When it comes to growing a hummingbird garden, flowers that produce a lot of nectar are always going to be the top choice. Tubular-shaped blooms are appealing, too, because they are the perfect fit for a hummingbird’s long bill and slender tongue.
Of course, hummingbirds like bright colors, too – especially red and orange. They are less interested in blue and purple flowers. As for white flowers, it’s somewhat hit or miss. However, the important thing to note is that nectar content is always going to be the main factor in determining whether or not a hummingbird will come and visit your beautiful flowers and bright blooms!
Daisies: Vibrant and Cheerful Flowers…but Not a Hummingbird’s Favorite
While daisies are vibrant, cheerful, and easy to grow (both from seed or from a root ball), hummingbirds don’t usually prefer them. That’s because these flowers, which come in a variety of colors, are not rich in nectar.
They come in a lot of colors, including bright white and vivid shades of pink, purple, and yellow. Daisies are hardy, drought-tolerant plants that can add classic charm to your garden.
However, it’s essential to remember that daisies might not do much to attract hummingbirds due to the aforementioned limited nectar production. If you’re an avid fan of daisies and hummingbirds, consider planting daisies alongside more nectar-rich, tubular flowers in your garden to create an appealing habitat for these tiny birds.
If you are trying to maximize limited garden space to attract hummingbirds, you might want to skip the daisies.
How Much Do Hummingbirds Eat?
Hummingbirds need to consume up to half their body weight in nectar every day. That means they will visit between 1,000-2,000 flowers a day to gather this much nectar!
They also eat insects, and of course, they will visit hummingbird feeders, too. Even though some daisies may attract them visually, hummingbirds need nectar-rich flowers nearby to satisfy their extreme nutritional requirements.
Because daisies often bloom early, they may offer a vital visual cue for hummingbirds when not much else has flowered yet. By combining daisies with more nectar-rich plants, you can provide the food hummingbirds need after they migrate and then for the rest of the season.
Do Other Pollinators Like Daisies?
Yes, daisies also lure an array of pollinators besides hummingbirds. Butterflies, bees, hawk moths, and more are likewise enticed by their bright colors, early in the spring season.
Bees, for example, like daisies not because of their nectar, but because of their pollen.
Pollinators are great for our environment and our ecosystems. Even though hummingbirds may not visit daisies very much, other pollinators do, and this improves our overall ecosystem health.
How To Grow Your Own Daisies as Part of Your Hummingbird Garden
Daisies are prized cool-weather bloomers that contribute vibrant color to your garden. Keeping in mind that they should be planted alongside more hummingbird-friendly blooms, let’s learn how to plant these colorful flowers.
Understanding Varieties of Daisies
There are a wide variety of daisies to choose from. Here are 25 types of daisies!
- English Daisy: Red, white, or pink perennial.
- African Daisy: Vibrant, single or multi-colored centers with spoon-shaped petals.
- Gerbera Daisy: Shades of red, pink, orange, yellow in single or semi-double blooms.
- Shasta Daisy: White petals radiating from a yellow center.
- Painted Daisy: White, red, pink or purple 3-inch blooms.
- Michaelmas Daisy: Wide array of colored blooms in late summer.
- Gloriosa Daisy: Black centers with petals fading brown to yellow.
- Prairie Daisy: Dozens of petals surrounding a central disk.
- Easter Daisy: Big white blooms in early spring.
- Cape Daisy: Creamy white with black and bronze 3-4 inch blooms.
- Paris Daisy: Large yellow centers with white, purple, or pink petals.
- Swan River Daisy: Blue, pink, or white blooms covering the foliage.
- Livingstone Daisy: Iridescent shimmering petals.
- Tahoka Daisy: Lavender blooms with yellow centers.
- Alaska Daisy: Large white blooms good for arrangements.
- Blue-Eyed Daisy: Silvery white petals with blue centers.
- Pyrethrum Daisy: Fern-like foliage with white flowers.
- Tricolor Daisy: White, yellow, scarlet, orange or rust colors.
- Butter Daisy: Prolific yellow blooms contrasting foliage.
- Seaside Daisy: Purple and lavender wildflowers.
- Becky Shasta Daisy: Long-lasting white blooms with yellow centers.
- Spanish Daisy: Bushy foliage with white and yellow blooms.
- Purple Coneflower: Purple summer blooms attract pollinators.
- Crown Daisy: Grown for edible leaves and flowers.
