hummingbird flowers

Plants to Attract Birds & Butterflies

See section on NW Plants for more details on these species. And do remember that butterfly larvae must eat too - they will munch the food plants you provide for them!

Perennials

Scientific NameCommon Name Butterfly Stage Hummers Fruit/Seed Other Values
Achillea millefolium YarrowAdult No Seed Fire retardant
Anaphalis margaritacea Pearly EverlastingLarval/Adult No Seed Tough, flowers last
Aquilegia formosa Red ColumbineAdult Yes Seed Chickadees like seed
Asclepias spp. Milkweeds Larval/AdultYes Seed Drought tolerant
Aster spp. Asters Larval/AdultNo Seed in achenes Fall blooming
Delphinium spp. Delphinium, Larkspur Adult Yes Seed Showy
Dicentra formosa Pacific bleeding-heart Larval/Adult No Seed gathered by ants Good in wet soils
Erigeron spp. Fleabane daisiesLarval/Adult No Seed in achenes Many species
Fragaria spp. StrawberriesLarval No Red "fruits" Good ground cover
Gaillardia aristata Blanket flower Adult Yes Seed in achenes Showy
Geum macrophyllum Large-leaf avens Larval No Bristled achenes Aggressive
Helianthus spp. Sunflowers Larval/Adult No Seed Seed in achene a bird favorite
Heuchera spp. AlumrootAdult Yes Tiny seed Evergreen
Lupinus spp. LupinesLarval Yes Seed in legumes Fixes Nitrogen
Mimulus spp. Monkeyflowers? Yes Tiny seed Hummers like pink or red spp.
Penstemon spp. Penstemon, Beard-tongueLarval/Adult Yes small seed Many spp., some evergreen
Phlox spp. PhloxAdult Yes? Tiny seed Some spp. drought tolerant
Solidago spp. GoldenrodsAdult No Small seed in achenes Fall blooming
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Shrubs & Vines

Scientific NameCommon Name Butterfly Stage Hummers Fruit/Seed Other Values
Arctostaphylos spp. ManzanitaAdult Yes Red berry-like fruits Evergreen
Amelanchier alnifolia Western serviceberryLarval No Purple berry-like fruits Fine shrub, edible
Berberis / Mahonia spp. Oregon-grapeAdult No Blue, berry-like fruits Evergreen, prickly
Ceanothus spp. Snowbrush, deerbrush, etc.Larval/Adult Yes Seeds Drought tolerant, N-fixing
Clematis ligusticifolia Western clematis Adult? Yes fluffy-tailed achenes Tangled vine, good cover
Cornus stolonifera, C. sericea Red-osier dogwoodLarval/Adult No Whitish berry-likefruits Erosion control, wet soils
Eriogonum spp. BuckwheatsLarval/Adult No Small achenes Evergreen
Garrya spp. Silk-tasselAdult? No Black berries on females Evergreen
Gaultheria shallon SalalLarval/Adult No Purple berry-like fruits Evergreen cover, edible
Holodiscus discolor Ocean-sprayLarval/Adult No Tiny seed Drought tolerant
Lonicera spp. HoneysucklesAdult Yes Berry-like fruits Vines
Lonicera involucrata Black twinberryAdult Yes Black berry-like fruits Wet soils
Oemleria cerasiformis Indian-plum, osoberryNo? Yes Small purple plums (drupes) Earliest to bloom
Philadelphus lewisii Mock-orangeAdult No seeds in capsules Fragrant
Rhododendron spp Rhododendron, Azalea Larval/Adult Yes Seed in capsules cover (Some evergreen)
Ribes spp. Currants & GooseberriesLarval/Adult Yes Berry-like fruits Some spp. thorny
Rosa spp. RosesLarval/Adult No? Red "hips" contain achenes Thorny cover
Rubus parviflorus ThimbleberryAdult No Red "raspberry" -like fruits Cover, erosion control, edible
Rubus spectabilis SalmonberryAdult Yes Orange/red "raspberry"-like fruits Wet soil erosion control, early bloom, edible
Sambucus spp. ElderberriesAdult Yes Red or blue berry-like fruits Cover
Spiraea spp. SpireasLarval/Adult No? Small seeds Some control erosion in wet soil
Symphoricarpos albus SnowberryAdult No White berry-like fruits Fruit lasts into winter, erosion control
Vaccinium spp. HuckleberriesAdult No? Red or blue berry-like fruits Some evergreen, all edible
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Flowering Trees

Scientific NameCommon Name Butterfly Stage Hummers Fruit/Seed Other Values
Acer spp. MaplesLarval/Adult No Seed in winged fruits Cover, nesting
Alnus spp. AldersLarval No Fruits small nutlets Takes wet soil, N-fixer
Arbutus menziesii MadroneLarval/Adult No? Red berry-like fruits Evergreen
Betula spp. BirchesLarval No Fruits small nutlets Nesting, cover
Cornus spp. DogwoodsLarval No Red berry-like fruits Nesting, cover
Crataegus douglasii, C. suksdorfii Black hawthornLarval/Adult Yes Dark red pomes (little apples) Thorny cover
Malus/Pyrus fusca Western crabappleLarval No? Reddish pomes (little apples) Takes wet soils
Populus spp. Cottonwood, poplar, aspenLarval No Seeds with cottony hairs Cover, nesting, some take wet soil
Prunus spp. Chokecherry, bittercherry Larval No? Small red berry-like drupes Cover, nesting
Quercus garryana Oregon white oakLarval No Large acorns Nesting, cover
Rhamnus purshiana CascaraLarval? No Black berry-like fruits Cover, nesting
Salix spp. WillowsLarval/Adult No Tiny seeds in small capsules Some take wet soil, control erosion
Sorbus spp. Mountain AshLarval/Adult? No? Small red/orange pomes Cover, nesting
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Conifers

Scientific NameCommon Name Butterfly Stage Hummers Fruit/Seed Other Values
Abies spp. True firsNo No Seeds from shattered cones Evergreen cover, nesting
Larix occidentalis Western larchNo No Seed in small cones Deciduous, seasonal cover
Picea spp. SprucesNo No Seed in cones Prickly evergreen cover
Pinus spp. PinesLarval No Seed in small to large cones Evergreen cover, nesting
Pseudotsuga menziesii Douglas firLarval No Seed in cones Evergreen cover, nesting
Thuja plicata Western red cedarLarval No Seed in tiny cones Evergreen cover, nesting
Tsuga heterophylla Western hemlockNo No Seed in small cones Evergreen cover, nesting
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