Flowers That Attract Birds and Butterflies

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Songbirds, hummingbirds, and butterflies are easily attracted to your garden by flowering annuals, perennials, and shrubs.

A variety of flowering plants will attract a variety of wildlife.

Easy ways to attract birds and butterflies

Here are simple ways to attract butterflies and birds to your garden:

• Provide shelter. Trees and shrubs are a natural shelter for songbirds and hummingbirds. The addition of one or two trees and two or three flowering shrubs will attract birds. Trees and large shrubs will attract nesting birds and give them refuge from predators.
• Provide water. Water will attract birds and other animals to the garden. A birdbath or a low basin or pool with fresh water will attract birds, other animals, and insect pollinators (renew the water every two or three days). A fountain or bubbler that makes a splashing sound will attract birds. Butterflies will drink from water splashed along the edge of a birdbath or fountain.
• Provide food. Many flowers provide pollen and seeds that attract songbirds and hummingbirds. Flower pollen will attract butterflies, honeybees, and other pollinators. Most flowers set seed in late summer or autumn; this is the natural time seed-eating birds come to the garden. A bird feeder stocked with seed will bring birds to the garden year-round.
• Add bright colors. Birds and butterflies are attracted to clear reds and brilliant pinks. Hummingbirds are also attracted to pastel pinks and blues. Butterflies are attracted to all colors of blossoms especially white.
• Avoid spraying with chemicals and insecticides. Bug sprays, even organic sprays, will kill butterflies, honeybees, and other pollinators. Chemicals sprayed on flowers, shrubs, and trees will discourage and even repel many birds.
• Allow flowers to set seed. If attracting birds to your garden is a priority, let flowers go to seed rather than rushing to deadhead them. You may want to set aside the back of a flower bed or border for tall plants you will let go to seed. That way to can cut flowers for the house from the front and middle of a border but let taller plants to the back of the bed set seed to attract birds.
• Give birds and butterflies space. Set containers with flowering plants to the edge of the patio or deck; this will allow songbirds and hummingbirds to visit at the same time you and your guests close by. Place a birdbath or water basin just far enough away from your outdoor seating area that birds and butterflies feel no inhibition about vising with you nearby.

Flowering plants that attract butterflies and birds

Here are flowering plants that attract butterflies, songbirds, and hummingbirds to the garden:

Flowering plants that attract butterflies

Common Name	Botanical Name	Zones
Ageratum	Ageratum houstonianum	Annual
Aster	Aster spp.	4-8
Azalea	Rhododendron spp.	4-10
Basket-of-gold	Aurinia saxatilis	4-8
Bee balm	Monarda didyma	4-8
Black-eyed Susan	Rudbeckia spp.	3-10
Blanket flower	Gallardia spp.	2-10
Blazing star	Liatris spicata	3-9
Blue marguarite	Felicia amelloides	9-10
Butterfly bush	Buddleia spp.	5-10
Butterfly weed	Asclepias tuberosa	4-10
Candytuft	Iberis spp.	4-8
Coneflower, purple	Echinacea purpurea	3-9
Coreopsis	Coreopsis spp.	4-9
Cornflower, annual	Centaurea cyanus	Annual
Cosmos	Cosmos spp.	Annual
Dahlia	Dahlia spp.	8-11
False indigo, blue	Babtisia australis	3-9
Globe thistle	Echinops spp.	3-8
Goldenrod	Solidago hybrids	4-8
Heliotrope	Heliotropium arborescens	Annual
Hollyhock	Alcea rosa	3-11
Hyssop	Agastache spp.	5-10
Joe-pye weed	Eupatorium spp.	3-10
Lantana	Lantana camara	8-10
Larkspur	Consolida ambigua	Annual
Lily	Lilium spp.	Varies
Marigold	Tagetes spp.	Annual
Mexican sunflower	Tithonia routundifolia	Annual
Morning glory	Ipomea spp.	Annual
Ornamental onion, Allium	Allium spp.	4-8
Passionflower	Passiflora spp.	Varies
Petunia	Petunia spp.	Annual
Phlox, various	Phlox spp.	Varies
Scabiosa; pincushion flower	Scabiosa caucasica	3-7
Pinks, China	Dianthus chinensis	7-10
Primrose	Primula spp.	5-8
Rhododendron	Rhododendron spp.	Varies
Sedum	Sedum spp.	3-10
Snapdragon	Antirrhnum majus	Annual
Strawflower	Helichrysum bracteatum	Annual
Sunflower, perennial	Heliantus spp.	4-9
Sweet alyssum	Lobularia maritima	Annual
Sweet William	Dianthus barbatus	3-8
Thyme	Thymus spp.	5-8
Verbena	Verbena spp.	Varies
Viburnum	Viburnum spp.	Varies
Violet	Viola spp.	Varies
Wisteria	Wisteria spp.	5-9
Yarrow	Achillea spp.	3-9
Zinnia	Zinnia spp.	Annual

Flowering plants that attract songbirds

Common Name	Botanical Name	Zones
Aster	Aster spp.	4-8
Beautyberry, American	Callicarpa americana	7-10
Bittersweet, American	Celastrus scandens	3-9
Black-eyed Susan	Rudbeckia spp.	3-10
California poppy	Eschscholzia californica	Annual
Coneflower, purple	Echinacea purpurea	3-9
Coreopsis	Coreopsis spp.	4-9
Cosmos	Cosmos spp.	Annual
Goldenrod	Solidago hybrids	4-8
Honeysuckle	Lonicera spp.	3-9
Marigold	Tagetes spp.	Annual
Scabiosa; pincushion flower	Scabiosa caucasia	3-7
Staghorn sumac	Rhus typhina	3-8
Sunflower	Helianthus annus	2-11
Trumpet creeper	Campsis radicans	4-9
Zinnia	Zinnia spp.	Annual

Flowering plants that attract hummingbirds

Common Name	Botanical Name	Zones
Bee balm	Monarda didyma	4-8
Butterfly bush	Buddleia spp.	5-10
Canna	Canna hybrids	2-11
Cardinal flower	Lobelia spp.	2-9
Cross-vine	Bignonia capreolata	6-9
Dahlia	Dahlia	2-11
Fuchsia	Fuchsia spp.	2-11
Geranium	Pelargonium spp.	2-11
Gladiolus	Gladiolus hybrids	2-11
Hollyhock	Alcea rosea	2-11
Honeysuckle, various	Lonicera spp.	3-9
Lantana	Lantana camara	2-11
Larkspur	Consolida ambigua	2-11
Morning glory	Ipomea spp.	2-11
Penstemon	Penstemon spp.	3-7
Phlox, annual	Phlox drummondii	2-11
Petunia	Petunia spp.	2-11
Quince, flowering	Chaenomeles speciosa	4-9
Rose of Sharon	Hibiscus syriacus	5-9
Salvia, red annual	Salvia splendens	2-11
Snapdragon	Antirrhinum majus	2-11
Tobacco, flowering	Nicotiana spp.	2-11
Trumpet creeper	Campsis radicans	3-11
Weigela	Weigela florida	4-9