Do hummingbirds like petunias? Petunias are among the most popular annual flowers that one can buy, so backyard birders may wonder if hummingbirds are attracted to these plants. So, do hummingbirds like petunias?
Having a backyard that features both hummingbirds and petunias would be a dream come true for many. However, you may first like to know if hummingbirds will be interested in these flowers before you go purchase dozens of petunias.
Fortunately for you, you’ve come to the right place to find answers to all of your questions related to hummingbirds and petunias! Let’s get into it.
Table of Contents
Do Hummingbirds Like Petunias?
Petunias are a common sight across many backyards since these annual flowers are cheap, hardy, and cover a spectrum of gorgeous colors and patterns.
Though we may find petunias to be appealing, do hummingbirds feel the same way? Do hummingbirds like petunias?
Yes, hummingbirds do like petunias! If you plant these annual flowers in your yard, a hummingbird may buzz by and enjoy a meal.
Though hummingbirds will feed on petunias, these flowers are not a preferred food of hummingbirds. This is because domesticated cultivars of petunias are not as rich in nectar as other flower species.
What Else Do Hummingbirds Eat?
If you still have a bit to learn about hummingbirds, then you may not know about the diets of these birds. What do hummingbirds eat?
Hummingbirds have a specialized diet that consists almost entirely of nectar that they derive from flowers. Hummingbirds also consume other food aside from nectar.
These birds may eat small insects like mosquitoes, gnats, and bees. Hummingbirds capture these creatures on flowers, spider webs, or during flight.
Why Do Hummingbirds Like Petunias?
Now that you’ve learned that hummingbirds like petunias, you may wonder about why these birds enjoy these colorful flowers. Well, one of the key advantages that petunias have going for them is that they’re extremely adaptable.
Petunias are not truly a flower species, rather, Petunias comprise a genus of flowers instead of a single species. Within the Petunia genus are 20 different species and dozens of different varieties that include many colors, patterns, and shapes.
Given the diversity of petunias, there is a color and shape for any hummingbird’s preference. Hummingbirds are especially fond of petunias that have tube-shaped flowers, as their bills are adapted to feed from such flowers.
Petunias have a small amount of nectar in each flower, but there is enough to make a petunia worth visiting from a hummingbird’s perspective.
Therefore, hummingbirds like petunias because they are colorful, variable in shape, and offer a meal for them in the absence of better food sources.
How Do Hummingbirds Find Their Food?
Hummingbirds live a fast-paced lifestyle full of constant movement, so how do these remarkable creatures locate flowers from which they can drink nectar?
Considering the pleasant aromas of many flower species, some may believe that hummingbirds can track down their meals by scent.
While finding flowers by following their scent may work for some pollinators, this strategy does not work for hummingbirds given that most bird species have a poorly-developed sense of smell.
Instead of scent, hummingbirds are visual foragers. These birds track down the most enticing flowers by flying around and searching for the best choices.
However, not all flowers are created equal in the eyes of hummingbirds. In addition to trumpet-like flowers being favored by these birds, hummingbirds also favor flowers that are red, orange, or pink in color.
This explains why hummingbird feeders are commonly either red or orange.
Types Of Petunias To Plant For Hummingbirds
Now that you know that hummingbirds are fond of petunias, you may be curious to learn more about the best petunia varieties for hummingbirds.
Here are my picks for the top petunias for hummingbirds:
- Aladdin petunia (pink): Being found in both pink and blue varieties, hummingbirds will surely be fond of the pink cultivar. Aladdin petunias produce hundreds of flowers throughout their long growing season.
- Bingo perfectunia: Variable and versatile, the bingo perfectunia blooms earlier than most of its petunia counterparts. Try the red or orange variety for a flower that hummers can’t resist.
- Easy wave petunia: The easy wave is among the most popular petunia varieties for good reason-these flowers are low-maintenance and possess stunning flowers. Hummingbirds will love easy wave petunias with either pink or coral flowers.
- Prism petunia: Prism petunias are short, wide plants that produce copious amounts of flowers until the first frost. These petunias come in colors like red and pink that hummingbirds won’t be able to resist.
- Sanguna petunia: Those who grow sanguna petunias in their yards will enjoy a plant that can grow as tall as 18 inches. These attractive plants sport flowers that may be many different shades of red and pink.
The petunia varieties mentioned above have a good chance of attracting hummingbirds, but any petunia with red or pink flowers may catch the eye of one of these birds.
Better Flowers For Hummingbirds
Red or pink petunia varieties are a decent flower for hummingbirds given that these colors attract hummers, but petunias are not commonly found in an orange variety. Moreover, these plants don’t have a ton of nectar despite the decent size of petunia flowers.
Therefore, if you’re looking for a plant that hummingbirds will love, try these options instead of petunias:
- Cardinal flower: True to its name, the cardinal flower develops hundreds of rich, red-colored flowers that are tube-like in shape. Growing up to four feet tall, cardinal flowers are a perennial species that hummingbirds will love. The knock of this plant is that its flowers are relatively short-lived compared to other flowers.
- Trumpet creeper: The trumpet creeper is a plant that looks like it was tailor-made for hummingbirds. The flowers of this backyard plant are tubular in shape and may be shades of red or orange.
- Trumpet honeysuckle: Another plant with tubular flowers that are ideal for hummers, the Trumpet honeysuckle has a vine-like growth habit. The flowers of this species can be all of the colors that a hummingbird desires-pink, orange, and red.
- Columbine: The uniquely-shaped flowers of the columbine plant can be pink or red in coloration, making them a terrific choice for hummingbirds. If you’re looking for a petite flower that will attract hummingbirds to your backyard, a columbine variety would be a great choice.
Do Other Birds Like Petunias?
On the fence about whether to get petunias for your garden? Well, perhaps knowing if other birds like these flowers will sway your decision.
Do any birds besides hummingbirds like petunias? Hummingbirds certainly show more intrigue in these flowers than do other bird species—at least, this is the case in the United States.
Hummingbirds enjoy petunias because they can extract nectar from the flowers and use it as food. These busy birds are the most well-known nectar drinkers in North America, but it turns out that they’re not alone.
Other species in the continental United States do not rely on nectar as much as hummingbirds, but birds such as orioles are known to drink nectar from flowers. Therefore, don’t be surprised if a Baltimore Oriole or Bullock’s Oriole shows up to check out your petunias.
Petunias might also be viewed favorably by insectivorous birds who are attracted to the assortment of bugs that are surely hanging out around the petunias.
Given their thick, sprawling nature, some birds may find petunias to be a favorable location to place a nest.
Therefore, petunias have far more offerings to birds than just their nectar. Overall, petunias are easy flowers to grow, and they are sure to attract hummingbirds to your backyard.