There’s nothing quite like stepping into a garden buzzing with life—where butterflies flit gracefully between blooms and hummingbirds dart with dazzling speed. These winged visitors bring an enchanting energy to outdoor spaces, and with the right selection of perennial flowers, you can make your yard a magnet for them. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just getting started, choosing plants that naturally attract these pollinators is one of the most rewarding decisions you can make.
Unlike annuals, which must be replanted each year, perennials return season after season, establishing a reliable source of nectar and shelter for butterflies and hummingbirds. These flowers require less maintenance over time, making them a smart investment for sustainable landscaping. Many perennials bloom over extended periods, increasing the chances of drawing in a wide variety of species throughout the growing season.
In this article, we’ll explore 11 of the best perennial flowers for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden. Each one has been selected for its beauty, hardiness, and pollinator appeal. By the end, you’ll have plenty of inspiration to transform your garden into a haven for these delightful creatures.
What Makes a Flower Attractive to Butterflies and Hummingbirds?
Butterflies and hummingbirds are drawn to specific types of flowers, particularly those rich in nectar and color. For butterflies, flat, open blooms offer a convenient landing pad, while tubular flowers cater to hummingbirds’ long beaks and specialized feeding style. Both creatures favor plants that bloom in bright shades like red, orange, purple, and pink—colors that naturally grab their attention as they search for food.
In addition to shape and color, the timing and duration of a flower’s bloom are essential. Long-blooming perennials ensure that your garden remains a source of nourishment across multiple months, encouraging repeated visits. Layering your garden with early, mid, and late-season flowers creates a pollinator buffet that supports butterflies and hummingbirds throughout their active months.
Fragrance and accessibility also play a part. While hummingbirds rely mostly on vision, butterflies are sensitive to scents and often prefer flowers with sweet aromas. Choosing native and well-adapted perennials also ensures that your garden works with nature, rather than against it. Plus, native flowers are more likely to offer the kind of nectar and habitat that local pollinators evolved to use.
11 Best Perennial Flowers That Attract Butterflies and Hummingbirds
1. Bee Balm (Monarda)
Bee Balm is a powerhouse pollinator plant, known for its bold blooms and citrusy fragrance. Available in colors like red, pink, purple, and white, it stands tall in the garden, providing an eye-catching display from mid to late summer. Its spiky, tubular flowers are tailor-made for hummingbirds, who can easily hover and sip the nectar hidden deep inside.
This hardy perennial thrives in USDA Zones 3–9 and prefers full sun to partial shade with well-drained soil. Once established, it’s low-maintenance and can tolerate drought conditions, although it flourishes best with regular watering. Bee Balm can spread vigorously, so dividing it every few years helps control its growth and keeps it healthy.
Butterflies love Bee Balm just as much as hummingbirds do. The nectar-rich blooms are like a magnet for monarchs and swallowtails. Plant Bee Balm in large clusters to create a vibrant feeding station. As a bonus, its fragrant leaves deter deer and rabbits, making it a smart choice for gardens that struggle with unwanted grazers.
2. Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Butterfly Weed is a bright, cheery perennial native to North America and essential for attracting monarch butterflies. Its vibrant orange blooms not only provide a rich nectar source but also serve as a host plant for monarch caterpillars. Few flowers are as vital to butterfly conservation as this one, making it a must-have in pollinator gardens.
This plant thrives in USDA Zones 3–9 and prefers full sun and dry to medium soil. Its drought tolerance makes it perfect for xeriscaping or low-water landscapes. Once it’s established, Butterfly Weed is incredibly hardy and requires very little attention—just cut it back in the fall to encourage strong regrowth in the spring.
Hummingbirds may occasionally stop by its blooms, but Butterfly Weed is primarily a butterfly favorite. Grouping several together will boost visual impact and increase their ability to attract winged guests. It’s also one of the few perennials that offers both nectar and a larval food source—double the impact for butterfly lovers.
3. Coneflower (Echinacea)
Coneflowers are iconic in the pollinator world, with their signature purple petals and prominent orange-brown centers. These sturdy plants offer both beauty and function, blooming from early summer through fall. Butterflies flock to their wide petals, using them as both landing pads and feeding spots.
