Trumpet Honeysuckle

Lonicera sempervirens is native to eastern North America, from Connecticut and southern New York south to Florida and west to Texas, Nebraska, and the Great Lakes region, where it grows in open woods, thickets, fence rows, and along stream banks.

• The species name sempervirens means "always green" or "evergreen," referring to its semi-evergreen habit in the southern part of its range
• Also known as "Coral Honeysuckle" for its brilliant red, coral-colored flowers
• One of the most important native plants for Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, which rely on its nectar during spring migration
• Indigenous peoples used the plant medicinally — the Cherokee used it for coughs, sore throats, and as a hair wash
• Thomas Jefferson grew Trumpet Honeysuckle at Monticello and praised its beauty
• The genus Lonicera contains approximately 180 species, but many of the Asian species introduced to North America (especially L. japonica, L. maackii, and L. tatarica) have become destructive invasive species
• Native Lonicera species including L. sempervirens are being promoted as replacements for invasive honeysuckles in ecological restoration
• Selected cultivars including "Major Wheeler" (exceptionally floriferous, deep red) and "Blanche Sandman" (coral-red) are among the best native vines for American gardens
• Unlike invasive honeysuckles, Trumpet Honeysuckle does not have a strong fragrance — its pollination strategy relies on visual attraction (bright red color) rather than scent

Trumpet Honeysuckle is a moderately vigorous deciduous to semi-evergreen woody vine climbing by twining stems to heights of 3–6 m, creating an open, airy coverage on trellises, fences, and through shrubs.

Stems: Slender, woody, blue-green to reddish, twining clockwise around supports. Young stems are smooth and glaucous. Mature bark is thin and shredding.

Leaves: Opposite, ovate to oblong, 3–8 cm long and 2–4 cm wide, with smooth margins. Leaves are dark blue-green above, paler and slightly glaucous beneath. The distinctive feature is that the uppermost leaves below each flower cluster are fused at the base into a broad, disc-like perfoliate pair that surrounds the stem — this creates a conspicuous "collar" at each flowering node. Leaves are semi-evergreen in the southern range.

Flowers: The star of the show — tubular, trumpet-shaped, 3–5 cm long, with a long, narrow tube and 5 shallow, reflexed lobes. Color ranges from brilliant scarlet-red to orange-red to coral, occasionally yellow. The interior of the tube is yellowish. Flowers are produced in dense whorled clusters of 4–16 blooms at the stem tips. Unlike Common Honeysuckle, the flowers have little or no fragrance — they are adapted for hummingbird pollination by sight rather than moth pollination by scent. Blooms from April through October, with the heaviest flush in spring and intermittent blooming through summer and fall.

Fruit: Small, round berries 5–7 mm in diameter, orange-red to red when ripe, produced in small clusters. Mildly toxic to humans — cause nausea and vomiting. Important food for birds including robins, bluebirds, and thrushes.

Roots: Fibrous root system.

Trumpet Honeysuckle grows naturally in open woods, thickets, fence rows, pine barrens, and along stream banks throughout eastern North America, from Connecticut to Florida and west to Texas.

• Found in a variety of habitats including open deciduous and mixed forests, forest edges, rocky slopes, and disturbed areas
• Thrives in full sun to partial shade — flowering is most prolific in full sun
• Adaptable to various soil types from sandy to loamy to clay, acidic to slightly alkaline
• The tubular red flowers are a textbook example of hummingbird pollination syndrome — bright red color, tubular shape, abundant dilute nectar, no fragrance, and spring-to-fall bloom period
• Also visited by sphinx moths, swallowtail butterflies, and bumblebees
• Larval host plant for the snowberry clearwing moth (Hemaris diffinis), whose caterpillars feed on the leaves
• Berries are an important food for birds, which disperse the seeds
• Unlike invasive Asian honeysuckles, Trumpet Honeysuckle does not form dense thickets that shade out native plants — it is a well-behaved member of native plant communities
• Provides nesting cover and protective habitat for birds in hedgerow and thicket habitats
• Generally pest-free and disease-resistant

Trumpet Honeysuckle is one of the best native vines for the eastern North American garden, combining beauty, wildlife value, and easy care.

Site Selection: Full sun to partial shade. More sun produces more flowers. Plant where hummingbirds can be observed — near windows, patios, or seating areas. Provide a trellis, fence, arbor, or allow it to scramble through large shrubs.

Soil: Well-drained soil of any type. Adaptable to sand, loam, or clay. pH 5.0–7.5. Drought-tolerant once established.

Planting: Plant container-grown vines in spring or fall. Space 1–2 m apart.

Watering: Water during the first growing season. Once established, drought-tolerant and requires little supplemental water.

Pruning: Prune to shape in late winter or early spring. Remove dead wood and thin congested growth. Can be cut back hard to rejuvenate. Flowers on both old and new wood, so pruning at any time will not eliminate all flowers.

Training: Guide twining stems to the support. The vine will climb on its own once established.

Hummingbird Gardening: Plant in groups of 3–5 for maximum visual impact. Pair with other red or orange tubular flowers (cardinal flower, bee balm, native columbine) to create a hummingbird garden.

Hardiness: USDA Zones 4–9. Very cold-hardy.

Propagation: By seed (cold stratify 60 days), softwood cuttings in summer, or layering.

Native Alternative: Choose this species over invasive Japanese honeysuckle (L. japonica) for ecological plantings.