Coral Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
Family Caprifoliaceae
Coral honeysuckle keeps a promise its invasive Japanese cousin only makes: months of coral-red trumpets from spring into fall, hummingbirds running patrol rotations past your window, and not one inch of rampage. It's the native answer to the eternal fence question.
A tidy ten-to-fifteen-foot twiner, it dresses a trellis without swallowing it, sets red berries the birds claim in late summer — theirs, not yours — and stays nearly evergreen in the South. 'Major Wheeler' is the cultivar regulars swear by. Every fence deserves one; start with yours.
Full Sun
Low water
Moderate growth
Native to North America
Attracts hummingbirds
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Growing coral honeysuckle? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries coral honeysuckle — Lonicera sempervirens, print Nº 127, “Coral Honeysuckle.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what coral honeysuckle actually needs.
Hardy inZones 4-9Coral Honeysuckle · Common problems
Common coral honeysuckle problems
Pests
1 problem on file
- Aphids on new tips (hummingbirds and ladybugs patrol)
Diseases
1 problem on file
- Powdery Mildew (cosmetic)
Coral Honeysuckle · Growing & propagation
Growing coral honeysuckle
- Light
- Full Sun (bloom) to part shade
- Water
- Low-Moderate
Soil- Any drained · pH 5.5 - 7.5
Fertilizer- Light spring compost
Pruning- Late Winter
Thin oldest stems occasionally; it never becomes a thug.
Spacing- One per trellis
Coral Honeysuckle · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Coral Honeysuckle · Yearly calendar
The coral honeysuckle year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomPrune
HarvestBloomApril to May
PruneFebruary to March
HarvestAugust
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
- Harvest — picking time — check ripeness every few days.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Coral Honeysuckle · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Lonicera sempervirens
Coral Honeysuckle in the garden system
- Vine layer vine
- Nectary/insectary
Attracts- Hummingbirds, Bees, Birds
Moisture- Upland / dry
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
- Origin
- Native to North America
What coral honeysuckle is grown for
! Some parts toxic — see notesMildly toxic berries (people); fine for birds
- Use
- Hummingbird fences
- Use
- Native trellises
- Use
- Long bloom
Harvesting & storing coral honeysuckle
Red berries late summer (birds).
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Coral Honeysuckle · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a coral honeysuckle variety
'Major Wheeler' (red, blooms hardest, mildew-clean); 'Alabama Crimson'; 'John Clayton' (yellow)
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
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Coral Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Lonicera sempervirens
- Plant family
- Caprifoliaceae
- Growth habit
- Vine · Perennial
- Origin
- Native to North America
- USDA plant symbol
- LOSE
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
for Coral Honeysuckle
Research from these sources
Publisher marks identify sources, not sponsorship or endorsement.
Questions
Coral Honeysuckle questions, answered straight.
Is coral honeysuckle safe for kids and pets?
With care. Mildly toxic berries (people); fine for birds Site it accordingly if children or pets roam the garden. This is general reference, not medical or veterinary advice — call a vet or poison control if something has actually been eaten.
When do you harvest coral honeysuckle?
Red berries late summer (birds).
Elsewhere
Where coral honeysuckle sits in the library.
Sweet Pea
Morning Glory
Clematis
Wisteria