USDA Zones 3–9 are ideal for Coneflowers, which do well in full sun and tolerate poor soil. Their deep taproots make them drought-tolerant once established, and they’re also deer-resistant. Regular deadheading encourages more blooms, though allowing some flowers to go to seed can attract goldfinches later in the season.
Hummingbirds may not flock to Coneflowers as much as butterflies do, but they’ll still stop by occasionally. Coneflowers also pair well with many other perennials on this list, making them great companions in a mixed pollinator bed. Their long bloom time and ability to naturalize make them a favorite among gardeners and wildlife alike.
4. Salvia (Salvia nemorosa and other perennial varieties)
Salvia brings a vertical element to the garden with its spiky clusters of purple, blue, or pink blooms. These flowers are hummingbird magnets, offering easy access to nectar from their tubular blooms. They’re also highly aromatic, which makes them doubly attractive to butterflies and gardeners alike.
Hardy in USDA Zones 4–9, Salvia thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. It’s incredibly heat-tolerant and a good choice for drought-prone areas. Most perennial salvias benefit from deadheading, which encourages reblooming and keeps the plant tidy throughout the growing season.
Plant Salvia in groups or along borders for maximum impact. Butterflies will flock to the abundance of nectar, while hummingbirds enjoy the easily accessible tubular flowers. Plus, its resistance to deer and rabbits makes Salvia a low-fuss, high-reward addition to any pollinator garden.
5. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)
Black-Eyed Susan is a garden classic that brings a burst of sunshine wherever it’s planted. Its daisy-like yellow petals and dark centers bloom from midsummer to fall, attracting a steady stream of butterflies. The sturdy blooms also hold up well in flower arrangements and add structure to garden beds.
This perennial thrives in Zones 3–9, tolerating full sun and a wide range of soil conditions. It’s drought-tolerant and low-maintenance, making it ideal for beginner gardeners. Once planted, it spreads over time, forming cheerful clusters that return year after year.
While it doesn’t offer a tubular shape for hummingbirds, the abundance of nectar still draws them in on occasion. More importantly, it’s a butterfly favorite and serves as a larval host for several moth and butterfly species. Plant it alongside Coneflowers or Bee Balm for a visually stunning and pollinator-rich garden.
6. Coral Bells (Heuchera)
Coral Bells are beloved for both their delicate flowers and their stunning foliage, which comes in a wide array of colors—from lime green to deep burgundy. The dainty, bell-shaped flowers rise above the foliage on slender stems, blooming in late spring to early summer. These blooms are especially enticing to hummingbirds, who are drawn to their tubular shape and nectar-rich supply.
Hardy in USDA Zones 4–9, Coral Bells prefer partial shade but can tolerate full sun in cooler climates. They thrive in well-drained soil and appreciate consistent moisture, though they’re quite adaptable once established. Their compact size makes them perfect for edging, containers, or as underplanting beneath taller perennials.
While butterflies may occasionally visit, Coral Bells are a top choice for attracting hummingbirds in more shaded garden areas. Combining them with more sun-loving perennials helps create layered pollinator habitats throughout your garden. Their year-round foliage interest also means they continue to beautify the landscape even when not in bloom.
7. Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)
Blazing Star is a vertical, show-stopping perennial with bottlebrush-style blooms that rise like purple fireworks. Its spiky form and vibrant color draw in butterflies by the dozen, particularly monarchs and swallowtails. The long-lasting flowers bloom from top to bottom and provide nectar for an extended period during midsummer.
This perennial thrives in USDA Zones 3–9 and loves full sun with well-drained soil. It’s incredibly drought-tolerant and can even handle clay-heavy soil better than many other perennials. Blazing Star works beautifully in prairie-style gardens or as a striking vertical element in borders.
Hummingbirds are also fans of Blazing Star, especially when it’s massed in larger groupings. Its height makes it easy for them to hover and feed efficiently. As an added benefit, its grass-like foliage stays neat and tidy, making it an excellent low-maintenance choice for both formal and wildflower-style gardens.
8. Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
If there were an MVP in the hummingbird world, Cardinal Flower would be a top contender. With its brilliant red spikes of tubular flowers, this plant practically screams “nectar buffet!” for hummingbirds. Its vivid color and flower shape make it one of the most reliable plants for attracting these high-energy birds.
