Hummingbird blossom refers to flowers that attract hummingbirds. Hummingbirds have specialized beaks and hovering abilities that allow them to feed on nectar from certain tubular blossoms. These flowers coevolved with hummingbirds and developed unique characteristics to attract the birds for pollination. Some key features of hummingbird blossoms include:
- Bright, solid colors like red, orange, pink, purple to serve as a visual signal
- Little to no scent since hummingbirds have a poor sense of smell
- Tubular or bell shape to match the long, slender beak of hummingbirds
- High nectar content to provide lots of quick energy
- Sticky pollen that attaches to hummingbirds’ heads and feathers
Common examples of hummingbird blossoms in North America include trumpet vines, bee balms, cardinal flowers, and many varieties of sages and columbines. Certain non-native, ornamental plants like fuchsias and impatiens also cater to hummingbird preferences.
Why do hummingbirds visit specialized blossoms?
Hummingbirds are attracted to flowers adapted for their anatomical needs. Here’s why they seek out particular blossoms:
- High calorie nectar – Hummingbirds have very high metabolisms and must consume lots of energy. Certain flowers produce abundant, sugary nectar which provides quick fuel.
- Tubular shape – Long, tapered blossoms match the slender, curved beaks of hummingbirds which allows them to access the nectar.
- Bright colors – Hummingbirds see the color spectrum differently than humans. Bold red, orange and pink flowers help them locate food sources.
- Lack of scent – Hummingbirds rely on vision more than smell to find nectar. Fragrance cues are not necessary.
- Sticky pollen – When hummingbirds feed, pollen sticks to their heads and gets transferred flower to flower.
By developing these specialized traits, flowers can entice hummingbirds to visit frequently and facilitate pollination. The birds gain a reliable food source while the plants get help reproducing. It’s an elegant example of symbiosis in nature.
What specific flowers attract hummingbirds?
Many flowering plants cultivate relationships with hummingbirds. Here are some of the top blossoms that attract these tiny pollinators:
Trumpet Vine
Trumpet vines like Campsis radicans produce large, tubular, orange-red blooms on clinging vines. Hummingbirds like orioles, feed easily from the wide openings. Trumpet vines thrive in the southern U.S.
Bee Balm
Also called monarda, bee balm like Monarda didyma bears whorls of scarlet flowers atop multi-branched stems. The blossoms yield abundant nectar while providing a showy display to draw in hummers.
Cardinal Flower
With spike-like scarlet blooms, cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is aptly named for its bright color that appeals to hummingbird species like northern cardinals. This wildflower grows alongside creeks and ponds in eastern North America.
Sages
Many Salvia cultivars produce the tubular flowers in reds and purples that attract hummers. Pineapple sage (S. elegans), scarlet sage (S. coccinea), and autumn sage (S. greggii) are top picks for the western U.S.
Columbines
Columbines like Aquilegia formosa offer the perfect landing platform for hummingbirds to insert their beaks into spurred red blooms. Different wild columbine species grow across North America.
Coral Honeysuckle
This honeysuckle vine (Lonicera sempervirens) has clusters of tubular red and orange blossoms that bring in migrating ruby-throated hummingbirds each spring. It thrives in southern woodlands.
Foxgloves
Foxgloves (Digitalis species) bear pendent flowers in shades of purple, lavender, rose, yellow, and white. Hummingbirds drink the nectar and pollinate these summer wildflowers.
Firebush
In tropical zones, the red-flowered firebush (Hamelia patens) is an indispensable hummingbird plant. Rufous and cinnamon hummingbirds cannot resist this Central American native.
Fuchsias
Ornamental fuchsias produce showy drooping blossoms in red, purple, white, and pink. Both native and exotic hummingbirds gladly visit these nectar-filled flowers.
When do hummingbird blossoms bloom?
Different hummingbird flowers come into bloom at various times from spring through fall. Here is an overview of when popular species typically blossom:
Hummingbird Flower | Bloom Time |
---|---|
Trumpet Honeysuckle | Spring |
Trumpet Vine | Summer |
Bee Balm | Summer |
Cardinal Flower | Summer |
Sage | Summer – Fall |
Columbine | Spring – Summer |
Coral Honeysuckle | Spring |
Foxglove | Spring – Summer |
Firebush | Year-round in tropics |
Fuchsia | Summer – Fall |
This sequence provides flowers in bloom from spring through fall in temperate climates which coincides with hummingbird migration and nesting. Planting an array of hummingbird blossoms supports hummingbirds throughout the seasons.
