Hummingbirds are one of the most fascinating birds found in nature. Known for their ability to hover and fly backwards, hummingbirds have captured the imagination of people for centuries. One of the things that attract hummingbirds are brightly colored, tubular flowers that provide nectar, an important food source for these tiny birds. This raises an interesting question – do hummingbirds like summersweet flowers? Summersweet is a woody shrub with fragrant white flower clusters that bloom in summer. In this article, we’ll examine the characteristics of summersweet flowers, hummingbird food preferences and behavior, and whether scientific evidence suggests hummingbirds are attracted to this summertime blooming plant.
What is Summersweet?
Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) is a deciduous woody shrub that can grow to heights of 3-8 feet tall. It is native to the eastern United States, found growing wild in moist soils along streams, swamps, and the edges of lakes and ponds. Summersweet likely got its common name from its sweet, spicy fragrance, whichpeaks during the summer months when it is in full bloom. Starting in mid-summer, summersweet produces upright racemes of small, white flowers with yellow stamens. Each flower has a tubular, urn-shaped structure with five petals and nine stamens. The flowers are densely packed on racemes 3-6 inches long at the tips of branches. After the flowers fade, it produces small brown seed capsules. The leaves are alternate, 2-5 inches long, oval or oblong in shape with finely serrated margins. In the fall, the leaves turn yellow before dropping. All parts of the summersweet shrub have a spicy fragrance when crushed.
What do Hummingbirds Eat?
Hummingbirds have specialized dietary needs. They get most of their nutrition from drinking nectar from tubular flowers. Their long, slender beaks and tongues are perfectly adapted for reaching into flowers and accessing the sugary nectar inside. While nectar provides hummingbirds with carbohydrates, they get other essential nutrients from drinking tree sap and eating small insects like fruit flies, aphids, and gnats. The need for high-energy food sources is due to hummingbirds’ incredibly high metabolism required to power their rapid wing beating and hover in place at flowers while feeding.
When seeking nectar, hummingbirds are attracted to flowers that are red, orange, or pink in color with tubular or bell-like shapes. Trumpet vine, fuchsia, coral bells, and cardinal flower are examples of tubular flowers that attract hummingbirds. They do not have a strong sense of smell, so fragrance likely does not play a big factor. The high sugar content of the nectar, along with the shape of the flower, are the key characteristics that draw hummingbirds to certain flowers. Due to their specialized diet, you will not find hummingbirds eating seeds or fruit. Providing nectar-rich flowers is crucial for maintaining hummingbird numbers.
Hummingbird Behavior
Hummingbirds are intelligent, highly territorial creatures. They can remember the locations of favorite flowers and will aggressively defend those food sources as well as nesting sites. Males will chase other males or females away from feeders or flowers in their territory. Their incredible aerial agility allows them to perform fast loops, aerial climbs, and swift dives during their bluffing displays. You may witness hummingbirds fighting around flowers, with the dominant bird making chirping, squeaking, or clicking sounds. The submissive bird will make a high-pitched squeal as it flees the territory. Despite their tiny size, they are fierce defenders of their turf.
In the summer months, female hummingbirds build a nest out of soft plant fibers, spider webs, feathers, and moss. The outer part of the nest expands when wet, allowing it to stick firmly to branches. Once the eggs hatch, the female alone cares for the chicks. To meet energy demands while incubating eggs and rearing young, the female needs a readily available food source. She will remember prime nectar locations and return frequently throughout the day. Providing a steady nectar supply in the form of hummingbird feeders or nectar-rich plants can help sustain hummingbird populations.
Do Hummingbirds Feed on Summersweet Flowers?
Given hummingbirds’ feeding preferences and behaviors, the summersweet flower would be an ideal match. Summersweet blooms in midsummer when hummingbird activity peaks. The clusters of densely packed, tubular white flowers with yellow centers provide an excellent visual target that invites investigation by hungry hummers.
Although scientific research specifically testing the attractiveness of summersweet to hummingbirds appears limited, some sources indicate these shrubs are regularly visited by hummingbirds in the wild. Anecdotal observations by bird enthusiasts note seeing repeat visits by hummingbirds to summersweet bushes in gardens during summer. Given that summersweet flowers provide an accessible nectar reward in the ideal shape, color, and bloom time, the evidence suggests hummingbirds readily feed on them.
One concern is that the nectar of summersweet flowers may not have adequate sugar content to meet hummingbird nutritional needs. Analysis of nectar samples from a closely related species, sweetpepperbush (Clethra alnifolia), found sugar concentrations between 10-15%, lower than the 20-25% sugar needed in hummingbird feeders. However, this study looked at cultivated varieties, while wild populations may produce nectar better suited to hummingbird tastes. More research measuring the nectar quality of wild summersweet populations would provide clearer answers. Even if its sugar content is lower, hummingbirds will still feed from the flowers, although possibly not as frequently as higher quality nectar sources.
How to Attract Hummingbirds
To increase hummingbird visits to your garden, here are some tips:
- Plant tubular flowers in red, orange, yellow, or pink like bee balm, trumpet vine, or native columbines
- Choose plants that bloom in succession to provide nectar from spring through fall
- Add hummingbird feeders with a 1:4 ratio of sugar to water, placed in shade to slow spoilage
- Avoid using pesticides that may poison the insects hummingbirds eat
- Provide a nearby water source like a fountain, mister, or birdbath
- Don’t prune away dead flowers, as they provide nesting materials
With the right habitat, you can attract these energetic pollinators to your yard. Including a summersweet shrub will provide midsummer blooms that hummers will happily feed on. Observing hummingbirds hovering at the white floral spires, their wings humming audibly, will add excitement to your garden.
Conclusion
Hummingbirds are specialized nectar feeders drawn to tubular flowers with adequate sugar content. The dense, white blooms of summersweet fit their floral preferences in shape, color, and bloom time. While more research into nectar quality is needed, preliminary evidence and observations indicate that summersweet is an attractive food source frequently visited by foraging hummingbirds. By planting summersweet along with other hummingbird favorites, you can create an enticing habitat that provides essential energy to sustain hummingbird populations. Watching their hovering flight and aerial displays around the garden is an unforgettable experience for nature lovers.
