Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
Built for hummingbirds, with electric scarlet nectar tubes borne from Jul to Sep — good through zone 9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Iowa · Zones 4–6
Native Hummingbird Plants in Iowa
Tubular, nectar-heavy native flowers that draw hummingbirds far more reliably — and safely — than any sugar-water feeder. Every species here is genuinely native to Iowa and the wider flora of the Midwest and hardy through zones 4–6 — proven performers for Iowa's humid continental, cold winters climate across Western Corn Belt tallgrass prairie, not a generic list. Local standouts include Cardinal Flower and Trumpet Honeysuckle. Hummingbirds are wired to investigate red and orange tubular flowers, so a few well-placed natives will out-pull a feeder and never need cleaning. Stagger bloom times so there is nectar from spring migration through fall departure, and plant near a perch or shrub where the birds can rest between feedings.
The plants
14 native species for Iowa
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 4–6 · see this collection in other states.
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
A magnet for hummingbirds — coral-red blooms held from Apr to Sep for them to probe, cold-hardy to zone 4.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
A magnet for hummingbirds — red blooms held from Apr to Jun for them to probe; cold-hardy to zone 3.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Hummingbirds work its white flowers from Jun to Aug, 5–10 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
A nectar stop hummingbirds return to, its lavender-blue flowers carried from Jun to Sep; good through zone 9.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Hummingbird fuel — slender pink tubes too deep for most insects in Aug and Sep, reaching 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
Built for hummingbirds, with deep blue nectar tubes borne in Aug and Sep — good through zone 9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
Tubular sky blue flowers shaped for a hummingbird's bill from Mar to May; reaching 1–2 ft.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Draws hummingbirds with lavender nectar tubes from Jun to Aug — reaching 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
A hummingbird flower — white tubular blooms in May and Jun — happy in clay, rocky, and loam soil.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Scarlet Beebalm
Monarda didyma
A magnet for hummingbirds — scarlet red blooms held in Jul and Aug for them to probe, hardy in zones 4–9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2.5–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
A magnet for hummingbirds — lavender-blue blooms held in Apr and May for them to probe, spreading 12–18 in.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
New Jersey Tea
Ceanothus americanus
Built for hummingbirds, with frothy white nectar tubes borne from May to Jul; 2–3.5 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–3.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Hummingbird fuel — slender pink-white tubes too deep for most insects in Apr and May — happy in sand and rocky soil.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Sourcing
Where to find these in Iowa
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.