The Trumpet-Shaped Yellow Flower That Hummingbirds Can't Resist

Hummingbirds, with their adorable, jewel-toned bodies and quick, flashing wings, are wonderful creatures to have visiting any property. However, it isn't always easy to draw more hummingbirds into your yard or garden due to their wariness of predators and their need for plenty of high-energy foods to keep them going. But, if you're relatively sure that your yard is a safe place for hummingbirds to hang out in, then you can actually entice them in just by planting the right flowers. Specifically, the charming bush-like plant known as pineleaf penstemon.

While the plant comes in a variety of colors, we would like to focus on Penstemon pinifolius 'Mersea Yellow', and Penstemon pinifolius 'Magdalena Sunshine', both of which feature tubular flowers in a bright yellow shade, a color that can be attractive to hummingbirds. Choosing this beautiful, dense flowering plant doesn't even mean spending lots more time and energy keeping up your garden either. This is because the pineleaf penstemon — named because of its long, thin leaves which resemble pine needles — is both drought-resistant and not particularly prone to disease or pests, making it a good low-maintenance option.

In addition, this plant is relatively compact, only growing to about 10 inches in height, and a bit bigger in width, so it's suitable for various settings including rock gardens, containers, and borders. You also don't even have to worry too much about the quality or pH of the plant's soil, as pineleaf penstemon is adaptable to different soil types. However, if you want to grow this charming, brightly colored plant specifically for attracting hummingbirds to your garden, there are a few essential growing tips that can be helpful to know.

Pineleaf penstemon grows best in zones 4 to 9 where there is well-draining soil and not too much moisture, reflecting its natural habitats of rocky cliff faces in dry, arid states such as Arizona and New Mexico. So, in your own garden, look for a spot that gets full sunlight and is not prone to flooding. 

This is not a perennial that does well in damp, soggy soil. If your soil is this quality, turn it over and add in extra gravel or sand to improve drainage. This will prevent the plant from becoming stunted due to waterlogged soil and therefore less appealing to hummingbirds and other pollinators. Make sure to grow this charming plant toward the front of a flower bed or rock garden so that its flowers will be visible to the pollinators it attracts, and not obstructed by taller plants.

Once you've found or created a well-draining spot in your garden, plant yellow pineleaf penstemon plants about 6 inches deep and about 1 or 1 ½ feet away from each other to give them enough room to spread out a little. Then, cover them with soil and water them well. Giving this plant plenty of water during its first season — about twice a week – will help it to become established and help its flowers to grow well from June to August, thus attracting hummingbirds throughout the season.

However, after that first season, it will need less and less water and will generally prefer a drier environment as it becomes more mature. (Remember, the plant is drought-tolerant.) To ensure that your pineleaf penstemon hosts as many hummingbird-attracting blooms as possible, make sure to remove dead flowers as this will encourage the plant to focus on growing even more.