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Coral Honeysuckle

Lonicera sempervirens (loh-NISS-er-ah sem-per-VY-renz)

Family: Caprifoliaceae Native Vine (vertical)

Trumpet honeysuckle is a vigorous, twining, perennial vine in the honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae) that is native to the eastern United States, including North Carolina. The species epithet is Latin for "evergreen," and indeed the species is evergreen in the warm winter climates of the Deep South. Trumpet honeysuckle grows in medium moisture, well-drained, neutral to acidic soils in full sun. It will grow in some shade, but best flowering is in full sun. It likes humus-rich soils. It flowers on new growth, so avoid pruning until after flowering. High nitrogen fertilizer will produce foliage at the expense of flowers. Propagate by layering, stem cutting or seeds. This is a twining vine that can reach 10 to 20 feet tall. It needs a support structure and thus is an excellent choice for growing up a trellis, arbor or fence. However, it can also be allowed to sprawl as a ground cover. Trumpet honeysuckle flowers in mid-spring, and the non-fragrant blooms attract hummingbirds, who are the pollinators of this species. It is a nice addition to a butterfly, native, or pollinator garden. It can add a vertical presence to the garden. Its salt tolerance makes it especially welcome in coastal gardens. Fire Risk: This plant has a high flammability rating and should not be planted within the defensible space of your home. Plants with a low flammability rating should be chosen for areas closest to the house. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Watch for aphids. Powdery mildew and leaf spots may occur, particularly in hot and humid summer climates. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Lonicera .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 73 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 6 - Vine (vertical) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Often confused with Clematis x jackmanii Gelsemium sempervirens Lonicera japonica Lonicera periclymenum Lonicera x brownii Lonicera x heckrottii Smilax maritima Symphoricarpos orbiculatus
Fills a similar niche Gelsemium sempervirens Parthenocissus quinquefolia Verbena canadensis
Native alternatives Lonicera dioica Lonicera flava Passiflora lutea

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Ground Cover; Native Plant; Perennial; Vine; Wildflower
Life cycle
Perennial; Woody
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
6 - Vine (vertical)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Climbing; Creeping; Multi-stemmed; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen; Deciduous
Leaf color
Blue; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Oblong; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Leathery; Soft
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The Trumpet Honeysuckle has opposite, simple, ovate to oblong-ovate, dark bluish-green leaves (3 inches long, 2 inches across) that are glaucous (of a dull grayish-green or blue color) and pubescent beneath. The leaves have a smooth margin. The leaves immediately below the flowers are joined at the base in a complete ring, fused into an oblong disk and are sessile. Leaf shape is highly variable within a single plant; early season leaves are linear and strap-like whereas later-developing leaves are oblong to elliptic or obovate.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Orange; Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Spike
Flower shape
Trumpet
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
The Trumpet Honeysuckle has large, non-fragrant, narrow, trumpet-shaped flowers that have rich scarlet to orange-red on the outside and yellowish inside. Flowers have 4 upper lobes and 1 lower lobe. Its flowers appear in late spring from March to July at stem ends in whorled clusters. Flowers are 1½–2 inches long.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Black; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The inedible rounded red berries form in late summer to early fall and can be ornamentally attractive. The small red berries are attractive to birds and less than an inch in size. Displays from July to September
Bark color
Green; Light Brown
Bark detail
Its bark is smooth and green with a slight fuzziness when young. As the vine ages, the bark turns brown and begins to flake.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green
Stem detail
Stems are twining, straw-colored, and are glabrous on new growth.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Southeastern United States
Distribution
Eastern US
Wildlife value
Its flowers are attractive to hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and some moth pollinators. The small red berries are eaten by songbirds. The foliage may be eaten by white-tailed deer. It is a nectar source of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and a larval host for the Spring Azure Butterfly and the Snowberry Clearwing Moth.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Hummingbirds; Pollinators; Songbirds
Host plant for
Spring Azure Butterfly and the Snowberry Clearwing Moth
Play value
Attracts Pollinators; Wildlife Food Source; Wildlife Larval Host
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Berry

Uses (ethnobotany)

It has been used medicinally (dried and smoked) for asthma. The juice of the plant (leaves ground by chewing) is beneficial in the treatment of bee stings. The leaves have been used as a decoction for coughs and sore throats.

Landscape Use
Landscape location
Coastal; Recreational Play Area; Slope/Bank; Small Space; Vertical Spaces
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Children's Garden; Native Garden; Pollinator Garden
Design feature
Accent; Border; Specimen
Garden tags
#salt tolerant #apvg #deciduous #low maintenance #hummingbird friendly #highly beneficial coastal plants #evergreen #deer resistant #groundcover #children's garden #pollinator plant #moist soil #full sun tolerant #fantz #well-drained soil #native vine #NC native #food source summer #food source fall #medicinal #bird friendly #food source nectar #food source pollen #food source soft mast fruit #butterfly friendly #FACU Piedmont Mountains #apvg-vg #Audubon #partial shade tolerant #bee friendly #exfoliating bark #coastal plant #native perennial #perennial vines #Coastal FACU #playground plant #NC Native Pollinator Plant #perennial #variegated #wildlife friendly #cpp #wildflower #trellis #HS111 #twining #fire high flammability #HS304
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Aphids Found on Flowers and Foliage
Resistant to
Black Walnut; Compaction; Deer; Salt
Propagation
Layering; Seed; Stem Cutting
Fire risk
high flammability

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.

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