Attract Hummingbirds With These Window Box Plant Selections

If you want to bring vibrant hummingbirds right to your windows, designing the perfect window box can create a haven for these delightful pollinators. With a thoughtful selection of hummingbird-attracting plants, you'll enjoy hours of birdwatching from the comfort of your home. Whether you're an experienced gardener or just starting to fill your window boxes, this comprehensive guide reveals the top flowers and design strategies to make your window garden irresistible to hummingbirds.

Why Attract Hummingbirds to Your Window Boxes?

Hummingbirds are more than just beautiful visitors; they're essential pollinators for countless flowers and edible crops. By planting hummingbird-friendly window boxes, you support local biodiversity, improve your garden's health, and bring a touch of wild magic to your windowsill every day.

• Natural pollinators: Hummingbirds help fertilize many types of plants.
• Pest control: Their diet also includes small insects.
• Year-round entertainment: Observing their behavior is fascinating and relaxing.
• Educational value: Great for teaching children about wildlife and ecosystem balance.

Designing Your Hummingbird Window Box

Before you pick your plants, consider these design principles to craft the most attractive window box for both birds and viewers:

Location Matters

Place your window box outside sunny windows--hummingbirds prefer sunlit spots where flowers produce more nectar. East and south-facing windows tend to offer great results.

Choose the Right Size Box

Make sure your container is at least 8 inches deep with drainage holes. The extra soil depth helps plants retain moisture, supporting healthy root growth and abundant blooms.

Use a Quality Potting Mix

Fill your window boxes with an organic, well-draining potting mix. Mix in some compost for added nutrients, ensuring vibrant, long-lasting flowers to keep hummingbirds coming back.

The Best Window Box Plants to Attract Hummingbirds

The key to creating a successful hummingbird window garden is choosing the right mix of plants. Hummingbirds are drawn to vividly colored, tubular flowers with high nectar content. Here's a detailed breakdown of flowers you can mix and match for a dynamic, season-long bloom display:

1. Salvia (Sage)

• Type: Annual or Perennial, depending on variety
• Colors: Red, pink, purple, blue, white
• Why hummingbirds love it: Produces abundant nectar in showy, tubular blossoms.

Popular choices like sizzling red Salvia splendens or the perennial 'Black and Blue' Salvia guaranitica deliver repeated blooms through summer. Plant in clusters for a standout display that's impossible for hummingbirds to miss.

2. Fuchsia

• Type: Annual (grown as tender perennial in warm climates)
• Colors: Red, purple, pink, white
• Why hummingbirds love it: Hanging, bell-shaped blooms offer easy access to nectar.

Select compact fuchsia varieties for small window boxes. Trailing cultivars like 'Swingtime' or 'Dollar Princess' pack window boxes with color while attracting hummingbirds with pendulous blossoms.

3. Petunia

• Type: Annual
• Colors: Almost every shade--try reds, purples, and pinks for best results
• Why hummingbirds love it: Prolific blooming and easy access to sweet nectar.

Look for Grandiflora or Multiflora types in vibrant hues. Their persistent blooms and mild fragrance draw in hummingbirds all season.

4. Cuphea (Cigar Plant or Firecracker)

• Type: Annual in most climates
• Colors: Orange, red, purple
• Why hummingbirds love it: Tubular flowers loaded with nectar; blooming persists in heat.

Firecracker plant (Cuphea ignea) and bat-faced Cuphea (Cuphea llavea) are hot picks for window boxes. The spiky, fiery blooms tempt hummers, while lush foliage adds texture.

5. Lantana

• Type: Annual in cool climates, perennial in warm zones
• Colors: Multicolored clusters--reds, oranges, yellows, pinks
• Why hummingbirds love it: Colorful, nectar-rich, and continually blooming.

Dwarf varieties work beautifully in window planters. Their bold colors ensure your window box catches both the eye and the interest of hungry hummers.

6. Nasturtium

• Type: Annual
• Colors: Red, yellow, orange
• Why hummingbirds love it: Peppery-sweet nectar, fun trailing habit.

Compact or trailing nasturtiums drape window boxes with jewel-toned flowers and edible leaves--appealing to people and hummingbirds alike!

7. Calibrachoa ("Million Bells")

• Type: Tender perennial (often grown as annual)
• Colors: Massive color range; choose reds, oranges, pinks, and purples
• Why hummingbirds love it: Endless miniature blooms provide consistent nectar sources.

