Do Hummingbirds Like Begonias? (Yes, here’s the reason)

Begonias and many other kinds of flowers are loved by Hummingbirds because they offer sweet nectar, but there are some that attract them in particular.

This is because of their special shape or color. The pretty blooms of begonias are right up their alley.

People who have a garden or window box often wonder what type of plants they should buy and which plant will be best for their garden. 

People enjoy planting flowers and other types of vegetation that grow and give nice scents, colorful blossoms, or attractive foliage to their gardens. 

Some people may not know that there are certain plants that attract hummingbirds. So the question arises: do hummingbirds like begonias?

Hummingbirds are famous for their preference for red flowers. In fact, many gardeners include red-flowering plants in their gardens specifically. This is because they want to entice hummingbirds to visit.

The Begonia flower is considered to be one of many types of flowering plants (angiosperms) with showy blossoms. These blooms come in a variety of colors such as red, orange, pink, yellow, cream, or white; usually bicolor and occasionally multi-colored. 

The flowers also typically have contrasting veins, spots, and/or blotches of darker pigment on the petals. Some species produce crested new growth at the apices.

What Flower Does A Hummingbird Like Best?

A “hummingbird flower” is any type of plant which has petals (usually very long) and inside them lie beautiful nectars called nectar guides for these tiny birds to be able to feed on. 

Some popular ones include Fuschia, lobelia, kalanchoe, impatiens, lantana, honeysuckle vines (Japanese honeysuckle, trumpet honeysuckle), bee balm, petunias, morning glories, and even some types of sage. 

The colors red, pink, purple, orange, lavender-purple are especially attractive to hummingbirds.

Begonias Classification:

Are Begonias Good Nectar Plants?

Yes! Many other plants attract hummers because of the sweet nectar contained in seeds or flowers. Since begonias have neither of these things (they produce berries instead), they attract them with markings on the leaves called nectaries. 

In fact, they have so much nectar that the birds will often beat each other up at a feeder because there is so much food available. 

So if you already have begonias growing in your yard or garden, you can put up a feeder nearby and attract hummers without having to grow any other plants.

Is The Red Flowering Begonia Beneficial To Hummingbirds?

Yes! The red flowering begonia is especially attractive to hummingbirds because of its bright flowers that stand out against the green leaves. The blooms also have nectaries inside them which are very sweet to eat from. 

Plus, they are one of the easiest plants for birds to visit because they are always available year-round. Other flower types include pink, salmon-pink/salmon, raspberry, fuchsia, pinkish-orange. 

The best ones are those with an especially long corolla tube (the section between the “throat” and the “top” of the petal), which is where they prefer to drink.

Hummingbirds are one of the most beloved creatures in North America, because not only are they beautiful to look at but fascinating to watch as well. 

To learn more about these fascinating birds, be sure to check out this article about hummingbird facts. And remember – if you see a hummingbird in your yard, make sure it’s safe by getting rid of any nearby wasp nests.

How To Prevent Hummingbirds From Your Begonias

1). Plant Some Dill

Although we don’t know the exact reason, some believe that it is due to the fact that Dill attracts hoverflies, and hoverflies feed on aphids. This could be a good reason for this. 

Even though Hummingbirds probably won’t be interested in any flowers with aphids, if you want them to stay away from your prized Begonias then planting some dill would probably help.

2). Grow Something Else Besides Begonias By Your Windows

Maybe you are fond of having begonias near the windows. However, if you do have another plant growing there then hummers might just fly off to that one. This is because they are both close to the windows.

3). Stay Away From Certain Types Of Flowers

In this case, we are talking about feeding flowers, not “showy” flowers. The reason is that they do have a scent to them and it attracts hummers to go there even though. 

This may seem like a treat for hummingbirds but in reality, their energy expenditure would probably outweigh any benefit from getting nectar from those flowers.

4). Put Up Some Floating Row Covers Around Your Begonias

First, you need to set these up as lightweight as possible (stretchy materials work the best) and make sure that holes are very small (you can use mesh or poultry netting if you want). 

You’ll want to drape it over your plants, and then once you have a good hold on it, anchor the bottom of the row covers with large stones. 

The reason why this works is that Hummingbirds can’t see very well through to the other side, so they won’t be able to see your Begonias or any other flowers at all.

