If you want to see Hummingbirds from spring to fall, create a haven of pollen and nectar by planting attractive bright flowers like Verbena.
Read the article to learn whether Verbena is the significant attractor or other factors igniting your garden’s Hummingbirds group.
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What Type Of Flowers Do Hummingbirds Like Best?
Hummingbirds are heavy feeders that need to eat every 10-15 minutes, which they usually fulfill by visiting over 1000-2000 flowers a day.
Meanwhile, Hummingbirds like red nectar with red flowers the most. Still, you can notice these tiny birds around orange, yellow, or purple blooms.
Some favorite Hummingbird flowers are Bee Balm, Cardinal Flower, Zinnia, Coral Bells, Red Columbine, and Trumpet Honeysuckle.
However, Hummingbirds do not like low-nectar flowers and are less attracted to puffs, bowls, or saucers like bloom. It includes Crocuses, Gardenias, Lilacs, and Roses.
Do Hummingbirds Like Verbena?
Verbena is one of the longest bloomers, with the flowering season starting from spring till fall in the USDA zone 8-11.
The flower ranges from white to pink, lavender, red, purple, and blue and is star-shaped that is present in clusters. This flower cluster is what attracts Hummingbirds the most.
Also, you can choose Verbena from its list of 250 varieties. Its intense aroma can also be an attractor along with the nectar-rich flower.
Meanwhile, it allows enough space for Hummingbirds that hover extensively for a long time while feeding on nectar.
However, Verbena might become their second option if you have favorite Hummingbird plants with bell-shaped flowers like Fuchsias and Nasturtiums.
So if you want to see Hummingbirds roaming all day, try mixing a variety of nectar-rich flowers with Verbena.
Flowers that attract Hummingbirds are Salvia, Trumpet Creeper, Butterfly Bush, or Lavender. But check for their invasiveness and care need that match with verbena.
Do Hummingbirds Prefer Feeders Over Flowers?
Flowers are always the richest source of nectar. But flowers alone cannot fulfill the food needs of Hummingbirds as they have a high metabolism rate.
Also, the flowers follow their course of natural blooming and might not always be available for Hummingbirds.
Mix the sugar and water in a ratio of 1:4 and place in a bright-colored feeder. If red, even better. But that does not mean that Hummingbirds feeders have to be red. Any color is fine.
Alternatively, go for the cup method, where you can put 1/2 cup of sugar in 2 cups of water for Hummingbirds.
Remember to avoid using any colorant or sweetening agent in the syrup.
Moreover, do not replace sugar with other sweeteners like fruit juice, molasses, or honey, as they might not suit the bird.
And you can hang 2 Hummingbirds feeders together to decrease the competition and increase the hummers’ visits to your garden. Just maintain a 10 feet distance between them.
From Editorial Team
Alternative Method To Attract Hummingbirds!
Hummingbirds, like any other birds, require shelter and protection that you can provide by planting shrubs and bushy trees near the flowers or feeders.
Also, do not spray insecticide, as Hummingbirds are natural predators. So insects like aphids, beetles, gnats, and spiders might attract them to your garden.
Happy Humming!
