Why Hummingbirds Love Agastache

At Garden Delivery, we’ve seen firsthand just how much hummingbirds love Agastache. These tall, colorful perennials create a nectar-rich feast that draws in hummers all season long. Their vibrant blooms stand out across the garden, catching the eye of these fast-moving birds even from a distance. Agastache is so effective at attracting hummingbirds, it has earned the nickname “Hummingbird Mint.”

Let's explore the 6 main reasons why hummingbirds can’t resist Agastache, and highlight the very best varieties to plant if you want to bring more of these little visitors to your garden.

By: Reggie Meehan (9/23/2025)

Large Tubular Blooms Full of Nectar

Agastache’s tall flower spikes are lined with dozens of tubular blooms, known as a tubular corolla. Each tube is perfectly engineered for a hummingbird’s feeding style. The long, narrow shape matches the length of a hummingbird’s bill and tongue, allowing it to easily reach the nectar inside without competition from many other pollinators. A hummingbird’s bill and tongue together can reach 2–5 inches into a flower, far surpassing other nectar feeders—bees manage only about ½ inch with their proboscis, while butterflies reach about ½ inch to slightly over ¾ inch. Thus, longer tubular flowers reduce nectar theft by bees and butterflies.

Agastache blooms produce generous amounts of sweet nectar throughout the day, giving hummingbirds a reliable reason to return again and again. Because each spike can hold flowers at multiple stages of bloom, there’s always a fresh supply of nectar available, even as older flowers fade.

Eye-Catching Height and Visibility

Reaching a mature height of 1–4 feet, Hummingbird Mint towers over many other garden plants. This height provides a natural “beacon” effect, helping hummingbirds spot the colorful flower spikes from a considerable distance while in flight. In a mixed border or pollinator garden, the vertical form of Agastache also creates layers, drawing attention upward where the blooms sway gently in the wind — a motion that further catches the eye of passing hummingbirds. When planted in clusters or drifts, this height advantage is amplified, turning your garden into an easy-to-find feeding station.

Long Blooming Season

Where many flowers offer only a short-lived display, Hummingbird Mint is a true marathon bloomer. It begins flowering in early spring and often continues well into the fall months, right up until frost. This long blooming window is crucial for hummingbirds, especially during migration periods when food sources can be scarce. By providing nectar for several months, Agastache supports both local hummingbirds and those passing through, helping to fuel their energy needs for breeding, nesting, and migration. Deadheading spent blooms can further extend the flowering season, ensuring your garden remains a hub of activity.

Vibrant, Hummingbird-Friendly Colors

Hummingbirds are highly visual feeders, and their unique tetrachromatic vision allows them to perceive ultraviolet light in addition to the colors humans see. This expanded range makes them especially attracted to vivid hues such as reds, oranges, pinks, and purples—all colors rooted in the primary shade of red. Agastache is perfectly suited to this preference, offering an impressive spectrum of blooms that range from fiery tangerine and coral to deep indigos with red undertones, ensuring nearly every variety holds visual appeal for hummingbirds.

By contrast, bees see the world differently through trichromatic vision. While they can detect ultraviolet light, they lack the receptors to perceive red, which instead appears black or gray to them. As a result, red-based colors such as pinks and peaches are far less enticing for bees, giving hummingbirds the advantage in visiting these flowers. On the other hand, blues and violets—though still enjoyed by hummingbirds—are much more appealing to bees, leading to greater competition for nectar. This is why shades of red and its close relatives, like coral and peach, stand out as especially favorable for attracting hummingbirds, shaping the flowers they most often seek.

Fragrant Foliage

In addition to its stunning flowers, Agastache offers aromatic foliage with a distinct anise or mint scent. While hummingbirds rely primarily on sight rather than smell, the fragrance will contribute to the overall sensory experience of your garden, especially when combined with the plant’s colors and movement. For gardeners, this scented foliage is an added delight, releasing its aroma when brushed against or warmed by the sun. It also serves a practical purpose: the strong fragrance can deter deer, rabbits, and other browsing animals, leaving more blooms intact for your visiting hummingbirds.

