Attract Hummingbirds To Your Yard With This Vibrant Flower
One of the best ways to attract hummingbirds to your yard is to grow bright, native, nectar-rich, tube-shaped flowers. Hummingbirds are attracted to colors ranging from red to pink and orange to yellow. Aside from the shade, focusing on native species of flowers provides them with more nectar-rich blossoms versus hybrid or non-native species. Additionally, tube-shaped flowers assist their long tongues, allowing them to easily reach nectar that other pollinators can't.
Many flowers can attract hummingbirds, but one that seems to stand out amongst the rest is brightly colored with a shape that resembles fireworks: bee balm. Bee balm (Monarda) is a native plant to the United States that hummingbirds and other pollinators can't resist. This flower is usually seen in bright fuchsia and scarlet red, but also comes in white and vivid purple. Aside from the brilliant hue, hummingbirds love the many nectar-filled tubular-shaped blooms that make up the flower. Planting bee balm is sure to help you attract hummingbirds to your yard this summer.
The beauty of bee balm
Bee balm flowers have a magnetic pull on hummingbirds, drawing them in with nectar, color, and tube shapes. Bee balm blooms explode in flamboyant shades and grow up to 4 feet in height. With a steady succession of blossoms throughout the summer months, it offers continuous nourishment as a source of nectar for these birds.
Deadheading is crucial to the continual flowering of bee balm. This is when spent blooms are removed to encourage new flowering growth. By eliminating dead flower heads, the plant is stimulated to produce more blooms, increasing the chances of attracting hummingbirds throughout summer. Another great feature of bee balm is its perennial nature. Year after year, you can expect this plant to return with little to no effort. In addition to its resilience, surviving the freezing months of winter and blankets of snow, its dense foliage and sturdy stems can provide shelter for hummingbirds as they rest before feeding again.
Which bee balm do hummingbirds prefer?
Hummingbirds are attracted to almost all types of bee balm, but they seem to love Scarlet Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) and Spotted Bee Balm (Monarda punctata) especially. As the name suggests, the Scarlet variety displays crimson red to hot-pink-hued flowers. Spotted Bee Balm looks much different, with a Dr. Seuss-like enchantment. Its unique blend of light green and light pink coloring amongst its bracts draws in pollinators to its purple-dotted and light yellow tube flowers.
Both the Scarlet and Spotted iterations of bee balm stand out as top choices for gardeners. Incorporating bee balm into your garden entices hummingbirds as well as other pollinators and beneficial insects such as bees, butterflies, and moths. By planting bee balm alongside other nectar-rich, tube-shaped, and brightly colored plants, you'll provide a food source for pollinators, creating a garden that's ideal for hummingbirds. Don't overlook the importance of adding bee balm to create a hummingbird haven that invites these tiny flutterers back every year.