Desert Willow
Chilopsis linearis
Hummingbird fuel — slender orchid-pink tubes too deep for most insects from May to Sep, cold-hardy to zone 7.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms May–Sep
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- Hummingbirds
California · Zones 5–10
Native Hummingbird Plants in California
Tubular, nectar-heavy native flowers that draw hummingbirds far more reliably — and safely — than any sugar-water feeder. For California, the right natives are shaped by Coast Ranges, Central Valley & Sierra Nevada and a Mediterranean, summer-dry climate. Every species below, from Desert Willow and Firecracker Penstemon to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to California and hardy through zones 5–10. 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
12 native species for California
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 5–10 · see this collection in other states.
Firecracker Penstemon
Penstemon eatonii
Hummingbirds work its scarlet flowers from Mar to May — 12–18 in wide.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Rocky Mountain Penstemon
Penstemon strictus
Tubular deep blue-purple flowers shaped for a hummingbird's bill from May to Jul; reaching 1.5–2.5 ft.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
Hummingbirds work its electric scarlet flowers from Jul to Sep, for clay and loam ground.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Red-Flowering Currant
Ribes sanguineum
Draws hummingbirds with rose-pink nectar tubes in Mar and Apr — 5–9 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 5–9 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Western Columbine
Aquilegia formosa
A magnet for hummingbirds — red blooms held from Apr to Jul for them to probe; good through zone 8.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jul
Autumn Sage
Salvia greggii
Hummingbirds work its red flowers from Apr to Oct — for sand, rocky, and loam ground.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Apr–Oct
Flame Acanthus
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii
Draws hummingbirds with orange-red nectar tubes from Jun to Oct; happy in sand, rocky, and loam soil.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Oct
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Hummingbird fuel — slender white tubes too deep for most insects from Jun to Aug — good through zone 9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Oregon Grape
Berberis aquifolium
A magnet for hummingbirds — bright yellow blooms held in Mar and Apr for them to probe — 3–6 ft tall.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 3–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Hairy Manzanita
Arctostaphylos columbiana
Built for hummingbirds, with pink-white nectar tubes borne from Mar to May, for sand, rocky, and loam ground.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 3–9 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
A hummingbird flower — pink-white tubular blooms in Apr and May; hardy in zones 2–6.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Sourcing
Where to find these in California
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.