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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Hummingbirds - pollinate apple, hawthorn, serviceberry, cherry, plum?

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  • From: Douglas Woodard <dwoodard@becon.org>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Hummingbirds - pollinate apple, hawthorn, serviceberry, cherry, plum?
  • Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2011 19:32:06 -0500

The book "Trees, Shrubs and Vines for Attracting Birds", Second Edition Revised, by Richard M. DeGraaf (University Press of New England, 2002; first edition University of Massachusetts Press, 1979) lists the Ruby-throated hummingbird as feeding on the nectar of

apples and crabapples,
yellow-poplar/tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis}
honeysuckles (Lonicera species)
coralberry (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus)
blueberries
trumpetcreeper (Campsis radicans)

(The first edition of this book was subtitled (A manual for the northeast)

Presumably if they feed on the nectar, they may pollinate the flowers.

I note that Jerry Lehman says that hummingbirds arrive in his area too late to pollinate apple flowers.

I speculate that hummingbirds may arrive in an area early enough to pollinate the woody plants listed above when those plants are very common. or when there are sufficient other early sources such as wildflowers to interest them (e.g. aquilegia species), also where there are trees attractive to sapsuckers, as I understand that often hummingbirds raid the sap holes drilled by sapsuckers until flowers are out. DeGraaf also lists trees attractive to yellow-bellied sapsuckers.

Doug Woodard
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada



On 31/12/2010 12:43 AM, Steven Covacci wrote:
Do hummingbirds, typically, pollinate these Rosaceae pomes:

Apple, hawthorn, serviceberry/Juneberry, cherry, and/or plum
(non-ornamental Prunus spp.)?

I've seen very few photos of this; I wonder if they try to extract
nectar but then just end up moving on? I figured this would be the best
place to find out - since many here have orchards with plenty of these
in it and would therefore know.

Thanks,
Steve

New Jersey
USDA zone 6b/7a



  • Re: [NAFEX] Hummingbirds - pollinate apple, hawthorn, serviceberry, cherry, plum?, Douglas Woodard, 01/25/2011

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