16 Long-Blooming Plants to Attract Hummingbirds and Butterflies

Eupatorium purpureum, Zones 3 to 9

This tall perennial (grows up to 7 feet) definitely deserves a spot in your flower bed. Joe Pye weed has large medium-pink blooms and interesting foot-long, whorled leaves. As a bonus, the flowers smell like vanilla; it’s no wonder they’re great at attracting butterflies!

Check out more fragrant flowers that pollinators love.

Courtesy Carmel Rugel

Russian Sage

Perovskia, Zones 4 to 9

Big and showy, the purple blooms of Russian sage are butterfly magnets. Plant just one of these perennials in your garden, and you’ll see a difference in a single season. With its silvery foliage and bursts of small purple blooms, it’s a great accessory anywhere.

Discover the top 10 purple flowers that attract hummingbirds.

Courtesy Heidi Kelly

Black-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia, Zones 3 to 9

Hummingbirds and butterflies nectaring on black-eyed Susan flowers start the wildlife parade followed by seed-eating birds. It’s common to see butterflies at these yellow, orange and russet blooms (like the white peacock butterfly featured in this photo). As a bonus, these are some of the most drought-tolerant blooms you can find.

Courtesy Joann Miller

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum, Zones 5 to 8 or Annual

When it comes to great fall flowers, the list wouldn’t be complete without chrysanthemums. Whether you start with bare-root mums in spring or buy container-grown plants in late summer, these stunners are a great nectar source. They’re one of the last blooms in the garden attracting butterflies in the fall.

Courtesy Melissa Brewer

Bee Balm

Monarda didyma, Zones 4 to 9

Hummingbirds love the tubular blooms of this bright red flower, which grows up to 4 feet tall. Many think of bee balm as predominantly a summer plant, but it also offers a great nectar source through early fall, too.

These are the top red flowers that attract hummingbirds.

Courtesy Sean Mcguinn

Aster

Aster, Zones 3 to 9

Growing up to 6 feet tall (dwarf varieties are shorter), asters sport dozens of blooms on a single plant. If you plant early in the season, they’ll have plenty of time to get established for winter. Or try your luck by picking up some end-of-season deals. You’ll be glad you did.

Pamela Miller

Sedum

Sedum, Zones 3 to 8

Fall is the peak time for this backyard favorite, which grows up to 2 feet high and is a popular choice for attracting butterflies. The star-shaped blooms on Autumn Joy start out pale green and then become a rich burgundy color as the leaves change and finally turn a rust color after frost.

Courtesy Kandie Diskin

Coreopsis

Coreopsis spp., Zones 3 to 11

This two-for-one bloom attracts both seed-eating birds and butterflies. Skippers, buckeyes, painted ladies and monarchs often stop by for the plant’s sweet nectar, especially in late summer when coreopsis is growing strong while other blooms are wilting away.

Courtesy William Kemble

Dahlia

Dahlia, Zones 9 to 11 or Annual

Big and beautiful, a dahlia is a shining star in the garden. Though in most regions gardeners have to dig up the tubers in late fall and replant in spring, the effort is well worth it. The end result is huge blooms (some as big as 10 inches) that are excellent for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies.

Courtesy Diane Theodor

Cosmos

Cosmos bipinnatus, Annual

You can find this beauty in shades of pink, white, red and purple, growing as high as 6 feet tall. Cosmos lasts well into fall and is like a bright beacon to hummingbirds and butterflies passing through on their migrations.

Courtesy Kari Thomson

Purple Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea, Zones 3 to 9

Birds, bees and butterflies all love native perennial coneflowers. While birds will pause to snack on drying coneflower seed heads, butterflies and hummingbirds will stop for its nectar in fall.

Courtesy Lisa Thompson

Goldenrod

Solidago spp., Zones 3 to 9

This is a plant for which a little deadheading goes a long way. Be sure to give goldenrod plenty of room to spread. They grow up to 48 inches high and 30 inches wide, with a beautiful golden shade.

Courtesy Dan Davidson

Zinnia

Zinnia, Annual

Another surefire annual, this beauty is guaranteed to extend the season until the first frost. If you’re looking for variety, zinnias are the perfect flower for you. You can find bloom shapes in daisy- or dahlia-like configurations and in just about any color. Nearly all are excellent plants that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. And zinnias are easy to grow from seed.

Courtesy Renee Annis

Petunia

Petunia x hybrida, Annual

Get your pinchers ready—deadheading petunia blooms will keep them going all the way until frost in beautiful shades of pink, red, pale yellow, violet-blue, white and various combinations. A favorite for hanging baskets, petunias attract hummingbirds in late summer and early fall.

Courtesy Elisa Shaw

Pansy

Viola x wittrockiana, perennial in Zones 8 to 11 or Annual

If you live in a cooler climate, pansies are perfect for you. Many cultivars are specifically developed to survive spring and autumn temperatures. Some even work as hardy winter annuals.

Courtesy Nancy Jahnel

Sunflower

Helianthus annuus, Annual

Summer wouldn’t be complete without giant stalks of sunflowers. They are a favorite among seed-eaters, but since they last into early autumn, they’re a great nectar source as well. Though the classic sunflower is yellow, you can now find varieties in red, brown and more. Gardeners are often surprised to find sunflowers are plants that attract hummingbirds and butterflies as well as songbirds.

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