Include some of the following plants in your garden beds and containers to attract hummingbirds to your home. Brightly colored, tube shaped flowers are their favorites! Pictured above: Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa), Lanceleaf Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia lacinata), Rocky Mountain Penstemon (Penstemon strictus) and Licorice Mint Hyssop (Agastache rupestris).
SALVIA -- Many varieties available, both annuals and perennials. We love adding annual Salvias to our patio containers to keep our hummingbirds and pollinators happy. Salvias prefer a sunny spot and well drained soil. Deadhead to promote more blossoms.
MONARDA -- Wow, talk about a garden party. Hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and many other insects flock to Bee Balm. Look for our light purple Native Monarda fistulosa (Wild Bergamot) growing in meadow areas throughout the state.
HONEYSUCKLE -- This perennial vine is a delightful addition to any sunny garden. Provide a trellis or a support system for it to grow on.
PENSTEMON -- Montana is home to many native Penstemons. Select from one of these varieties or check out some of the new options.
BUTTERFLY WEED -- One of the very best orange flowers! This is a magnet for butterflies, hummingbirds and pollinators and is right at home in prairie like growing conditions.
MILKWEEK -- In addition to being an extremely important food source for the Monarch butterflies, other insects and hummingbirds find this spreading perennial to be quite the treat. Plant en masse to catch the attention of the Monarchs (and the neighbors)!
AGASTACHE -- A staff favorite, we grow many of these as annuals just to provide the hummingbirds with another plant to visit. The flowers are spectacular and the foliage aroma delicious.
COLUMBINE -- Columbines have passed the test of time and are commonplace in many shady gardens (for good reason). It's hard to pass up a columbine in full bloom.
CONEFLOWER -- There are so many new Echinaceas to keep track of these days! It's fun to experiment with all the different varieties, but we still rely on some of our old favorites because of their tough nature. Magnus, White Swan, Kim's Mophead, Cheyenne Spirit and Ruby Star all perform great for us. Our planting tip: coneflowers must have well drained soil to thrive so digging the hole deeper than the rootball and filling the bottom with gravel will help keep those roots happy. And you know what they say...happy roots make a happy and healthy plant.
LAVENDER -- Another garden classic, lavender thrives in hot sunny conditions. Location, location, location! Choose the right spot and enjoy this perennial for years. The soil MUST be well drained, lavender especially does not tolerate wet winter conditions. Many are grown as annuals in our area, but try Phenomenal or Munstead as perennial varieties.
PHLOX -- Ah garden phlox, what a cheerful plant. The sweet fragrance and eye popping colors will keep you and your garden visitors happy for years to come.
RUDBECKIA -- Besides the commonly planted Goldsturm Black Eyed Susan, try one of the following lesser known varieties: Native Rudbeckia hirta, Native Rudbeckia lacinata, Prairie Sun (Annual) and Denver Daisy (Annual).
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