Hummingbirds are considered one of the smallest birds on earth. These small birds have the characteristics of getting attracted by seeing such colors.
That is why the birds get attracted to flowers most of the time. In this article, we will discuss what else attract hummingbirds.
Do petunias attract hummingbirds?
Since hummingbirds are attracted to colorful flowers, the brightly colored perennial flowers that are tabular hold, attract hummingbirds much more. Petunias are considered one of them. During the summer and spring of the year, petunias blooming in the garden will attract hummingbirds.
Generally, there are various types of flowers that attract hummingbirds. The flowers that have rich bright colors, red to be precise are most liked by the hummingbirds.
In addition to that, long or tapered shapes and plentiful nectar accommodate for the birds to keep coming back to the flowers again and again.
Flowers that bloom for a long time or has repeated blooming session is most liked by the hummingbirds because it provides a reliable food source for them for a long time.
Petunia is a type of flower that matches all the characteristics that a Hummingbird would get attracted to.
The best part about petunias is that it has many hybrids developed form of the same flower and this diversity of the forms which divide them into different colors attracts the hummingbirds most.
It has a color variation of blue, purple, pink, red, and violet. It blooms from spring to summer. Petunias are preferred by hummingbirds for their long blooming period. Below is a brief description of whether different types of petunias attract hummingbirds or not:
Mexican petunias:
The Mexican petunias come in different colors such as blue, violet, or red. The Mexican petunias need a little care to produce the flower and bloom them.
Since hummingbirds are most attracted to different colorful blooms, the Mexican petunias are an ideal choice for them.
Wave petunias:
Wave petunias attract hummingbirds because they are a good source of nectar which provides the Hummingbird with energy throughout the day.
Also, this type of petunias can be simply grown in a hanging basket which makes it convenient to grow.
Red petunias:
Brightly colored flowers such as red petunias are mostly preferred by hummingbirds. They easily get attracted to this sort of colorful flowers.
The red petunia is easily noticed by the hummingbirds since they get mostly attracted to the flowers by seeing their color, so they will come to these red flowers again and again.
Purple petunias:
Purple petunias are an ideal option for gardeners to grow because they are space-efficient when growing and attract hummingbirds a lot.
Mini petunias:
The specialty of the mini petunias is that they are a type of nectar-rich flower which attracts hummingbirds. You can plant mini petunias to attract hummingbirds.
They need minimum care to grow and will bloom for a specific time that will attract hummingbirds easily.
White petunias:
The white petunias have less sweetness in general and are more numerous than cool-colored flavors in nature. That is why it is also preferred by hummingbirds.
Why do hummingbirds like petunias?
The reason why hummingbirds like petunias are because they are rich in colors and nectar. The common characteristic of a hummingbird is getting attracted to flowers by seeing their color.
In addition to that, the amount of nectar, a petunia contains is enough for hummingbirds to get energy throughout the day. The specialty of the petunias is, that during the blooming period, many petunias bloom at once.
That is why the petunias are noticed by the hummingbirds easily. However, hummingbirds prefer flowers that have a long blooming period so that they do not have to search for nectar anywhere else.
The petunias usually bloom from spring to summer. That is why the hummingbirds prefer nectar from petunias due to their longer blooming time.
In some cases, the hummingbirds also get attracted because of their scent, color, and shape. Because of its tabular hold shape, hummingbirds prefer petunias to any other flowers.
Do hummingbirds drink from petunias?
Hummingbirds love to drink nectar from the petunias. Aside from the bright color of the flowers, it is the nectar that attracts the small birds to them. They can rely on the flower’s nectar for a long time and love to have them.
What color petunias do hummingbirds like?
Generally, the hummingbirds like flowers that are rich and bright in color. So, they get more attracted to red-colored flowers than any other color. So, you can plant red petunias to attract hummingbirds.
This will work as an indicator for them to come to the flower and collect nectar from it. In some cases, you may try mixing several different shades of red between petunias by making a monochromatic look and placing them in a flower bed.
This will increase the beauty of your garden as well as help to attract the birds easily. The shape of the petunias also attracts hummingbirds because it helps them to sip the nectar from the middle easily.
Although hummingbirds are mostly attracted to red colors, they also like other vibrant colors such as pink, orange, purple or blue.
Because these are the colors that produce the most nectar. But the red petunias are most preferred by hummingbirds because of their sugary nectar.
How to grow petunias for hummingbirds?
Growing petunias can be very easy if you can choose the right weather for them and have the expertise in gardening.
Petunias do not require too much care for them to grow, providing the right type of environment will help them to grow more in numbers and attract the hummingbirds easily.
The best part about the petunia is they have a long blooming period which attracts the hummingbirds because they can rely on petunias for a long time to collect the nectar from it.
The nectar the hummingbirds collect from the petunias, they use to hunt the insects and eat them. Simply go through the tips to grow petunias that will attract the hummingbirds:
Plant them in a hanging basket or flower bed:
The petunias require a good amount of space to bloom and grow properly. For that, instead of planting them inside a tub, you can choose a hanging basket or flower bed to plant them.
This will help them to spread their branches and grow more flowers than usual.
Water them regularly:
Although you do not need to take much care of petunia plants, it does not mean that they do not need any type of care at all. You need to water them regularly to help them grow bright-colored petunias.
Providing water regularly will help them to grow more flowers during the blooming period.
Plant them in a warm and sunny area:
The most important part about growing petunias to attract hummingbirds is to choose the environment and the area where you will be keeping the plant.
Since hummingbirds like to collect nectar in direct sunlight, you can keep the flower bed of petunias in a sunny and warm area. This will help them to bloom properly as well as attract the hummingbirds easily.
What other flowers attract hummingbirds?
Some factors matter to hummingbirds when collecting the nectar from flowers. The most common factor in collecting nectar from flowers is their color. It is easy to identify a flower by its color.
The hummingbirds like to collect nectar from rich bright colored flowers. In addition to that, the hummingbirds prefer flowers that have a long blooming period so that the hummingbirds do not have to search for other flowers to collect nectar.
Various flowers have a perennial shape that is preferred by the hummingbirds because it is easy for the hummingbirds to sip nectar from this type of flower. Below is a brief description of the different type of flowers that attracts hummingbirds:
Cardinal flower:
The Cardinal flower comes in a perennial form that has long stalks of flowers growing as much as four feet long.
These types of flowers are attractive both as a garden plants and to hummingbirds. The rich, bright red color of cardinal flowers can be kept in full sun or in shade to attract the hummingbirds.
Butterfly Bush:
This is an ideal choice to attract hummingbirds. The butterfly bush has a repeated blooming characteristic and it blooms from Midsummer through fall. This flower provides a great source of nectar for hummingbirds.
Lupine:
A hybrid form of the Lupine plant can make excellent garden perennials. This flower is ideal for attracting hummingbirds and has a good amount of nectar to provide them.
Wild Lupines may not be as much as helping to grow in gardens. That is why growing hybrid Lupine is recommended.
Columbine:
The beautiful scent of Columbine attracts the hummingbirds very easily. These flowers are used as garden perennials but have even more important as the food source for hummingbirds.
They can be used as edging plants in your garden as well as attract the petunias easily in sunlight.
Final Thoughts
Petunias are preferred by hummingbirds for their rich bright color and perennial shape. The red petunias have a good amount of sugary nectar which helps the hummingbirds to rely on them for a long time. That is why petunias can be planted in flower beds to attract hummingbirds.