Hummingbirds are some of the most beautiful creatures in nature, and many people love to attract them to their gardens with colorful flowers. One popular option is petunias, but do hummingbirds like petunias? In this blog post, we’ll look at what hummingbirds eat, how they interact with petunias and other plants, and if it’s a good idea to plant petunias in your garden if you want to attract hummingbirds.
What Do Hummingbirds Eat?
Hummingbirds eat the flower nectar, as well as insects and other small invertebrates. The color of the flowers attracts them to a particular plant, and they also look for flowers with long, curved stamens that provide access to the nectar inside. Petunias are popular garden plants because of their large, colorful blooms, which often attract hummingbirds.
What Is Petunias?
Petunias are annual or perennial flowering plants that are most commonly found in gardens around the world. They come in a variety of colors, including white, red, purple, pink, lavender, and yellow. There are also hybrid petunias available that offer even more vibrant colors than the standard petunia varieties.
Do Hummingbirds Like Petunias?
Hummingbirds are attracted to petunias for the same reasons as other garden plants: the bright colors, long stamen, and nectar-rich flowers. However, they may not always be able to access the nectar in petunias because of their short beaks; this is particularly true for the Exserta hybrid petunia species. To make sure that hummingbirds can easily get to the nectar, it’s important to choose a variety of petunia that has an extended stamen or longer flower pedals.
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Attracting Hummingbirds To Your Garden Using Petunias
Hybrid Petunias
If you’re looking for a way to attract hummingbirds to your garden with petunias, consider planting hybrid varieties that have larger blooms and brighter colors. These types of petunias will be more likely to draw hummingbirds since they stand out from other flowers in the garden. The exserta hybrid petunia is one example. Its red flowers are especially attractive to hummingbirds because they contain higher amounts of nectar than some other species.
Plant Red And Purple Flowers For Hummingbirds
In addition to planting hybrid petunias, it’s important to choose red and purple flowers when creating a hummingbird-friendly garden. These colors are especially attractive to hummingbirds, as they’re able to easily spot the bright colors from a distance. Some examples of nectar-rich flowers that you can plant include bee balm, columbine, and trumpet vine.
Consider Planting Other Nectar-Rich Flowers In Your Garden
In addition to petunia plants and red or purple flowers, there are other nectar-rich plants like petunias that attract hummingbirds to your garden. These include butterfly bush, honeysuckle, penstemon, and salvia. By planting these types of flowers alongside petunias in your garden, you’ll be providing multiple sources of food for hummingbirds and increasing their chances of visiting your yard more often.
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Use Hummingbird Feeders In Addition To Planting Flowers
In addition to planting nectar-rich flowers, you can also use hummingbird feeders to attract these tiny birds to your garden. By filling the feeders with sugar water and hanging them near plants that are attractive to hummingbirds, you can create an even more inviting environment for these beautiful creatures. Be sure to change the sugar water regularly so that it doesn’t spoil or become contaminated.
Choose The Right Species Of Petunia For Your Garden
When selecting petunias for your garden, make sure you choose a species that is well-suited for your climate and soil type. Some petunias may not grow well in certain conditions, so it’s important to select the right variety for your garden. Additionally, make sure you deadhead spent flowers regularly to encourage new blooms and keep your plants healthy. This will ensure that they continue to attract hummingbirds all season long.
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Other Hanging Plants To Attract Hummingbirds
One of the best hanging plants to attract hummingbirds is the trumpet vine. It has bright, red-orange flowers and produces a lot of nectar that hummingbirds love. It can also be easily trained to grow along fences or trellises, making it perfect for hanging baskets. Other good options include penstemon, columbine, and honeysuckle. All these plants have brightly colored flowers that hummingbirds find irresistible!
Fuchsia
Fuchsias are perennial flowers that produce beautiful blooms in an array of colors such as red, pink, purple, and white. These plants thrive in partial shade and bloom throughout spring and summer. Fuchsias are known for their sweet nectar which makes them a favorite among hummingbirds! To keep your fuchsia healthy and blooming, be sure to water it regularly and prune it once the flowering season ends in autumn.
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Penstemon
Penstemons are also perennials that come in various shades of blue, purple, pink, yellow, and white. They love full sun but can also tolerate partial shade. The flowers on penstemons are tubular-shaped which makes them especially attractive to hummingbirds who may mistake them for natural food sources like insects or spiders! Penstemons require lots of water but should not be overwatered as this can cause root rot.
Lantana
This vibrant-colored plant is an annual that produces clusters of small flowers in shades of orange, yellow, pink, purple, and even white. It loves full sun but will tolerate some shade as well. Lantanas have a sweet nectar that attracts hummingbirds along with other pollinators such as bees and butterflies! Be sure to water your lantana regularly so that its soil remains moist but not soggy.
These are a few of many plants that are loved by hummingbirds and since they can be hung due to their small size they will look good in the garden.
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Conclusion
Attracting hummingbirds to your garden is easier than you might think! All it takes is the right combination of plants and feeders that produce lots of nectar. Planting petunias, fuchsias, penstemons, lantanas, butterfly bushes, columbine, honeysuckle, and trumpet vines will help ensure there’s plenty for these tiny birds to munch on. Don’t forget to add a few hummingbird feeders as well so they have a constant supply of food all season long. With these simple steps in place, you can create a beautiful oasis for hummingbirds in your backyard!
