Virginia ecotype
Duration: Perennial (deciduous woody vine)
Habit: Twining, climbing, open, naturalizing
Size: Typically 10 to 20 feet long (depending on support); can spread several feet wide
Flowering Time: Heaviest March to June, with sporadic blooms up to October (coincides with Hummingbird migrations)
Bloom Color: Red to coral with yellow interiors
Habitat: Open woodlands, forest edges, thickets, fence rows, and rocky slopes
Moisture: Average to moist; well-drained
Light: Full sun to part sun
Soils: Sandy, loamy, or clay soils; adaptable but prefers well-drained soil
Uses: Trellises, fences, arbors, wildlife gardens, pollinator support, hummingbird plantings, native vine replacement for invasive species
Lonicera sempervirens (Coral honeysuckle)
Lonicera sempervirens, commonly called coral honeysuckle or trumpet honeysuckle, twining woody vine native to the southeastern and eastern United States. It is valued for its showy, tubular red flowers with yellow throats, which bloom heaviest in spring and often continuing through fall and up to first frost.
Reaching up to 20 feet in length, this vine climbs by twining around structures or nearby shrubbery, and is commonly used to adorn trellises, arbors, and fences. Its evergreen to semi-evergreen foliage in warmer climates adds year-round interest, while its low maintenance needs and adaptability make it an excellent landscaping plant.
Ecologically, Lonicera sempervirens is a key resource for hummingbirds, which are its primary pollinators who migrate to the area just as flowering begins in the spring. The tubular flowers are also visited by long-tongued bees and butterflies. In late summer to fall, it produces clusters of bright red berries that are eaten by birds such as goldfinches, cardinals, and thrashers.
Unlike the non-native and invasive Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle), Lonicera sempervirens is non-aggressive and ecologically beneficial. It is a host plant for the snowberry clearwing moth (Hemaris diffinis) and supports the broader food web in woodland edge habitats. It's an ideal choice for gardeners seeking a well-behaved native alternative to exotic non-native vines while also supporting wildlife and offering wonderful visual appeal.