Summary
Trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) is an attractive woody vining plant with showy clusters of 2” long, crimson colored, tubular flowers. This species should not be confused with trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans), which has larger flowers, serrated leaves, a very aggressive habit.
Trumpet honeysuckle grows 10-20’ tall and has a twining habit, making it easy to train on a trellis, arbor, or fence (chain link or split rail). When no structure is present it will scramble along the ground and root at nodes. Allowing the mother plant to send out vines along the ground and then cutting and replanting rooted segments is one method of propagation. Other propagation methods include taking cuttings from the main plant and rooting them in water or soil. Taking mature hardwood cuttings in fall and placing them in soil during winter to grow roots can also yield favorable results.
The attractive bluish leaves are deciduous or semi-evergreen in the north but evergreen in warmer climates. The plant blooms heavily in late spring then sporadically until fall. It prefers well-drained, evenly-moist soil and produces flowers most profusely in full sun. Hummingbirds love the flowers, so try growing trumpet honeysuckle with plants that give a succession of bloom to attract these beautiful birds. A few companions include red buckeye (Aesculus pavia), wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), and Indian pink (Spigelia marilandica). Zones 4-9.
More Details
- Plant Type
perennial-vine - Sun/Shade Conditions
full-sun - Foliage Character
semi-evergreen - Soil Moisture
average-to-moist - Flowering Period
late-spring-to-early-summer - Soil PH
adaptable - Flower Color
red - Summer Foliage Color
blue-green - Fall Foliage Color
yellow - Other Common Names
Coral honeysuckle - Fruit/Seed Color
black, red
Additional Information
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden , Floridata, Illinois Wildflowers