Do Daylilies Have Nectar for Hummingbirds?

Submitted by:
Connie Gladding, President North Florida Daylily Society

• Brightly-colored flowers that are tubular hold the most nectar, and are particularly attractive to hummingbirds. These include perennials such as bee balms, columbines, daylilies, and lupines; biennials such as foxgloves and hollyhocks; and many annuals, including cleomes, impatiens, and petunias.

• The nectar in daylily flowers is found in the base of the petals, in glands called nectaries.

• Nectaries are glands that produce nectar as a reward for pollinators. 

• Nectaries can be found on any part of a plant, but are most commonly found in flowers. 

• The nectar in daylily flowers is a sticky, transparent fluid that gives the petals a sweet taste.

• Daylilies are a good source of nectar for butterflies and hummingbirds.