Hummingbirds have evolved specific physical traits and dietary needs that make most lavender varieties inefficient or impractical as a primary food source. While a hummingbird might investigate any purple flower out of curiosity, especially during migration, they rarely spend significant time foraging on it. Their energetic requirements demand constant access to the most concentrated sources of nectar available, which lavender flowers do not provide.
Why Lavender Isn’t a Primary Food Source
The physical structure of the lavender flower is the main reason it is not optimized for hummingbirds. Hummingbirds possess long bills and specialized brush-tipped tongues designed to probe deep into narrow, tubular blooms. Lavender flowers are small with a short, wide corolla tube. This means the nectar is easily accessible to insects like bees and butterflies, but too shallow for a hummingbird to efficiently extract the reward.
The volume and concentration of lavender’s nectar are too low to meet the bird’s metabolic demands. Hummingbirds require nectar with a high sucrose content, often 19% to 21%, to fuel a resting heart rate that can reach 480 beats per minute. Flowers pollinated primarily by bees, such as lavender, produce lower volumes of less concentrated nectar. The strong, fragrant scent of lavender attracts bees, but hummingbirds rely more heavily on visual cues rather than smell to locate food sources.
The Ideal Hummingbird Flower
The flowers hummingbirds seek match the bird’s feeding morphology and energy needs. The most appealing flowers are long and tubular, which prevents most insects from reaching the nectar. This shape reserves the sugary reward for the hummingbird’s bill and ensures that when the bird feeds, pollen is deposited directly onto its head for transport to the next bloom.
Hummingbirds are particularly drawn to warm colors like red, orange, and bright pink. These colors act as visual beacons, signaling a high-energy food source. The nectar within these specialized flowers is rich in sucrose, providing the necessary calories to sustain the birds’ hovering flight, which requires a sustained power output.
Best Alternatives for Attracting Hummingbirds
Gardeners should focus on plants that exhibit the ideal tubular shape and high nectar yield. Excellent alternatives for attracting hummingbirds include:
- Salvia species, commonly known as sage, especially the scarlet-flowered varieties, which offer long blooming periods and continuous nectar.
- Bee Balm (Monarda), which features clusters of shaggy, tubular flowers that are popular with hummingbirds and bloom throughout the summer.
- Fuchsia plants, whose arching, pendulous, downward-facing blooms are perfectly suited for a hovering bird.
- The genus Agastache, often called Hummingbird Mint, which offers spikes of nectar-rich flowers and a minty scent that deer tend to avoid.
- The native Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis), a powerful magnet for hummingbirds in the late summer and fall due to its intensely red, tubular blooms.