Flowers play a fundamental role in sustaining the high metabolism of hummingbirds, providing the sugar-rich nectar needed to fuel their constant activity. These tiny birds must consume approximately half their body weight in sugar every day, making them highly selective about the flowers they visit. Many gardeners wonder if the common and colorful daylily, a ubiquitous plant, attracts these iridescent visitors. Determining a flower’s suitability requires understanding the specific biological adaptations that govern a hummingbird’s foraging choices.
How Hummingbirds Select Flowers
Hummingbirds rely on physical characteristics when selecting a floral nectar source, having developed a coevolutionary relationship with certain plant species. Color is often the first visual cue, with these birds displaying a strong attraction to bright, warm colors, particularly red, orange, and fuchsia. Unlike many insects, hummingbirds are less sensitive to the ultraviolet patterns that guide bees, allowing red flowers to stand out as exclusive feeding stations.
The shape of the flower is arguably the most important physical constraint. Hummingbirds prefer long, narrow, tubular corollas, which ensures morphological matching between the flower tube and the bird’s bill. This structure effectively excludes larger insects like bees, securing the nectar resource exclusively for the bird.
The reward itself must be high-value to meet the bird’s intense energy demands. Hummingbird-pollinated flowers produce nectar with a high sugar concentration, often averaging around 25% sucrose. This concentrated solution provides the necessary fuel for their hovering flight. The combination of bright color, tubular shape, and highly concentrated nectar defines a flower as a primary food source.
Are Daylilies a Primary Food Source?
Daylilies (Hemerocallis) do not meet the selection criteria hummingbirds use for a primary food source. Although many cultivars are bred for vibrant yellow, orange, and red hues, their flower structure is not adapted for hummingbird feeding. The typical daylily bloom is an open, trumpet-like form with a wide throat, departing significantly from the narrow, tubular shape preferred by hummingbirds.
This open morphology is inefficient because it provides easy access for any nectar-feeding insect, including bees and butterflies. Since the nectar is not protected by a long corolla, the bird must compete for the resource, reducing its energy efficiency. A flower that offers open access to competitors is a poor choice for a creature that must conserve every calorie.
Many modern daylily hybrids are bred for size and color, often resulting in reduced nectar production compared to wild species. While hummingbirds may occasionally investigate a brightly colored daylily, they rarely linger or treat it as a reliable meal. A visit is usually a quick, opportunistic check rather than a dedicated feeding stop. The lack of a long corolla means the plant fails the morphological matching test.
Best Alternative Plants for Attracting Hummingbirds
Gardeners looking to reliably attract and sustain hummingbirds should focus on true tubular flowers that are specifically adapted for their long bills.
Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)
One effective choice is Bee Balm, which produces dense whorls of long, scarlet or pink blooms. The flower’s narrow, elongated corolla is designed to exclude insects, providing a high-value, exclusive nectar reward.
Salvia (Ornamental Sage)
Another excellent alternative is Salvia, or ornamental sage, with many varieties featuring spikes of tubular flowers in shades of intense red or magenta. Cultivars like ‘Lady in Red’ or ‘Pineapple Sage’ offer a consistent supply of nectar over a long bloom season. The vertical flower spikes allow the bird to easily hover and feed from multiple blooms without needing a perch.
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Cardinal Flower is a native perennial known for its brilliant, true-red, tubular flowers clustered on tall, upright stems. The intense color and specialized shape make it a strong magnet, as it is a textbook example of a plant coevolved for hummingbird pollination.
Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)
Finally, the perennial vine Trumpet Honeysuckle offers clusters of slender, trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of red and orange. This provides a reliable overhead food source that meets all the necessary morphological criteria.