Gardens for Birds

Hummingbirds, spiderhunters, sunbirds, honeycreepers and honeyeaters are the most common pollinator bird species.

SHOWY MILKWEED

This native milkweed not only provides food for hummingbirds but it’s also a food source for monarch butterflies. In addition, the fuzzy leaves and seeds can be used by hummingbirds as nesting material. Requires full sun, low water.

Milkweed

HONEYSUCKLE

These tubular, trumpet-shaped blooms are a hummingbird favorite. Other birds, without a long thin beak, will have trouble with this one.

Honeysuckle

RED-FLOWERING CURRANT

One of the earliest flowers to bloom in spring, ribes will provide early season food for hummingbirds. These California native deciduous bushes grow roughly 6 feet by 10 feet. They do best in morning sun/afternoon shade or all-day dappled shade.

Currant

ZINNIAS

Zinnias are some of the easiest flowers to grow with the biggest return. Plant in spring and you will have flowers up until frost. Numerous flower colors entice hummingbirds to visit your garden. This is a full-sun annual, but will reseed in the garden.

Zinnia

CALIFORNIA FUCHSIA

This is a large sprawling shrub (2 feet by 4 feet), with a long blooming period. It will flower into fall when many other hummingbird flowers are done. It’s a low-water, no-fuss plant.

Fuchsia

Source: Sacramento Bee