Three Red Flowers that Attract Hummingbirds

An education professional with extensive knowledge of the Reggio Emilia Approach, Alice 'Dan' Zhang of Sunnyvale teaches young children at OFJCC Leslie Family Preschool in Palo Alto, California. In her leisure time, Alice Zhang enjoys gardening, and especially planting flowers that attract hummingbirds.

If you want hummingbirds to visit your yard, you must provide a habitat that will attract them. Such habitat includes low shelter from bushes, vines, and small trees, and access to water. Flowers, especially of a red color, particularly attract these tiny birds, which rely on the nectar for food. Three flowers to consider planting are the following:

1. Cardinal Flower: A variety of lobelia, these flowers prefer moist soil with good drainage. Its flower stalks may reach 4 feet high and feature delicate red blossoms.
2. Red Columbine: A perennial, this flower blooms early in the year, attracting hummingbirds returning from their winter migration.
3. Trumpet Honeysuckle: A vine that can tolerate partial shade to full sun, it prefers moist soil. The trumpet shape of the orange-red flowers give this vine its name.