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. Agastache is so effective at attracting hummingbirds, it has earned the nickname “Hummingbird Mint.” In this Garden Blog, we will explore the 6 Main Reasons why Hummingbirds can’t resist Agastache. We also 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) - Last Updated: (2/4/2026)
Large Tubular Blooms Full of Nectar
One of the main reasons Agastache draws in Hummingbirds is the shape of the flowers. Those tall spikes are lined with long, narrow tubular blooms that seem tailor-made for the way hummingbirds feed. They hover and dip effortlessly from flower to flower, barely slowing down, because the nectar sits exactly where their bill and tongue can reach it with ease. It’s a perfect match, and you can tell the birds know it.
Bees and butterflies still visit, but those longer tubes help limit nectar theft and keep the flowers especially appealing to Hummingbirds. Also, Agastache doesn’t hold back—each spike produces nectar steadily throughout the day, with flowers opening in stages so there’s always something fresh. That’s why once Hummingbirds find an Agastache patch, they tend to circle back again and again, treating it like a reliable fuel stop in the garden.
Eye-Catching Height and Visibility
Most varieties of Agastache top out between 2 and 3 feet tall, which puts the flowers right up where hummingbirds naturally scan as they move through the landscape. Hummers can spot Agastache from a distance, long before they zero in on lower-growing plants
That vertical form does a lot of work in mixed borders, too. The flower spikes lift color above surrounding plants and add a sense of layering that keeps a planting from feeling flat. When the stems sway even slightly in the breeze, it seems to catch a hummingbird’s attention even faster. Plant Agastache in small groups or drifts and that effect multiplies—suddenly your garden isn’t just pretty, it’s an easy-to-find feeding stop they come back to again and again.
Long Blooming Season
While plenty of perennials put on a good show early and then bow out in the Summer, Agastache keeps going. Most varieties start flowering in late Spring or early Summer and continue straight through Fall, sometimes right up until the first frost. That long window matters, especially during the heat of Summer and into migration season, when nectar sources can be harder to come by.
Because Agastache produces flowers in waves rather than all at once, there’s almost always something fresh opening on the plant. Local hummingbirds settle in early, and the ones passing through later in the season seem to find it just as quickly. A little deadheading helps keep things tidy, but even without much intervention, it stays active and generous for months. It’s one of the most dependable food sources I’ve grown for hummingbirds over the years.
Vibrant, 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)
Blue Boa & Blue Fortune
Both of these "blue" Agastache varieties are exceptional choices for attracting hummingbirds, thanks to their abundant nectar production and tubular flower structure that’s perfectly suited to hummingbird feeding. Blue Boa features thick, densely packed violet-blue flower spikes with elongated corolla tubes that naturally favor hummingbirds, encouraging repeat visits throughout the summer.
Blue Fortune complements this with slightly looser, lavender-blue flower spikes that bloom continuously and are easy for hummingbirds to access, making it a reliable nectar source over a long season. Together, they rank among the most dependable Agastache selections for drawing hummingbirds into the garden while also supporting bees and other beneficial pollinators.
Black Adder and Little Adder
Two of the most reliable hummingbird magnets we grow. Their tall, narrow flower spikes are lined with deep tubular blooms that hold abundant nectar and are perfectly shaped for hummingbird feeding. Black Adder stands out in larger plantings, while Little Adder offers the same hummingbird appeal in a more compact form, making both excellent choices for attracting hummers to the garden.
Kudos™ Series
The Kudos™ Series by Terra Nova offers a more compact growth habit and smaller size at 16-20 inches, but it is packed with nectar-rich flowers. Hummingbirds make repeated visits to these plants throughout the day, especially in sunny spots where the blooms shine brightest. Kudos™ Coral and Kudos™ Mandarin stand out as the strongest performers in the series. Their neat, tidy form also means less staking or maintenance, giving you maximum hummingbird appeal with minimal effort.
Honorable Mentions
The Beelicious® Series 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. However, the corolla is not as long and thus it is a bee magnet as much as hummers.
The Sunrise™ Series, and especially Sunrise™ White, brings something entirely new to the table for hummingbird gardens. A true white Agastache is rare, and while the clean color may read softer than reds or corals, the upright spikes still stand out clearly in the landscape, especially in bright sun where hummingbirds are already active.
Agastache is a Hummingbird Magnet
Agastache isn’t just pretty—it earns its keep in the garden. Year after year, it’s one of the most reliable plants I’ve grown for bringing hummingbirds in and keeping them there. Those tall flower spikes, loaded with nectar, start working in summer and don’t let up until fall, and the plants thrive right where hummingbirds prefer to feed: open, sunny spaces. Here at Garden Delivery, we see it play out the same way every season. Early in the morning and again late in the day, the flower spikes are busy with hummingbirds zipping in and out like clockwork. If your goal is to add movement, sound, and life to the garden—not just color—this is one plant that truly lives up to its reputation.