Virginia gardens offer perfect settings for attracting those tiny, hovering jewels we call hummingbirds. While traditional favorites like bee balm always work, there’s something magical about watching these aerial acrobats discover unusual flowers in your garden.
In my own Virginia backyard, I’ve tracked which unexpected blooms create the most excitement among our ruby-throated visitors. These uncommon flowers have consistently outperformed typical choices while adding distinctive beauty to Virginia’s already impressive garden landscapes.
1. Cardinal Flower’s Fiery Appeal
Native to Virginia’s stream banks, this scarlet showstopper stands tall with intense red blooms that hummingbirds simply cannot resist. The tubular shape perfectly matches a hummingbird’s bill.
I planted several along my garden’s edge where morning sun hits first. Watching hummingbirds hover around these flowers feels like witnessing a private dance between nature’s partners.
Despite looking delicate, cardinal flowers handle Virginia’s summer heat remarkably well when given consistent moisture. Their August-September blooming period extends hummingbird feeding opportunities when many other plants have finished.
2. Trumpet Honeysuckle’s Sweet Invitation
Unlike its invasive Japanese cousin, this native Virginia vine produces clusters of tubular red flowers with yellow throats that act like beacons to passing hummingbirds. The nectar reward keeps them returning daily.
My specimen climbs along a garden fence where it’s visible from my kitchen window. Morning coffee becomes theater as hummingbirds perform aerial maneuvers around the blooms.
Semi-evergreen in Virginia’s milder areas, trumpet honeysuckle offers early-season feeding when hummingbirds first arrive. Its adaptability to different soil types makes it perfect for challenging garden spots.
3. Pineapple Sage’s Late-Season Surprise
Seemingly ordinary all summer with fruity-scented leaves, this herb transforms come September. Suddenly, striking scarlet spikes emerge that become hummingbird magnets during fall migration through Virginia.
Planted near my patio, its crimson flowers appear just when most gardens look tired. The timing couldn’t be better for helping migrating hummingbirds refuel on their southward journey.
Beyond attracting birds, crushing a leaf releases a delightful pineapple aroma. This dual-purpose plant thrives in Virginia’s full sun locations and can reach impressive heights of 3-4 feet by season’s end.
4. Cigar Plant’s Tiny Tubular Treasures
Small orange-red tubular flowers tipped with white and black create an unusual visual that mimics tiny lit cigars. Hummingbirds in my Virginia garden often choose these blooms over larger, showier options nearby.
Last summer, I added three plants to containers flanking my front steps. The constant hummingbird traffic became a delightful greeting for visitors who often froze in place to watch the aerial show.
Though not winter-hardy throughout Virginia, cigar plants are worth treating as annuals. Their non-stop blooming from June until frost provides reliable nectar sources when other plants take blooming breaks.
5. Bat-faced Cuphea’s Quirky Charm
Looking at these flowers reveals tiny purple and red “faces” resembling bats with ears. Their whimsical appearance belies their serious hummingbird-attracting power in Virginia gardens.
After spotting them at a local nursery three years ago, I couldn’t resist bringing some home. Now they’re conversation starters when garden visitors notice hummingbirds repeatedly visiting these unusual blooms.
Thriving in Virginia’s hot summers, these drought-tolerant plants keep producing flowers when heat stresses other plants. Their compact size makes them perfect for garden borders or containers where hummingbird activity can be easily observed.
6. Indian Pink’s Striking Color Combination
Few flowers offer such dramatic contrast—bright red tubular blooms with sunny yellow stars at their openings. Native to Virginia woodlands, this underused perennial creates quite a stir among visiting hummingbirds.
My shaded garden corner transformed after adding these beauties. Their upright stems bearing those distinctive flowers create vertical interest while attracting hummingbirds to an otherwise overlooked area.
Preferring Virginia’s dappled woodland conditions, Indian pinks return reliably each year without becoming aggressive spreaders. Their May-June blooming period perfectly coincides with hummingbirds establishing early summer feeding territories.
7. Lion’s Ear’s Unusual Architecture
Fuzzy orange whorls stacked along tall stems create an architectural presence unlike any other plant in Virginia gardens. Hummingbirds navigate these botanical towers with precision, visiting each tubular flower.
Adding these to my sunny border created vertical drama reaching nearly five feet tall. Watching hummingbirds work their way up each flowering stem, methodically checking every bloom, became a daily pleasure last August.
Though technically a tender perennial in Virginia’s climate, lion’s ear often self-seeds enough to return. Its late summer flowering provides crucial nectar when many spring bloomers have finished, filling an important gap in the hummingbird feeding calendar.
8. Cypress Vine’s Delicate Stars
Feathery foliage climbing skyward becomes studded with tiny scarlet stars by midsummer. Hummingbirds somehow find these miniature trumpets despite their small size, making repeated visits to Virginia gardens featuring this annual vine.
Last year, I trained several vines up strings attached to my pergola. By August, the ceiling had transformed into a canopy of star-shaped blooms that attracted hummingbird battles as they competed for feeding rights.
Self-seeding readily in Virginia’s warm soil, cypress vine returns reliably each summer with minimal effort. Morning glory relatives with similar growing habits, these vines climb quickly to 15 feet when given proper support.
9. Coral Bean’s Southwestern Flair
Spikes of tubular red flowers emerge before leaves appear on this unusual woody perennial. Virginia gardeners in warmer zones can enjoy this southeastern native that seems to telegraph its presence directly to hummingbirds.
