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Caprifoliaceae
Coral Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
Devotion, hummingbird gift, native loyalty.
- Family
- Caprifoliaceae
- Genus
- Lonicera
- Native to
- Eastern United States
- Bloom season
- Spring, Summer
- Type
- Semi-evergreen vine
- Height
- 3–6 m (10–20 ft) climbing
- Sunlight
- Full sun to part shade
- Soil
- Average, well-drained
- Water
- Moderate
- Hardiness
- 4–9
- Lifespan
- Long-lived perennial
Did you know
- Coral honeysuckle is one of the most important hummingbird flowers in North America—a single mature vine can support a hummingbird family through an entire summer with its constant nectar.
- Unlike its invasive cousin Japanese honeysuckle, coral honeysuckle is a well-behaved native that won't take over the garden—and it has no detectable fragrance, surprising for a honeysuckle.
- The species name 'sempervirens' means 'always green'—the vine keeps its leaves through mild winters in the South, providing year-round structure on trellises and fences.
- Each tubular flower has its nectar at the very bottom of a long red tube—accessible only to long-billed hummingbirds and a few specialized long-tongued moths.
- After the flowers fade, bright red berries develop in summer that are hugely popular with cardinals, finches, and waxwings—a single vine can host dozens of birds at once.
Color meanings
0
devotion
1
hummingbird gift
2
native loyalty