5). Plant Some Jasmine Around Your Begonias

If you want to “overload” your hummers’ senses then plant some jasmine around your begonias since these two both have a heavenly scent that will trick them into thinking that there are blossoming flowers nearby. 

Just place jasmine’s vines near where your Begonias are growing and within a matter of time, you’ll notice a reduction in their numbers. 

The reason for this is because apparently hummers can’t stand the smell of Jasmine and will not be as interested in your Begonias as they were at first.

6). Remove Any Pollen From Flowers That Hummers Can Feed On

This might seem a little more complicated than it actually is, but there are two ways you can do this. 

Either pick blossoms with pollen before they reach their peak or simply cut off the part of the blossom that has any traces of pollen since hummingbirds have very small tongues so they cannot get to the nectar inside the blossom which means more for you. 

This way, no more of them showing up at your Begonias.

7. Use Some Chemicals On Your Begonias

A lot of people choose to use an insecticide called Sevin Dust since it is what you would call “organic” and won’t leave any lasting effects on your flowers. The reason why this works is that the flowers are not poisonous.

Therefore, when hummers feed off them they aren’t affected much but you can be sure that even if one was to land on the dust-filled petals, they will most likely get a load of poison in their system. 

Although it takes some time for the pesticides to affect them, sooner or later you’ll notice that they avoid your Begonias completely.

8). Use Silicone Around Where You Have Your Begonias Planted

The main thing about using silicon around where your plants are growing is that it does not affect the plants in any way, but since it is slick when approached by hummingbirds they won’t be able to land on them at all. You can use this around your patio too for the same effect.

9). Use A Little Soap And Water Mixture On Your Begonias

If you want something that will work instantly then mix up some dishwasher soap with water, spray this mixture onto your flowers until they are well covered, and voila. 

Your hummers won’t show up for their daily visit anymore. The reason why this works is that once again, birds cannot see well through to the other side of these flowers so when they attempt to land on them they just slide off due to how wet it is.

10). Plant Some Bee-Attracting Plants Around Your Begonias

While bees are similar to hummingbirds in a way since they both suck the nectar out of flowers, you can tell the difference between them by their size because hummers are much smaller than bees. 

This will be an easy way to get rid of any that show up at your Begonias, just plant something like Monarda or Echinacea near where you have placed your begonias and wait for the results. 

Bees prefer these types of plants over any other. This is because there is more pollen involved which means more for them so they’ll spend their time on these rather than on your flowers. 

The reason why this works is that when bees go after these flowers they will not be bothered by any other type of flower which means that your Begonias are off-limits for them.

So if you want to prevent hummingbirds from visiting you, just follow one or more of these tips and live life hum-free.

Hummingbirds Classification

Why Hummingbirds Like Begonias

There are many reasons why hummingbirds enjoy visiting Begonias. Some of the most important reasons why hummingbirds like begonias, are because these plants have been known to be some of the best nectar providers in the wild and also some of the easiest for humans to cultivate at home.

Begonias attract hummingbirds because their flowers provide sweet nectar that is easy for them to feed on. The flowers look pretty while they’re doing so, which makes it preferable for them to visit these plants instead of other species that don’t offer such an attractive display.

One reason why hummingbirds like Begonias better than other plants is due to the fact that they like to hoard their food when they can find it. 

For most flowers, this is not an issue. However, because begonias have large flowers, the birds are able to store a lot of food in them at one time so they don’t need to come back as often after filling up.

Another good reason why hummingbirds like Begonias is because these plants produce nectar that is easy for them to access and feed on. The flowers have large openings that the birds can fit their long beaks into without any trouble whatsoever.

One more reason why hummingbirds like these flowers are due to the fact that they provide a lot of energy in a small package. They typically only contain a small amount of nectar, but make up for it by providing it in high concentrations throughout their entire blooming period.

One last reason why hummingbirds like these flowers are because they are very easy to grow and maintain for humans. These plants typically only require a small amount of water, sunlight, and fertilizer in order to stay healthy and vibrant throughout the blooming season.

Source

Conclusion

If you plant or buy bright red flowers then your garden will attract more hummingbird visits than if you bought blue flowers instead. 

Begonias come in several colors, and most of them attract hummers at some point or another (although only yellow and orange ones last into fall). 

Just make sure that if you plant red flowers that you also plant something bright yellow to balance it out.