My specimen grows in a protected corner where it receives afternoon sun. Each spring, the leafless stalks covered in red blooms look almost otherworldly while attracting the season’s first hummingbird visitors.
Marginally hardy in Virginia’s coastal regions, coral bean rewards gardeners who provide winter protection. The dramatic red seed pods following the flowers add another season of interest while the plant’s unusual growth habit creates garden conversation pieces.
10. Firecracker Plant’s Explosive Color
Arching stems cascade with tiny explosions of orange-red tubular blooms that hummingbirds find irresistible. Perfect for hanging baskets in Virginia gardens, these plants create moving curtains of color throughout summer.
Hanging several baskets around my patio created a hummingbird paradise last year. The birds quickly established regular feeding circuits, visiting each basket in predictable rotations throughout the day.
Despite looking delicate, firecracker plants handle Virginia’s humidity remarkably well. Their drought tolerance once established makes them forgiving choices for busy gardeners who might occasionally forget to water hanging containers.
11. Mexican Cigar Plant’s Exotic Presence
Unusual salmon-orange tubular flowers dangling from chocolate-colored stems create exotic appeal uncommon in Virginia gardens. Hummingbirds discover these treasures quickly, often hovering repeatedly around each stem.
My specimen grows in a large container where it can be overwintered indoors. During summer months on my Virginia patio, it becomes a focal point not just for its unusual appearance but for the constant hummingbird attention it receives.
Growing to shrub-like proportions by season’s end, this tender perennial makes a statement. Its long blooming period from June until frost provides consistent nectar sources when many perennials have finished their show.
12. Anise Hyssop’s Unexpected Appeal
Spikes of lavender-blue flowers might not seem like obvious hummingbird magnets, yet these native perennials consistently attract them in Virginia gardens. The tubular individual florets provide perfect feeding opportunities despite not being red.
Planted in drifts through my sunny border, their blue-purple spires create cooling visual effects during Virginia’s hot summers. Hummingbirds visit them regularly, proving their nectar value despite lacking the classic red color we associate with hummingbird plants.
Bonus points for drought tolerance once established and for attracting butterflies alongside hummingbirds. The licorice-scented foliage adds sensory appeal when brushed against while walking garden paths.
13. Turk’s Cap Lily’s Nodding Elegance
Reflexed petals curl backward forming distinctive “caps” on these woodland natives that reach impressive heights in Virginia gardens. Their unusual form doesn’t prevent hummingbirds from finding the sweet nectar inside.
Several bulbs planted five years ago have multiplied into impressive clumps in my garden’s edge where they receive morning sun. July brings their dramatic flowers that attract both hummingbirds and admiring comments from garden visitors.
Perfectly adapted to Virginia’s climate, these native lilies return reliably each year without fussy care. Their height (often reaching 4-6 feet) creates vertical interest while their nodding flowers add movement to garden compositions.
14. Jewelweed’s Woodland Secret
Orange spotted trumpets dangling beneath lush foliage might be Virginia’s best-kept hummingbird secret. Native to moist woodland edges, these annual wildflowers create feeding stations in spots where few other nectar plants grow.
Along my property’s shaded stream, I’ve encouraged natural jewelweed patches instead of removing them. The reward comes each August when hummingbirds spend hours feeding among these spotted orange flowers.
Self-seeding prolifically in Virginia’s damp areas, jewelweed establishes reliable patches year after year. Their ability to thrive in shade makes them valuable additions to difficult garden spots where many sun-loving hummingbird plants struggle.
15. Scarlet Morning Glory’s Surprising Impact
Unlike its common blue cousin, this unusual morning glory produces bright red trumpets that remain open all day. Virginia gardens with fences or trellises become vertical hummingbird cafés when these vines mature.
Training several vines up my garden arch created a floral gateway by midsummer. Hummingbirds learned the location quickly, making regular visits that became so predictable I could almost set my watch by their appearances.
Annual in Virginia’s climate but worth replanting each year for the spectacular show. Their quick growth from seed to flowering vine takes just weeks, making them perfect for impatient gardeners wanting fast hummingbird attraction.
16. Wild Columbine’s Dangling Lanterns
Red and yellow flowers hanging like delicate lanterns characterize this Virginia native woodland plant. Their unusual spurred shape seems perfectly designed for hummingbird bills to access the nectar hidden inside.
My shaded rock garden features several clumps that bloom reliably each spring. Their arrival coincides perfectly with the first hummingbird sightings in my Virginia garden, providing crucial early-season nectar.
Easily grown from seed and naturally adapted to Virginia’s growing conditions, wild columbine establishes cheerful colonies in dappled shade. Their fernlike foliage remains attractive even after the spring blooming period has passed.
17. Flowering Tobacco’s Evening Fragrance
Long tubular flowers in white, pink, or lime green open fully in evening hours, releasing sweet perfume that guides hummingbirds to late-day meals. Virginia gardens with patios or seating areas benefit from both the fragrance and bird activity.
Planting several near my evening sitting area created magical summer moments. Just before dusk, hummingbirds make final feeding rounds, hovering at each trumpet-shaped bloom as garden shadows lengthen.
Annual in Virginia but easily grown from inexpensive seed, flowering tobacco reaches impressive 3-4 foot heights by summer’s end. Their evening performance of opening flowers accompanied by visiting hummingbirds adds dimension to garden enjoyment beyond daylight hours.