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Hummingbirds love lavender flowers, and it’s one of the best plants you can add to your garden for attracting these tiny, dazzling visitors.
If you’ve been wondering whether hummingbirds like lavender flowers, the answer is a resounding yes, and there are several fascinating reasons behind this love affair.
Lavender isn’t just a pretty, fragrant herb; it’s a nectar powerhouse that perfectly suits a hummingbird’s needs and habits.
In this post, we’ll dive deep into why hummingbirds like lavender flowers so much, the best types of lavender to grow, and how to create a garden that keeps them coming back all season long.
Let’s explore the wonderful connection between hummingbirds and lavender flowers so you can turn your yard into their favorite diner.
Why Hummingbirds Like Lavender Flowers So Much
The core reason hummingbirds like lavender flowers comes down to a perfect combination of nectar, shape, and color that evolution has cleverly matched.
Lavender produces a generous amount of nectar, especially during its peak blooming period in the summer months.
Hummingbirds have incredibly high metabolisms and need to consume up to twice their body weight in nectar daily, so they’re always on the lookout for flowers that offer a rich, reliable food source.
While hummingbirds are famous for loving red tubular flowers, they are also highly attracted to purple and blue hues, and lavender’s vibrant purple spikes stand out beautifully against green foliage.
1. The Perfect Flower Shape for Their Long Beaks
One major reason hummingbirds like lavender flowers is the shape of the blossoms themselves.
Lavender flowers grow in tight whorls along a tall spike, and each tiny flower forms a tube-like structure.
This tubular shape is ideal for a hummingbird’s long, slender beak and specialized tongue, which can easily reach deep down to slurp up the nectar.
Unlike bees or butterflies that need to land, hummingbirds can hover effortlessly in mid-air while they insert their beaks into each little lavender tube.
The architecture of lavender flowers essentially offers a private, efficient meal for hummingbirds without much competition from other insects.
2. Abundant Nectar Production Keeps Them Coming Back
When you plant lavender, you’re essentially installing a natural nectar dispenser that hummingbirds can’t resist.
Lavender flowers are known for their high sugar concentration in the nectar, which provides the quick energy boost hummingbirds desperately need.
A single lavender plant can produce hundreds of flowers over a season, meaning a patch of lavender offers thousands of individual feeding opportunities.
Hummingbirds have fantastic memories, and once they discover that your lavender flowers are a dependable buffet, they will return to that exact spot day after day.
This is why hummingbirds like lavender flowers more than many other garden perennials; it’s simply a high-yield investment for them.
3. The Alluring Color Purple in the Hummingbird Spectrum
Although we often think of red as the ultimate hummingbird magnet, hummingbirds like lavender flowers because purple is another major color in their visual spectrum.
Hummingbirds see a broader range of colors than humans do, including ultraviolet light, and purple flowers often reflect UV light in patterns that guide birds to the nectar.
The tall, vertical spikes of lavender also make it easy for hummingbirds to spot from a distance as they patrol their territory.
If you pair purple lavender with red or orange flowers, you create an irresistible garden display that signals a high-quality food source from far away.
Best Lavender Varieties to Attract Hummingbirds
Not all lavender is created equal when it comes to attracting hummingbirds, so you’ll want to choose varieties that bloom heavily and produce the most nectar.
Here are some top choices that hummingbirds like lavender flowers from, based on their growth habits and bloom times.
1. English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
English lavender is the classic choice and a favorite for hummingbirds because of its sweet, highly concentrated nectar.
Varieties like ‘Hidcote’ and ‘Munstead’ are compact, producing dense spikes of deep purple flowers that hummingbirds find irresistible.
English lavender blooms in early to mid-summer, providing a crucial food source right when hummingbird activity peaks.
This variety is also incredibly hardy and easy to grow in most climates, making it a perfect starting point for your hummingbird garden.
2. French Lavender (Lavandula stoechas)
French lavender, also known as Spanish lavender, features distinctive “rabbit ear” bracts on top of the flowers, which add extra visual appeal.
Hummingbirds like lavender flowers from this variety because it blooms earlier in the season, sometimes as early as spring.
This early bloom time means hummingbirds will find a food source when other flowers haven’t even started to bud yet.