Hardy in USDA Zones 3–9, Cardinal Flower prefers moist soil and thrives near streams, ponds, or rain gardens. It tolerates full sun to partial shade, making it versatile in a range of garden settings. Though it’s a short-lived perennial, allowing it to self-seed or dividing it regularly will help maintain its presence in the garden.
While hummingbirds are the primary fans, butterflies will occasionally visit Cardinal Flower as well. Its dramatic blooms and upright growth habit make it a beautiful vertical accent in mixed perennial beds. For best results, group multiple plants together to form a beacon that hummingbirds can spot from afar.
9. Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum)
Joe Pye Weed is a towering native perennial that butterflies absolutely adore. Its huge clusters of mauve-pink flowers appear in late summer and are rich with nectar, making them a top destination for monarchs, fritillaries, and painted ladies. The height and size of the blooms provide plenty of room for pollinators to land and feed.
Ideal for USDA Zones 4–9, this plant thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers moist, fertile soil. It can reach heights of 5 to 7 feet, so it’s best used at the back of borders or in naturalized areas. Despite its name, Joe Pye Weed is anything but a nuisance—it’s a star performer in pollinator gardens.
Hummingbirds also take notice of Joe Pye Weed, though butterflies are the primary visitors. Its ability to bloom later in the season makes it an essential addition to extend the availability of nectar in your garden. As a bonus, it’s deer-resistant and pairs well with ornamental grasses or other tall perennials like Blazing Star and Coneflower.
10. Phlox (Phlox paniculata)
Garden Phlox is a summer staple that brings vibrant color and a deliciously sweet fragrance to the garden. Its large clusters of flowers bloom in shades of pink, purple, red, and white and are absolutely irresistible to butterflies. The nectar-rich blooms also attract hummingbirds looking for an easy meal.
Hardy in USDA Zones 4–8, Phlox prefers full sun and well-drained soil. It benefits from good air circulation to prevent powdery mildew, a common issue for this plant. With a bit of maintenance, including deadheading and occasional division, Phlox will thrive and return year after year with even more blooms.
Butterflies such as tiger swallowtails and skippers are regular visitors, and hummingbirds also make frequent stops. Plant Phlox in large drifts or alongside other butterfly favorites like Coneflower and Black-Eyed Susan for a colorful and busy garden. Its long bloom period—from midsummer into fall—ensures a reliable food source when many other plants have faded.
11. Columbine (Aquilegia)
Columbine is a spring-blooming perennial with uniquely shaped flowers that resemble little shooting stars or bells. These nodding blooms come in a variety of colors and feature long spurs filled with nectar—making them especially attractive to hummingbirds. Their early bloom time offers an important nectar source when few other flowers are available.
This plant does well in USDA Zones 3–9 and prefers partial shade with moist, well-drained soil. Columbine often reseeds itself, creating a charming, natural look throughout the garden. It’s a great choice for woodland borders, cottage gardens, and semi-shaded beds where other perennials might struggle.
While butterflies are less drawn to Columbine compared to hummingbirds, they may still visit occasionally. Its whimsical flowers add elegance and movement to spring gardens and blend well with ferns, hostas, or Coral Bells. Plant Columbine where you can admire its blooms up close—they’re a true treat for both the eyes and your local hummingbirds.
Wrapping Up
Creating a garden that attracts butterflies and hummingbirds is a beautiful way to support pollinators while adding color, movement, and magic to your outdoor space. By planting a variety of long-blooming, nectar-rich perennials, you can ensure a continuous buffet for your winged visitors from spring through fall. These flowers do more than just beautify—they foster a healthy, balanced ecosystem right in your backyard.
When choosing your plants, consider mixing heights, colors, and bloom times to appeal to a wider range of pollinators. Native species are often the most reliable and beneficial, but many non-invasive hybrids can also provide excellent nectar and visual appeal.
Don’t forget to include some host plants for butterfly larvae, and avoid pesticides that may harm the very creatures you’re hoping to attract. With just a bit of planning and a few strategic plant choices, you’ll be rewarded with a garden that hums with life—literally.