.

  • mudpup
    10 years ago

    My hand down winners are giant pink phlox for butterflies. Mine grew 4 1/2 feet tall and as long as I prune faded blooms, they bloom until frost. For hummers, the salvias, of course. But this year I'm planting plenty of pineapple sage to bring them in to our new home and my new gardens! Best of luck, looks like you've gotten worlds of good advice here!

  • mudpup
    10 years ago

    My hand down winners are giant pink phlox for butterflies. Mine grew 4 1/2 feet tall and as long as I prune faded blooms, they bloom until frost. For hummers, the salvias, of course. But this year I'm planting plenty of pineapple sage to bring them in to our new home and my new gardens! Best of luck, looks like you've gotten worlds of good advice here!

  • mudpup
    10 years ago

    My hand down winners are giant pink phlox for butterflies. Mine grew 4 1/2 feet tall and as long as I prune faded blooms, they bloom until frost. For hummers, the salvias, of course. But this year I'm planting plenty of pineapple sage to bring them in to our new home and my new gardens! Best of luck, looks like you've gotten worlds of good advice here!

  • Leafhead
    10 years ago

    Swallowtails esp love the Phlox:)

  • ponyexpress_1
    10 years ago

    Bronze fennel seems to be very good host plant for the black swallowtails. I had them lay eggs two years in a row on this. Raised some of them up in the house. My favorite hummingbird plants are Salvia lady in red, Monarda Jacob cline, Fuchsia gartenmeister, red petunia and million bells, zinnia, Mexican sunflower, canna lily, coral honeysuckle, agastache, Firecracker penstemon, and red cypress vine.

  • jayco
    10 years ago

    One thing I love about my several huge patches of bee balm (I don't know the varieties, one is pink and one is red) is that they are always bustling, with hummers, bees, butterflies, and other insects. They are very easy to grow, they spread, they are easy to pull out if you don't want them somewhere, and they're pretty.

  • janice__indiana5
    10 years ago

    Great suggestions here for sun gardens. What about for shade, besides hosta? Shade annuals?

  • janice__indiana5
    10 years ago

    Great suggestions here for sun gardens. What about for shade, besides hosta? Shade annuals?

  • ladyrose65
    10 years ago

    Beautiful pictures and recommendations!
    I'm think I have good foundation. They have not bloomed yet.
    Buddleia, (Maltese Cross Lynchis, Verbena "Purple Top", Monarda, 3 types of penstomen: these are all WS'd, I give them until next summer to reach maturity)
    Torch, Yellow Torch - Tithonia, Giant Red Zinnia's, Borage, Anise, Fennel, and Dill.

  • docmom_gw
    10 years ago

    For shade try columbine canadensis. I've not had much luck in the shade with hummingbirds.

    Martha

  • terrene
    10 years ago

    Lobelia cardinalis, Aquilegia canadensis, other Columbine cultivars, Dicentra spp., and many Heuchera with pink or red flowers will grow and flower fairly well with only 2-4 hours of sun. The hummingbirds are quite fond of these plants.

    Some of my Monarda only gets 1/2 day sun and does pretty well. I think they would like more sun, but do okay with 3 or 4 hours.

  • Pam
    4 years ago

    According to the Hummingbird Society - these are the favorites - http://www.hummingbirdsociety.org/hummingbird-flowers/

    For butterflies- check these sites -
    https://www.naba.org
    https://xerces.org/butterfly-conservation/

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