The Butterfly Bush, or Buddleia, is a popular shrub widely known for its ability to attract a flurry of butterflies to the garden. Its long, cone-shaped clusters of blooms are often featured in garden centers as a magnet for winged creatures. Because hummingbirds are also common garden visitors, many people wonder if this plant, so effective at drawing one type of pollinator, is equally beneficial for the tiny, fast-moving birds.
The Direct Answer: Hummingbirds and Buddleia
Hummingbirds do visit the Butterfly Bush, but the plant is not considered a primary or high-value food source for them. The flowers, which are individually quite small and clustered tightly in large panicles, offer an accessible nectar supply that hummingbirds will occasionally sample. However, the short, shallow corollas of the individual Buddleia blossoms are not physically adapted for the long, slender bills of a hummingbird. The bird must expend more energy to visit many small flowers repeatedly compared to a single, deep tubular bloom.
From an ecological perspective, most common varieties of Buddleia davidii are non-native to North America and are considered invasive in many regions. The plant spreads aggressively, displacing native flora that local wildlife depends on. While the nectar attracts adult butterflies, its foliage offers no nutritional value for the caterpillars, which are the larval stage of butterflies and a primary food source for nesting birds, including hummingbirds.
Understanding Nectar Requirements
Hummingbirds are highly specialized foragers whose entire metabolism is geared toward consuming high-energy nectar to fuel their rapid wingbeats. Their preferred flowers have evolved in a tight relationship with the birds to maximize the efficiency of this energy exchange. Hummingbird-pollinated flowers are typically long and tubular, a shape that perfectly matches the bird’s bill and tongue length. This structure allows the bird to feed while hovering, excluding most insects from accessing the reward.
The ideal nectar for a hummingbird is a solution with a sugar concentration averaging between 20 and 35 percent. This concentration range maximizes the rate at which the birds can consume and process the liquid fuel. Hummingbirds show a strong preference for nectar composed primarily of sucrose, which is easily digestible for their high-speed metabolism.
Superior Nectar Sources for Hummingbirds
To create a garden that provides truly beneficial sustenance, gardeners should focus on plants that are structurally and chemically superior to the Butterfly Bush. Native plants are especially recommended as they have co-evolved with local hummingbird species. Planting groups of flowers in bright, warm colors like red, orange, and deep pink helps hummingbirds quickly locate the high-value food sources they need to survive.
Recommended Plants
- Bee Balm (Monarda), which features shaggy, tubular flowers in shades of red and pink that bloom continuously.
- Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis), which has brilliant red, tightly clustered tubular flowers that signal a rich nectar source.
- Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens), which offers beautiful, unscented orange and red tubular blooms perfect for specialized feeding.
- Salvia species, particularly those with bright red or purple tubular flowers, which provide a long season of high-quality nectar.