In Praise of Native Honeysuckles

There are two native perennial honeysuckles vines that will give you color, fragrance and when you plant both species together will give you blooming flowers from spring through late summer.

Lonicera flava, yellow honeysuckle flowers in late spring with a slight sweet fragrance. The vines are not as robust as other honeysuckles. Give them a special place in part shade or full sun in your garden.

Lonicera sempervirens, coral or trumpet honeysuckle is an evergreen vine that can be trellised, planted in hanging baskets or used on banks to control erosion. Foliage grows well in shade, but plants need full sun for flowering. Adapts to a wide range of well-drained soil but prefers moist, loamy soil. Blooms primarily on previous year’s stems, prune to shape after flowering. The trumpet flowers are an excellent nectar source for butterflies and hummingbirds.