11 Edible Shrubs That Will Attract Hummingbirds To Your Garden

Getting hummingbirds to stick around your garden is all about providing a great environment. Using K-Cups to attract them with a bubbler fountain is helpful, but the first step is to provide an ample food source. And nothing's keeping you from sharing a snack with your feathered friends.

Shrubs are particularly good for this. They're perennials, so you won't have to replant them or collect their seeds for future generations. Unlike annuals, they can also grow to such a size that they produce not only blooms, but edible material for your kitchen. Plus, you can gather much of that material through simply maintaining them, whether that's deadheading blooms, gathering berries, or pruning them for more growth. While you can always compost or burn these items instead, they make for highly unique ingredients you won't find in most stores.

Shrubs that attract hummingbirds are also universally beautiful. Since they're attracted to bright flowers, you get to enjoy some truly lovely blooms accented by tiny buzzing birds, all while contributing to an important ecosystem. Some shrubs even provide a sensory experience, scenting your garden with everything from sweet to savory smells that'll make it difficult for you — and your bird buddies — to leave. Provided you give most of these plants some fertilizer, water, and a bit of pruning here and there, you'll have permanent fixtures that attract all sorts of beneficial wildlife.

There's no end to the number of ways you can employ rosemary in the kitchen, but many varieties produce blue and purple tubular blossoms that are perfect for a hummingbird's long beak. Keep your rosemary thriving with a bit of pruning, and you'll soon have huge patches producing tons of blooms and delicious leaves.

While the leaves aren't quite as delicious as their cousins', the flowers of pineapple sage offer a sweet blend of floral and herbal flavors that both you and your hummingbirds won't be able to get enough of. It's a potent perennial in warm climates and can grow several feet high, producing tons of blooms.

Though not as sweet as traditional grapes, the tannin-rich tartness of this shrub lends a bit of boozy flavor to fruity recipes. If you're on a migration path for the early spring, these shrubs bloom early enough to convince hummingbirds to stick around for a while.

Currants are a lesser-known but still quite delicious berry, especially when rendered into a syrup for homemade candies. These are a particularly ample food source for hummingbirds, rich in nectar with the perfect shape and coloration to attract them.

When you want a bit of flavor without any bulk, honeysuckle flowers are the perfect snack. While you might find yourself competing for nectar with hummingbirds, these bushes can grow enormous enough for all parties.

Sweet ferns grow in clusters and are highly manageable, making them great for filling in any size of blank spot in your garden. Hummingbirds appreciate their long bloom period, but you may grow to love them in a unique herbal tea.

Also called autumn olive, this shrub can grow to be truly enormous and make enough jam-producing berries to feed an army. Plus, they provide great shelter for hummingbirds who may also sip on their flowers in the fall.

Few herbs can grow to become full shrubs, but English lavender is perfect for your kitchen and hummingbird guests. They love to sip the nectar, while you can collect the most delicious edible herb flowers for everything from drinks to salads to desserts.

These blooms last quite a while, so they're a great choice if you're unsure of when to expect some migratory hummingbirds. Plus, the flowers of this shrub are an ancient ingredient and infuse drinks with an incredible bouquet.

This giant, flowering shrub is perfect if your home is a hummingbird hotspot, producing enough blooms to feed a flock. The flower petals are also great in salads, with a texture similar to a softened carrot peel and a flavor similar to lavender.

Chaste trees are one of the best edible shrubs for hummingbirds, and you'll both want as many flowers as possible. The seeds and fruit are like a cross between peppercorn and sage and the bigger it grows, the more flowers it produces to later turn into the ingredients you want.