What is it about hummingbirds that makes them so darned irresistible? Is it the way their wings beat 75 times per second, making them look like they’re hardly moving? Is it their petite physique, with their bodies weighing only as much as a penny? Whatever the reason, I have longed to attract these precious creatures to my garden for years.

I tried various methods, including hanging those plastic red hummingbird feeders. Between forgetting to change the water (which is dangerous to the birds) and the feeders' inherent unattractiveness, I decided they weren’t for me. I also planted several native flowers, which have drawn many other pollinators, but the hummingbird remained elusive. What was I missing? Waterwise Landscapes Incorporated Perhaps the purple, blue and white colors of my perennial beds were to blame for the lack of hummingbirds in my garden. While I knew that hummingbirds were most attracted to the color red, I was stubborn and refused to bring the hue into my garden scheme. Kim Gamel All that changed earlier this year when I spied this unusual reddish, almost alien-looking plant. Justicia brandegeana, aka shrimp plant (each flower resembles a shrimp), piqued my curiosity, and I promptly planted it in a pot near my back door. A few weeks later, as I sat quietly on my patio, a hummingbird swooped by me and went straight to the new plant. It has returned several times every day since, and I continue to be mesmerized by its beauty.

If you are like me and want hummingbirds to frequent your doorstep or window, try planting one of the following flowers in a container nearby. The colors work great with fall plantings. Most of these are considered annuals, but check the zone to see if they're hardy in your area. Find your zone here

Shrimp Plant
(Justicia brandegeana)

USDA zones: 9 to 11
Water requirement: Medium to moist, well-drained soil
Light requirement: Can tolerate full sun but prefers partial shade with protection from late-afternoon sun
Mature size: 1 foot to 3 feet tall and wide Waterwise Landscapes Incorporated Another terrific hummingbird plant is California fuchsia. Its tubular-shaped blossoms are perfect for nectar gathering.

California Fuchsia
(Zauschneria californica)

USDA zones: 6 to 9
Water requirement: Medium moisture, well-drained soils
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 3 feet to 5 feet tall and wide Kim Gamel The dwarf variety of flowering tobacco (the larger dark pink blossoms to the right in this photo) works nicely in containers. It comes in several colors, but this dark pink would most attract hummingbirds.

Flowering Tobacco, Starmaker Series
Nicotiana

USDA zones: 10 to 11
Water requirement: Medium moisture, well-drained soils
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 10 to 12 inches tall and wide Kim Gamel Pineapple sage is one of several plants in the Salvia family that attract hummingbirds. It is also considered a culinary herb that, as its name suggests, gives off a faint pineapple scent when crushed. The variety seen here, 'Golden Apple', features yellow-green leaves with bright red tubular flowers.

Pineapple Sage
(Salvia elegans)

USDA zones: 8 to 10
Water requirement: Medium moisture, well-drained soils
Light requirement: Full sun
Tolerance: Deer
Mature size: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide Kim Gamel Mexican bush sage is a late-blooming annual that looks great in fall arrangements. It’s a tall one, so put it toward the back of your planters.

Mexican Bush Sage
(Salvia leucantha)

USDA zones: 8 to 10
Water requirement: Medium moisture, well-drained soils
Light requirement: Full sun
Tolerance: Deer
Mature size: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide Kim Gamel Cigar plant gets its common name from its orange-red flowers, which resemble the burning tip of a cigar. It is a bushy plant that will reach up to 3 feet wide.

Cigar Plant
(Cuphea)

USDA zones: 9 to 12
Water requirement: Medium moisture, well-drained soils
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide Kim Gamel If you have a supporting structure, like a trellis, you might want to give cypress vine a try. It’s a twining tropical vine in the morning glory family. The scarlet tubular flowers are sure to attract a hummingbird or two. The deeply cut leaves give it a nice ferny appearance.

Cypress Vine
(Ipomoea quamoclit)

USDA zones: 11 to 12
Water requirement: Medium moisture, well-drained soils
Light requirement: Full sun
Tolerance: Deer
Mature size: 6 to 10 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide Kim Gamel If your location is shadier, a shade-tolerant flower to consider is fuchsia. Because of its drooping habit, it is perfect in a hanging basket.

Fuchsia
(Fuchsia)

USDA zones: 9 to 12
Water requirement: Medium to moist, well-drained soils
Light requirement: Partial to full shade
Mature size: 1 foot to 2 feet tall and wide

Tell us: How have you been able to entice hummingbirds?

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