Hummingbirds’ love for flowers is unconditionally magnificent. The tiny pollinators are fond of snacking on flowers, especially the ones with red color! If you’re a fan of pollinator-themed gardens, incorporate these red flowers for hummingbirds to give you a fresh, colorful, tropical look that these little guys will adore. Not only do these red flowers attract hummingbirds but they will also add a more aesthetic look to your garden.
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Why Do You Need To Grow the Best Red Flowers For Hummingbirds?
With more than 7000 plant species that rely on hummingbirds for the pollination process, it’s easy to see why our little feathered friends are important for the ecosystem. In the world of plants, pollination is a process of transferring pollen from a male flower to a female flower, crucial to creating a new generation.
On the other hand, hummingbirds need the flower’s nectar to fuel their hungry tiny tummy, and nectar-rich flowers usually appear in a red hue. From an aesthetic point of view, generating a hummingbird-magnet garden would create such remarkable scenery. More so, in addition to bringing some red flowers to your garden, creating a hummingbird-friendly environment is also an important step. The small aves would appreciate it if you provide them with a bird bath and water that is not too deep, along with shelter and a nesting area.
So what red flowers attract hummingbirds? Let’s take a look!
What Red Flowers Do Hummingbirds Like?
Annual Red Flowers To Invite Hummingbirds
Cosmos (Cosmos)
Growing Zones: 2 to 11
Blooming Time: Fall, spring, summer
Soil: Silt (loam), clay, sand
Sunlight: Full sun
What red flowers attract hummingbirds that are also able to reseed themselves? Yep, the answer is the cosmos. Although this ability is not the same for all cosmos species, this easy-to-grow hummingbird magnet can self-reseed and will grant you with its striking aster-like red blooms.
Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana alata)
Growing Zones: 10 to 11
Blooming Time: Fall, Summer
Soil: High organic matter soil
Sunlight: Full sun, partial shade
Flowering tobacco produces fragrant, tiny, tubular-shaped blooms that look like jasmine with a deep red hue. A well-drained soil is what red flowers attract hummingbirds requires you to grow. Do not plant flowering tobacco near nightshade plants such as tomatoes, as these aromatic beauties are prone to spread the tobacco mosaic virus.
Primrose (Primula x polyantha)
Growing Zones: 3 to 8
Blooming Time: Spring
Soil: High organic matter soil
Sunlight: Partial shade
Excellent, classic, and trouble-free maintenance, this hybrid species of primrose can grow anywhere from 20 to 30 centimeters. This plant loves thriving in cooler areas and can be propagated using seeds or a division technique. Some species of primrose have a deep dark center while some are not.
Scarlet Sage (Salvia splendens)
Growing Zones: 10 to 11
Blooming Time: Fall, spring, summer
Soil: Sand, loam
Sunlight: Full sun, partial shade
When we talk about what red flowers hummingbirds like, it’s true that almost all the nectar-packed salvia species will come to the list, including the mighty scarlet sage. This plant will light up your garden with its bright red blooms that are also beneficial for humans to treat illnesses like diabetes Mellitus!
Hearts and Honey Vine (Ipomoea x multifida)
Growing Zones: 10 to 12
Blooming Time: Fall, Summer
Soil: Sand, loam, high organic matter
Sunlight: Full sun, partial shade
Hearts and honey vine prefers areas with higher temperature to grow. The showy nectar-producing, tubular-shaped bright red blooms, along with glossy palm-like foliage are what make this flowering vine one of the best red flowers for hummingbirds.
Perennial Red Flowers To Invite Hummingbirds
Daylily (Hemerocallis hybrida)
Growing Zones: 3 to 9
Blooming Time: Summer
Soil: Loam
Sunlight: Full sun, partial shade
Known for its lily-like blooms, the daylily is one of the most adaptable plants as they are able to grow in almost every hardiness zone. If you’re looking for what red flowers attract hummingbirds that are also resistant to many challenges such as drought, and hot dry soil, the vibrant daylily is your perfect answer.
Texas Hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus)
Growing Zones: 5 to 9
Blooming Time: Summer
Soil: High organic matter
Sunlight: Full sun, partial shade
Commonly known as the scarlet rosemallow, texas hibiscus is another red flower that attracts hummingbirds with its giant blossoms. In their natural habitat, this stunning plant is often found thriving in moist areas such as along the edge of ponds and streams. Texas hibiscus is a great choice if you’re hunting for what red flowers attract hummingbirds that tolerate humidity and the hot summertime.
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Growing Zones: 3 to 9
Blooming Time: Fall, Summer
Soil: High organic matter
Sunlight: Full sun, partial shade
What red flowers attract hummingbirds with true red color and are suitable for tropical-themed gardens? You got the cardinal flower for the answer. Admired for its bright red, crimson, and scarlet hues, the name ‘cardinal flower’ was obtained from the red robes worn by the Roman Catholic cardinals.
Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)
Growing Zones: 4 to 9
Blooming Time: Fall, Summer
Soil: Clay, loam, high organic matter
Sunlight: Full sun, partial shade
You might not wonder why trumpet honeysuckle makes it to the list of what red flowers attract hummingbirds. This tropical-looking, hummingbird-attractor plant produces long, slender, trumpet-shaped red blooms with red berry fruits that create such tasty snacks for most pollinators! Despite their honey-floral taste, it’s best not to consume trumpet honeysuckle blossoms.
Fire Pink (Silene virginica)
Growing Zones: 4 to 8
Blooming Time: Spring, summer
Soil: Sand, clay, loam, shallow rocky areas
Sunlight: Dappled sunlight, partial shade, full sun
The fire pink, also known as cliff pink, might be no more than 1 inch in diameter, but they’re strong enough to fight against drought, and dry, poor soil. If you’re aiming for what red flowers attract hummingbirds to grow both in a small or bigger space, this low-maintenance wildflower will grant your wish.
Wrapping Up What Red Flowers Attract Hummingbirds The Most?
To conclude, the red nectar-producing flowers with showy vibrant blooms are the ultimate attention-grabbing for most hummingbirds. Although it’s not a necessity to plant red blossoms in your garden, growing some of these gorgeous flowering plants surely will help your plant to do the natural pollination process.
New author in the hood. Loves gardening and flowers are my spirit animals (yes I know they are not animals but I insist). I will be covering most of the flowers’ topics here and occasionally random though as well.