- Pink Sugar Daisy: Pink daisies with magenta and gold rings.
Selecting the Best Daisies for Your Garden
When you want to select daisies for your hummingbird garden, we recommend choosing something that blends perfectly with your more hummingbird-friendly plants. The main role of the daisy in a hummingbird garden is to provide some additional visual interest, so you can pick anything that looks good with your other flowers.
There may be some value in choosing pink, red, and orange daisies, as hummingbirds are naturally attracted to these colors.
Where and When to Plant Daisies
Here is some general advice for planting daisies:
- Daisy seeds should be sown in the spring once the soil temperature reaches 70 degrees.
- Prepare a nutrient-rich, well-draining soil mix containing sand, peat moss, and manure compost for planting daisy seeds.
- Choose a spot that receives full sun when sowing daisy seeds since they need light to germinate properly.
- Scatter the daisy seeds freely on the soil and cover with just 1/8 inch of soil so sunlight can still reach the seeds
- After sowing the seeds, keep the soil consistently moist by watering regularly so the daisy seeds can germinate within 10-20 days.
Care and Maintenance
To care for your daisies, try these tips:
- Support your daisies with stakes if needed. Some types of daisies that grow tall may require staking, especially if you’re in a windy area. If high winds blow over tall daisy plants, you can stake them back up.
- Deadhead spent daisy blooms to promote reblooming. Daisies can bloom multiple times per season if deadheaded promptly – once the blooms start to fade.
- Divide overcrowded daisy plants every few years. Mature, overcrowded clumps should be dug up and divided into sections, then replanted with proper spacing.
- Monitor daisies for common pests like aphids. Treat any infestations promptly to keep plants healthy. Slugs may also attack daisies (keep in mind, though, that pesticides aren’t great for hummingbirds! Try natural remedies instead).
- Prune daisies after flowering concludes. Cut back spent flower stems all the way to the ground in fall.
Plants That Hummingbirds LOVE
As we’ve covered, hummingbirds need more nectar than daisies provide. The ideal hummingbird-popular plants are going to vary from one region to the next. We’ve put together a list of recommendations based on several geographic regions in the US.
| Pacific Northwest: | Fuchsia Lavender Lilies Penstemon Rhododendrons Azaleas |
| Southwest: | Agave Desert Willow Fairy Duster Ocotillo Paintbrush Penstemon Salvia |
| Great Plains: | Bee Balm Petunias Penstemon Paintbrush Salvia Trumpet Vine Verbena |
| Midwest: | Bee Balm Butterfly Weed Cardinal Flower Daylilies Phlox Sage Verbena |
| Southeast: | Butterfly Weed Cardinal Flower Crossvine Salvia Trumpet Vine Verbena |
| Northeast: | Bee Balm Butterfly Weed Cardinal Flower Daylilies Hostas Sages Trumpet Honeysuckle |
Should You Use Hummingbird Feeders?
For those with limited space or time for cultivating numerous hummingbird-friendly flowers, supplementing your garden with store-bought feeders can be a great solution! Hummingbird feeders are an easy way to provide food sources that will attract these birds even if your garden only contains daisies or other low-nectar blooms.
When selecting a feeder, look for ones with perches and raised ports properly suited for a hummingbird’s slender beak and tongue. Mix up homemade nectar to fill your feeder using a 4:1 ratio of water to white sugar.
To prevent spoilage, nectar in feeders should be replaced every 2-3 days, or more frequently in hotter conditions. Always thoroughly rinse hummingbird feeders before refilling to keep the nectar fresh. With the right feeder and fresh nectar, you can successfully draw hummingbirds to your garden.
We recommend avoiding red nectar because there are concerns about its safety for hummingbirds.
Our Final Say on Daisies & Hummingbirds
Creating a thriving hummingbird garden requires going beyond visually appealing flowers and focusing on blooms that offer the sustenance these energetic birds need.
It’s true that daisies add cheerful color and good pollen for bees and other pollinators, but their low nectar content means they should be supplemented with tubular, nectar-rich varieties and feeders.
You will have to choose the right mix of plants and care for them properly to establish a habitat with year-round appeal. With some careful planning, even small spaces can abound with food sources to attract hummingbirds. Your reward will be a garden alive with the beauty and activity of these enchanting creatures as they zip among blossoms for nourishment!
By providing what hummingbirds need to thrive, you’ll enjoy their radiant presence all season long.