These tiny petunia lookalikes are ideal for window boxes, offering color and hummingbird activity from spring through frost.

8. Impatiens

• Type: Annual
• Colors: Pink, red, purple, white
• Why hummingbirds love it: Brightly colored, shade-loving blooms.

If your window box is in partial shade, impatiens offer continuous, nectar-rich flowers.

Planting Strategies: Combine for Success

For maximum hummingbird attraction and curb appeal, combine 3-5 different plant species in each window box. Arrange plants in layers--tall varieties (like salvia or fuchsia) at the back, mounding flowers (such as petunias and calibrachoa) in the middle, and trailing plants (nasturtium, cuphea) along the front and sides.

• Mix colors: Use reds, oranges, and hot pinks, which are especially attractive to hummingbirds.
• Blend shapes: Combine tubular and bell-shaped blossoms for consistent interest.
• Continuous bloom: Choose a mix to provide nectar from spring through frost.

Caring for Your Hummingbird Window Box

• Water regularly: Window boxes dry out quickly; ensure consistent moisture, especially in sun.
• Fertilize monthly: Use an organic, low-nitrogen fertilizer for robust blooms.
• Pinch and deadhead: Regularly remove spent flowers to promote re-blooming and prevent disease.
• Check for pests: Avoid chemical pesticides, as they can harm visiting hummingbirds--opt for natural controls instead.

Supplement with Feeders (Optional)

Window boxes abundant with blooms are usually enough to attract hummingbirds to your window. But for increased viewing opportunities, consider hanging a window feeder nearby with a simple mixture of 1 part white sugar to 4 parts water (never honey or artificial dye).

• Clean feeders every 3-5 days--especially in summer--to prevent mold and fermentation.
• Place feeders several feet from the window planter to avoid crowding the birds.

Plants to Avoid in Hummingbird Window Boxes

Not all popular annuals are ideal for attracting hummingbirds. Avoid these common window box plants, as they generally lack the tubular shape or nectar abundance required:

• Geranium (Pelargonium): Pretty but little nectar.
• Marigold: Low nectar, not favored by hummers.
• Pansy/Viola: Not tubular, typically visited by other pollinators.

Instead, stick to plants with an abundance of tubular, vibrantly colored blooms.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How long does it take for hummingbirds to find my window box?

If your garden is already visited by hummingbirds, they may discover new window blooms within a week or two--often sooner with bright reds or oranges. If you're in a new neighborhood or high-rise, patience is key; sometimes, it can take several weeks for hummingbirds to notice.

Are there any climbing plants for window boxes that attract hummingbirds?

Yes! Morning glories and diminutive trumpet vines work fabulously in spacious boxes with a small trellis. Dwarf varieties are best for containers.

Can I grow hummingbird-attracting plants in shade?

While most nectar-rich flowers need full sun to thrive and produce the most nectar, a few such as fuchsia and impatiens will bloom in partial shade.

Will I attract bees and butterflies too?

Absolutely! The same nectar-rich flowers that delight hummingbirds are visited by native bees and butterflies, supporting pollinator populations all summer.

Pro Tips for a Thriving Hummingbird Window Garden

• Rotate seasonal color: Swap out early or late season bloomers for continuous color.
• Plant in late spring: Perfect timing for migration and the start of hummingbird season.
• Avoid pesticides and harmful chemicals.
• Keep windows clean: You'll enjoy better viewing--and so will the birds!

Local Adaptations: Tailor to Your Region

Native plant species are especially valuable for local hummingbird species. Check your region's hummingbird migration dates and adapt your plant selections accordingly. For example, the ruby-throated hummingbird is found throughout eastern North America, while the Anna's hummingbird frequents the Pacific Coast.

• Consult local nurseries for native, adaptable varieties.
• Stagger bloom times by mixing early, mid, and late-season flowers.

Conclusion: Enjoy Your Personal Hummingbird Sanctuary

Creating a hummingbird-friendly window box is an easy, rewarding way to beautify your living space while supporting these dazzling pollinators. With the right mix of plants, colors, and care, you'll transform any window into a living stage for hummingbirds. Start planning your window garden today--and bring the magic of hummingbird window box flowers right to your home!

Enjoy the flutter, color, and joy as hummingbirds visit your windowsill--your effort will be rewarded season after season!