Do you have any suggestions for wildflowers in Indiana that attract hummingbirds and butterflies?

Question

I'm planting a sun garden to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. I'm looking for easy care perennials that are not hard to find. I already have sweet peas and black-eyed susans.

Answer 1

Not all these are wildflowers but butterflies and hummers love them...

Asclepias - butterfly weed/milkweed
Agastache and Hyssop
Salvia
Honeysuckle vine
Trumpet vine
Morning glories
Cardinal climber and cypress vine
Yucca

You can also plant glads and cannas but they need to be dug up every fall

Shrubs - Hibiscus

Hummers like just about anything red or yellow and anything trumpet-shaped

That's all I can think of at the time...there's tons more. Do a google search for "hummingbird plants" for more ideas. :-)

Answer 2

Flowers like petunias and fuchsias are known to attract hummingbirds, they are particularly drawn to colors such as deep purples and reds. Butterfly bushes are also wonderful for attracting both, but for your setting I don't think it would be appropriate. Keep in mind, depending on where you live, most hummingbirds have migrated already for the season, so chances of getting them to come to your house now are slim. It's best to catch them as they are coming up from the south for the winter and attract them with flowers and feeders then. Google can tell you exactly when they come thru your area.

Answer 3

I am not an expert but a friend of mine has a butterfly bush. When were at his house for a party in the summer the bush was full of activity & it was beautiful. Also, hummingbird feeders are good for atracting humming birds.

Answer 4

i have several hummingbird feeders out. they also love the following perennials, butterfly bush, purple cone flower, canna,

annuals that hummers and butterflies love are zennias, sunflowers, hyacinth bean vine, marigolds, touch me nots,...basically anything that flowers like crazy....hummers especially love any flower that is tube/tubular shape

i have all types of perennials all over and a few annuals and for the last week or so have had in excess of 100 of the little hummers all over getting ready to migrate....butterflies are plentiful also]


if you put feeders out there is no need to put red food coloring in the water...this has not been proven safe and you can make your own hummer food...mix sugar and water...bring to boil..allow to cool and put some in feeder and the rest in fridge...during extremely hot weather change the feeder emptying out the feeder, rinsing well and putting fresh nectar in it

cone flowers, sunflowers, cosmos and any flower that blooms profusely will also draw cardinals, yellow finches and other beautiful song birds to your garden if the flowers are allowed to go to seed

Answer 5

In AZ I just use a couple of hummingbird feeders and they love them! But the little buggers are very territorial. They are so much fun to watch! We watch them fight and fly. I usually have at least ten different hummers around the house at any given time. I've had hanging Fuschia's (spelling?) and they loved them. Definitely bright colors and nectar. Enjoy.

Answer 6

monardia or "bee balm"
melissa or "lemon Balm"
trumpet vine
Salvia
Morning Glories
spice bush
queen anne's lace
any sweet smelling or bright red flowers will attract humming birds, I get the most butterflies in the "wilder" areas of my garden, where I let the pokeberries grow & keep the queen annes lace,particularly giant swallowtails, black swallowtails, monarchs, comma's, mourning cloaks, viceroys & tiger swallowtails, I also get a bunch of sulfurs & cabbage whites. hope this helps!

Answer 7

a butterfly bush should do the job,. get a Gurney's or how ever its spelled magazine lol laughing at my spelling

Answer 8

wow covered pretty well, but here is my two cents. the rose of Sharron bordering my property (reddish one) attracts more humming birds than my feeder.