Hummingbirds can get nectar from some orchid species, but not all. Here’s a quick overview of hummingbird-orchid nectar relationships:
Do any orchids produce nectar hummingbirds can drink?
Yes, there are over 100 orchid species native to the Americas that are pollinated by hummingbirds and produce nectar adapted for hummingbird consumption. These species occur from temperate North America down through Central and South America. Some examples include:
- Cymbidium orchids
- Maxillaria orchids
- Comparettia orchids
- Lepanthes orchids
These orchids produce dilute nectar with 15-25% sugar content, similar to typical bird-pollinated flowers. They also have blooms with specialized shapes allowing hummingbird access.
Why are some orchids not good nectar sources?
Many orchid species produce little or no nectar because they are pollinated by bees, butterflies, moths, or other insects rather than birds. Even showy orchids may not offer nectar usable by hummingbirds. For example:
- Phalaenopsis orchids are pollinated by bees and produce no nectar.
- Cattleya orchids produce energy-dense 40-65% sugar nectar suited for bee nutrition rather than dilute hummingbird nectar.
Some orchids also have complex blooms that prevent hummingbird access to nectar, like Ophrys orchids pollinated via pseudocopulation with insect pollinators.
What visual cues indicate orchid nectar accessibility?
Hummingbird-pollinated orchids tend to have:
- Tubular or funnel-shaped blooms allowing hummingbird beaks and tongues access
- Red, orange, yellow, or pink colors attractive to hummingbirds
- Minimal scent since birds have a poor sense of smell
- Abundant dilute nectar
If an orchid matches these cues, there is a good chance hummingbirds can obtain nectar from it. However, appearance alone does not guarantee accessible or plentiful nectar. Direct observation of hummingbird visitation or nectar analysis would be required to fully confirm an orchid provides usable hummingbird nectar.
Do hummingbirds routinely visit orchid flowers?
In the wild, hummingbirds will preferentially visit the most plentiful and accessible nectar sources available within their environments. Orchids pollinated by hummingbirds play an important ecological role for some hummingbird species. However, orchids may not be a major or consistent food source compared to higher nectar volume flowers from other plant families.
For example, in North American meadows and woodlands, hummingbirds derive much of their nectar from bee balm, columbines, trumpet vine, cardinal flower, and other native flowers delivering larger nectar rewards. Visits to orchid flowers would provide supplemental food. In tropical locales, passionflowers, heliconias, and other flowers rich in dilute nectar often take nutritional precedence over orchids.
So while specialized orchids do provide an energy source hummingbirds can utilize, they may not be a primary or reliable feeding target in natural settings. Hummingbird-orchid nectar relationships are most important for pollination rather than meeting all the birds’ nutritional needs.
Can I attract hummingbirds by planting orchids?
Adding suitable orchid species to a garden may draw periodic hummingbird visits. However, planting orchids alone is generally not the best way to attract consistent hummingbird activity. Even orchids adapted for hummingbird pollination produce relatively small amounts of nectar compared to typical bird-pollinated flowers.
For reliable success attracting hummingbirds, the best strategy is offering a diversity of profusely nectar-producing flowers. Some excellent ornamental plants that provide abundant hummingbird nectar include:
- Fuchsia
- Coral honeysuckle
- Columbine
- Penstemon
- Salvia
- Petunia
- Trumpet vine
- Cardinal flower
Combining several of these flowering species with hummingbird-pollinated orchids will maximize appeal. This gives hummingbirds plentiful nectar nutrition from the non-orchids plus attractive periodic orchid blooms. With this mixed approach, orchids can supplements other flowers that function as the foundation of the hummingbird garden.
Conclusion
Certain orchid groups do produce hummingbird-accessible nectar and co-evolved with hummingbird pollinators. However, many orchids either lack nectar or cannot be accessed by hummingbird beaks. Visually determining if an orchid provides usable nectar for hummingbirds can be difficult. While specialized orchids play an important ecological role for some hummingbirds, they may not be a consistent or primary nectar source compared to flowers from other families. Strategically planting orchids alongside more generous nectar-producing flowers will create an optimal, attractive habitat providing a diverse nectar supply to meet hummingbird nutritional needs.