French lavender is also highly fragrant, and while scent doesn’t directly attract hummingbirds, it attracts the insects that hummingbirds may also snack on.
3. Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia)
Lavandin is a hybrid variety known for its massive size and incredibly long flower spikes.
These plants produce more flowers per stem than English lavender, translating to more nectar per visit.
Hummingbirds like lavender flowers from Lavandin varieties because they bloom later in summer, extending the nectar supply well into the fall.
Varieties like ‘Grosso’ and ‘Provence’ are exceptional choices, offering strong, tall stems that stand up well in windy gardens.
If you want a lavender patch that hummingbirds will visit repeatedly for months, Lavandin is your best bet.
How to Plant Lavender for Maximum Hummingbird Visits
Simply planting lavender isn’t enough; you need to create optimal growing conditions and plant strategically to maximize hummingbird traffic.
Follow these tips to ensure that hummingbirds like lavender flowers in your garden so much they never want to leave.
1. Plant in Full Sun for More Nectar
Lavender thrives in full sun, and the amount of sunlight directly affects nectar production.
Hummingbirds like lavender flowers that have been grown in at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day.
Sun-drenched lavender produces warmer, more concentrated nectar, which is easier for hummingbirds to digest and provides more energy.
Plant lavender in a south-facing spot or against a sunny wall to maximize the heat and light it receives.
Pro tip: In hotter climates, a little afternoon shade can help lavender last longer, but too much shade will reduce blooming and nectar quality.
2. Ensure Sharp Drainage to Keep Flowers Coming
Lavender hates wet feet, and poorly drained soil will cause root rot, reducing flower production drastically.
Hummingbirds like lavender flowers that bloom continuously, so you need to keep your plants healthy by providing sandy or gritty soil.
If your garden soil is heavy clay, consider planting lavender in raised beds or large containers with a well-draining potting mix.
Adding gravel or coarse sand at the planting hole helps ensure water flows away quickly, keeping the roots dry and happy.
A healthy lavender plant will produce waves of blooms, and each wave is a new invitation for hummingbirds to return.
3. Group Lavender in Clusters for Easy Discovery
Hummingbirds like lavender flowers more when they are planted in large clusters rather than as a single stray plant.
A mass planting of lavender creates a large visual target that hummingbirds can easily spot while flying overhead.
Aim to plant at least three to five lavender plants together in a single bed or border.
Additionally, combine lavender with other hummingbird favorites like salvia, bee balm, and trumpet vine to create a diverse, continuous food source.
The more flowers you provide, the more territory you’ll have to share with these aerial acrobats.
When to Expect Hummingbirds at Your Lavender
Knowing when hummingbirds will visit your lavender helps you plan your garden and enjoy the show to its fullest.
Hummingbirds are most active during their breeding season and migration periods, which coincide perfectly with lavender bloom times.
In most regions, you’ll see hummingbirds like lavender flowers from late spring through early fall.
During the spring migration, hummingbirds travel north and will stop at any abundant nectar source, and your lavender will be a welcome rest stop.
In the summer, resident hummingbirds will establish territories and make daily rounds to your lavender patches.
By late summer and early fall, as hummingbirds prepare for migration south, they will frantically feed on any remaining lavender blooms to build up fat reserves.
Keep your lavender deadheaded throughout the season to encourage new flower spikes, extending the blooming window and the time hummingbirds will visit.
So, Do Hummingbirds Like Lavender Flowers?
Hummingbirds love lavender flowers, and they are among the most effective perennials you can grow to attract these spectacular birds.
Hummingbirds like lavender flowers because they offer a plentiful supply of sweet, high-energy nectar inside a perfectly shaped tubular blossom.
The vivid purple color is highly visible to hummingbirds, and the plant’s long bloom season provides food through spring, summer, and even fall.
By planting sun-loving lavender in well-drained soil and grouping several plants together, you create an irresistible oasis that hummingbirds will visit daily.
So if you’ve been asking yourself, do hummingbirds like lavender flowers, the answer is an enthusiastic yes, and your garden will be all the more magical for adding this fragrant, pollinator-friendly plant.
Plant some lavender today, and you’ll soon be rewarded with the whirring wings and brilliant flash of color that only hummingbirds can bring.
Enjoy the show, and remember that lavender isn’t just a feast for your eyes, it’s a feast for your feathered friends.