Photo credits and licenses
Real photographs from naturalists and photographers worldwide, each used under its own license. Credit: Photo by Ed Alverson / iNaturalist (CC BY). How photos are sourced →
Honeysuckle
Lonicera
Honeysuckle blooms from May through August.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Honeysuckle
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 4–9. Expect it to reach about 13 ft tall and 6.6 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 3 years.
When to plant Honeysuckle
Plant Honeysuckle in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. For the middle of its hardy zones 4 to 9 range, spring means March to May and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms from May to August.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 6 in March.
Comes in 4 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Good to know about Honeysuckle
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Safety
Some berries are mildly toxic in quantity: saponins cause vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. No reported human deaths, but keep the berries from children and pets. per NC State
Worth knowing
Flower form predicts the visitor: coral honeysuckle's red, scentless trumpets are built for daytime hummingbirds, while fragrant white-to-yellow flowers draw night-flying hawkmoths. per NC State and USDA
Native vs invasive species
The common name covers very different plants. Plant native coral honeysuckle (or Goldflame and woodbine cultivars); avoid invasive Japanese honeysuckle and the Asian bush honeysuckles. per NC State
Full sun does double duty
Full sun gives the most flowers and, with good airflow, suppresses powdery mildew, which favors shade and crowding. One sunny, open trellis solves both. per NC State and UC IPM
Blooms for a long season
Coral honeysuckle flowers from mid-spring through summer, roughly March to July, with a heavy spring flush and scattered rebloom after. A long season is a honeysuckle trait. per NC State
Aphids: the pest to watch
Aphids are the main pest, clustering on new growth. Blast them off with a strong water spray, tolerate their predators, or use insecticidal soap. Few other serious pests. per NC State
Hollow stems flag invaders
A field ID trick: snap a stem. Invasive Asian bush honeysuckles have hollow pith inside; native honeysuckles have solid pith. per Penn State
What pairs well with Honeysuckle
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Aster
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early fall as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Perennial Sunflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; both are strong pollinator plants; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Goldenrod
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; both are strong pollinator plants; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Maiden Grass
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in early fall as this one finishes; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; lower at 5.9 ft, for the front of the border.
Rosemary
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; opens in early spring and overlaps into this one's season; both are strong pollinator plants; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Flowering Cherry
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; a soft color beside the orange.
Witch Hazel
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; lower at 9.8 ft, for the front of the border.
Lilac
Shares full sun and moderate water; opens in mid spring and overlaps into this one's season; lower at 9.8 ft, for the front of the border; both offer pollinator forage.
Featured in these guides
Explore similar plants
You might also like
Design a garden with this
Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.