Wild Bleeding Heart
Dicentra eximia
Draws hummingbirds with rose pink nectar tubes from Apr to Aug — 12–18 in wide.
- Part shade
- Average
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Apr–Aug
Kentucky · Zones 6–7
Native Hummingbird Plants in Kentucky
Tubular, nectar-heavy native flowers that draw hummingbirds far more reliably — and safely — than any sugar-water feeder. For Kentucky, the right natives are shaped by Bluegrass, Cumberland Plateau & Pennyroyal and a humid, four-season climate. Every species below, from Wild Bleeding Heart and Foxglove Beardtongue to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Kentucky and the wider flora of the Southeast and hardy through zones 6–7. 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
17 native species for Kentucky
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 6–7 · see this collection in other states.
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Hummingbird fuel — slender white tubes too deep for most insects in May and Jun — cold-hardy to zone 3.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Tubular red flowers shaped for a hummingbird's bill from Apr to Jun, hardy in zones 3–8.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Crossvine
Bignonia capreolata
Tubular orange-red flowers shaped for a hummingbird's bill in Apr and May; 6–10 ft wide.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 25–50 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
Draws hummingbirds with coral-red nectar tubes from Apr to Sep; reaching 8–15 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
A nectar stop hummingbirds return to, its lavender-blue flowers carried from Jun to Sep, 2–4 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
A nectar stop hummingbirds return to, its lavender flowers carried from Jun to Aug; spreading 1.5–2 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Tubular pink flowers shaped for a hummingbird's bill in Aug and Sep; good through zone 9.
- 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, reaching 2–3 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Turk's Cap
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
A magnet for hummingbirds — turban red blooms held from May to Oct for them to probe; happy in clay, rocky, and loam soil.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 2–5 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Hummingbirds work its white flowers from Jun to Aug — hardy in zones 5–9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
Tubular lavender-blue flowers shaped for a hummingbird's bill in Apr and May — spreading 12–18 in.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
A hummingbird flower — electric scarlet tubular blooms from Jul to Sep, 2–4 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Scarlet Beebalm
Monarda didyma
A magnet for hummingbirds — scarlet red blooms held in Jul and Aug for them to probe, reaching 2.5–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2.5–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
A nectar stop hummingbirds return to, its sky blue flowers carried from Mar to May, good through zone 8.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
A nectar stop hummingbirds return to, its pink-white flowers carried in Apr and May — hardy in zones 2–6.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
New Jersey Tea
Ceanothus americanus
A hummingbird flower — frothy white tubular blooms from May to Jul; for sand, rocky, and loam ground.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–3.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Sourcing
Where to find these in Kentucky
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.