Where are hummingbird plants located?
Flowers adapted for hummingbird pollination grow in a variety of climates and regions. Some examples include:
- Temperate forests – Columbine, foxglove, bee balm
- Meadows and prairies – Cardinal flower, sage
- Tropical dry forests – Firebush, fuchsia
- Along waterways – Trumpet honeysuckle, cardinal flower
- In woodland gardens and parks – Sages, coral honeysuckle, columbine
- Coastal gardens – Fuchsia, hummingbird sage (Salvia spathacea)
Hummingbird blossoms grow wild across North, Central, and South America in areas coinciding with hummingbird habitats. People also widely cultivate flowers specially adapted to attract hummingbirds in gardens from Alaska to Chile. By understanding habitat ranges for particular hummingbird species, gardeners can choose the best plants to invite these unique pollinators.
How to plant and care for hummingbird blossoms
To add hummingbird blossoms to your landscape, follow these tips:
- Choose native plants when possible since these are best adapted to local soils, climate, and pollinators.
- Select a variety of flowers that bloom in sequence to provide nectar throughout the seasons.
- Plant in groups for greater visual impact and promotion of pollination between neighboring plants.
- Provide full sun exposure for the most flowers; some species tolerate partial shade.
- Meet soil requirements whether fertile and moist or sandy and well-drained.
- Consider water needs and irrigation requirements especially in drought-prone regions.
- Use organic fertilizer to encourage blooming without harsh chemicals.
- Deadhead spent blossoms to encourage new flower production.
- Trim plants periodically to improve shape and flowering.
With the right placement and care, hummingbird gardens can flourish, providing beautiful blossoms full of sweet nectar.
How do hummingbird blossoms support the ecosystem?
Hummingbird flowers play vital ecological roles by supporting pollinators and promoting biodiversity. Here are some key benefits:
- Provide essential food for hummingbirds which are important pollinators.
- Help hummingbirds meet energy needs with their high-calorie nectar.
- Give shelter and nesting sites with their dense foliage and small branches.
- Help maintain plant genetic diversity through cross-pollination as hummingbirds flit from plant to plant.
- Offer food resources for other creatures like insects, bats, bees and butterflies.
- Form crucial habitat connections between plant communities like forests and meadows.
- Foster a balanced ecosystem through complex relationships between flowers, pollinators and other wildlife.
By supporting hummingbirds, these highly specialized blossoms help sustain biodiversity, connect habitats, and build intricate interdependencies that allow ecological communities to thrive. Their bright petals belie an important role in nature’s complex web.
Fun Facts About Hummingbird Blossoms
Here are some fascinating facts about flowers specially adapted for hummingbird pollination:
- There are over 1,000 species of hummingbird-pollinated flowers in the Western Hemisphere alone.
- Special hummingbird flowers evolved between 15-20 million years ago as hummingbirds themselves emerged.
- Deep tubular blossoms match the length of hummingbird beaks extremely closely.
- Hummingbird flowers produce up to 25% more sugar content in their nectar than bee-pollinated flowers.
- Scarlet blooms lack the UV spectrum color which bees require for pollination.
- Some tropical flowers like the Heliconia bloom in synchrony with hummingbird migration.
- Climate change impacts migration timing and flower bloom periods, disrupting pollination.
- Hummingbirds can remember every distinct flower shape in their territory.
- Hummingbirds visit between 1,000 to 2,000 flowers per day, playing a major role in pollination.
- Flowering plants and hummingbirds likely originated in South America and co-evolved.
The form and function of hummingbird blossoms reflects an ancient, fascinating bond with their winged pollinator partners.
Conclusion
Hummingbird blossoms comprise a diverse array of tubular, brightly colored flowers specially adapted for pollination by hummingbirds. Trademarks like plentiful nectar, red coloring, suitable shape, and lack of scent attract hungry, migrating hummingbirds seeking energy-rich fuel. Examples include columbines, sages, trumpet vines and cardinal flowers. These plants fulfill hummingbird needs while relying on the birds for reproduction. Careful planting and maintenance of hummingbird gardens provides essential habitat and helps maintain balanced, healthy ecosystems. The symbiotic relationship between hummingbirds and their favorite flowers continues to evolve, a beautiful wonder of natural selection.