There are few things more exciting to bird enthusiasts than seeing a hummingbird in our yard. I bought this hummingbird feeder last year and finally got to experience this delight for the first time! My hummingbird feeder comes with a lot of maintenance and I knew there had to be an easier and more natural way to attract hummingbirds.

The Problem with Hummingbird Feeders

The problem I have run into is that it is a lot of work to keep the feeder clean and make sure the sugar water doesn’t go bad. Hummingbird feeders need to be cleaned frequently; about once per week. This is very important to prevent the spread of diseases and bacteria to the hummingbirds visiting your feeder. Not to mention, a clean feeder is going to be more attractive to a visiting hummingbird. The sugar water also needs to be replaced every few days so it doesn’t grow mold and bacteria that could be harmful to the hummingbirds. This is a lot of maintenance!

Hummingbird Feeder Cleaning Kit

Native Plants are the Answer

Hummingbirds have been around for far longer than humans have been feeding them so I knew there had to be a more natural way to feed hummingbirds, and make our yard more hummingbird-friendly.

The alternative to the artificial feeder is to plant native plants that attract hummingbirds. This allows them to feast without the risk of contracting something from a dirty feeder, and it is a lot less work for us!

Attract Hummingbirds Naturally

I have compiled a list of hummingbird-attracting flowers to add to your landscape this year. Hummingbirds can see colors in the red and yellow spectrums more vividly than other colors. This is why most hummingbird feeders employ this color combination, and for that reason I have selected only red flowered native species for this list.

Everything listed below is native to North America and the US, but they are not suited for all regions. To determine whether these species are native to your area, you may want to consult the Range Map via BONAP.org for each plant. Dark and light green indicate that the plant is native to that area. If a plant is not native to your county or state, it may still be suited to grow in your area based on growing zone.

All of the plant listed here can be bought online through Prairie Moon Nursery or Prairie Nursery.