It is a common belief that hummingbirds visit red flowers. This idea is of course not true. This is one of those garden myths that circulate but lacks any truth. If you’re at a garden center and you’ve got red salvia in one hand and a purple penstemon in the other, here’s a fact: the color of the flower is the least important factor to a hummingbird.
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I would like to make it clear that in every new beginner gardening community I have been in, there are two common myths that always come up and I hope it is clear that I…
Are Red Petals Really Necessary? Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) Says No
The idea that some *plants* species do not attract hummingbirds can be countered using bee balm as an example. Although bee balms come in red and pink varieties (as well as lavender and white), all colors tend to attract hummingbirds. This implies that the color of the bloom is not important. Likely what is important is the construction of the individual florets that make up the head of the bloom, as well as the nectar that they offer.
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The pleasantly minty herbal smell of bee balm is a lovely scent to have in the garden. Of course, there are other reasons to plant bee balm. After bee balm is planted, it will continue to establish itself and fill new areas as it grows, meaning more and more flowers will bloom for you each season without having to replant. Bee balm does best in full sun and areas that will not trap humidity as powdery mildew will form in such areas. Good air circulation will keep the powdery mildew to a minimum and it will also keep the foliage clean throughout the growing season.
Do Hummingbirds Avoid Certain Colors? Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans) Clears This Up
While the blooms of the trumpet vine do break the pattern of conventional wisdom as they bloom orange and occasionally yellow-orange. It is presumed that plants that bloom in these colors do not attract hummingbirds. However, the trumpet creeper is one of the most visited plants by hummingbirds. The reason is that the blooms of the trumpet creeper are deeper and so they have a higher concentration of nectar than other hummingbird plants.
Many gardeners will be disappointed to learn that the myth stating red flowers are more appealing to hummingbirds because of the flowers’ nectar is not true. Once a hummingbird goes to an orange flower which has richer nectar and deeper tubes, the ‘color’ myth is unlikely to be very appealing.
Having red flowers in your yard is not the only important feature for attracting birds. Possessing long and consistent blooming seasons, deep nectar tubes and consistent nectar availability are just a few more important elements that make a garden truly great.
You will attract the most birds by creating gardens with a lot of varied layers of vegetation. These birds will feed, perch, and rest in the garden. When these fundamentals come together, you will seebirds visiting previously unaccessed plants.