Thrives in Full Sun for Maximum Nectar

Hummingbird Mint is at its best when planted in a location that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. Full sun not only promotes vigorous growth and abundant flowering but also boosts nectar production within each bloom — a direct benefit for hummingbirds. In sunny conditions, the plant’s nectar tends to be sweeter and more plentiful, making your garden an even more attractive stop for hungry hummers. Well-drained soil is also essential, as overly wet roots can reduce plant health and flower output. By choosing a bright, open site, you set the stage for peak hummingbird activity all season long.

Best Varieties for Attracting Hummingbirds

When it comes to drawing hummingbirds into your garden, some Agastache varieties stand out above the rest for their color, bloom time, and nectar production. These top picks combine beauty, resilience, and irresistible appeal for hummingbirds all season long. For hummingbirds, we particularly recommend longer tubular corollas and red colored varieties and hues derived from red (e.g., pink, coral, peach)

Agastache Morello

One of the most stunning Agastache is the Morello variety by Terra Nova. With a rating of 4.0 (Raker, 2021), this coral red beauty stands at 2-3 feet and has deep corolla tubes making it more discriminant in releasing its nectar. The blooms on this variety also tend to stay more full, thus looking more attractive to hummers and humans alike. Agastache 'Morello' dazzles with deep berry-toned blooms that draw hummingbirds like magnets, while its upright habit and mildew resistance make it a standout in both design and performance. It anchors pollinator corridors with all-season color and exceptional garden resilience.

Agastache Sunrise Series

The Sunrise Series by GreenFuse Botanicals include some highly ranked Agastache growing to 24 inches in height, with deep corolla tubes ideal for hummingbirds. Specifically, the Salmon (5.0, Raker 2021), Orange (4.6, Raker 2021) and Rose (4.75, Penn State 2023) are all hummer colors.  Note that several other colors of the Sunrise Series also rank between 4-5.0. The Sunrise series of Agastache offers a kaleidoscope of soft, sherbet-toned blooms with compact, upright habits that thrive in heat and drought. Their extended bloom time and pollinator appeal make them indispensable for vibrant, low-maintenance garden design.

Agastache Kudos Series

The Agastache Kudos Series by Terra Nova offers a more compact growth habit, making it perfect for smaller gardens, containers, or the front of a border. Known for its vibrant, tropical-inspired colors, varieties like Kudos Red (rated 4.0, Raker 2020), Kudos Coral (rated 4.8, Raker 2021), and Kudos Mandarin (rated 4.6, Raker 2021) burst with brilliant blooms that create a warm, glowing beacon for hummingbirds. Again, there are other colors of the Kudos Series with 4-5.0 rankings, just not hummer colors.

Despite its smaller size at 16-20 inches, the Kudos Series is packed with nectar-rich flowers that bloom spring through fall, providing months of reliable feeding. We’ve seen hummingbirds make repeated visits to these plants throughout the day, especially in sunny spots where the blooms shine brightest. Their neat, tidy form also means less staking or maintenance, giving you maximum hummingbird appeal with minimal effort.

Beelicious Pink

The Beelicious series of Agastache by Dummen Orange has an extremely unique variety, Beelicious Pink, with burgundy spikes and soft pink flowers standing at 20-32 inches in height. It also received a 4.75 rating (Penn State, 2023) which shows its quality. While the corolla is not as long and thus it is a bee magnet, hummers also enjoy it. 

Agastache is a Hummingbird Magnet

Agastache is more than just a beautiful addition to the garden — it’s a proven hummingbird magnet that delivers color, fragrance, and nectar from summer straight through to fall. With its tall, vibrant flower spikes, long bloom season, and sun-loving nature, it creates an irresistible feeding station that keeps hummingbirds returning day after day. At Garden Delivery, we’ve seen the results firsthand, from early morning visits to evening feeding frenzies, proving that few plants can match the ability of Hummingbird Mint. Whether you choose bold varieties like Agastache Morello or compact, colorful options like the Kudos Series Red and Mandarin, planting Agastache is one of the surest ways to fill your garden with the energy, movement, and beauty of hummingbirds.