Honeysuckles (Lonicera) are arching shrubs or twining vines in the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliacea, that also includes scabiosa, weigela, and abelia. They are native to northern latitudes in North America, Eurasia, and North Africa where they are found in a variety of habitats including woodlands, pastures and disturbed areas. The plants grow up to 20′ tall an have fibrous stems that carry oval to egg-shaped leaves that are .4-4″ long, have smooth margins, and may be deciduous or evergreen . The tubular or trumpet-shaped flowers appear in clusters or pairs in early summer, and are often fragrant and two-lipped. They come in a variety of color including white, pink, red or a combination of colors. The flowers of many are attractive to pollinators including butterflies and hummingbirds and the red, blue, or black berries that follow are often attractive to birds but may be poisonous to humans. Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Honeysuckles like full sun (but some tolerate some shade), and average, moderately moist, well-drained soil in USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9 depending on the species. Plants are generally healthy but are susceptible to damage by aphids, spider mites, and powdery mildew. Propagation is by layering or stem cuttings.
The genus name Lonicera honors Adam Lonicer October 1528- May 1586), a Renaissance German botanist.
The environmental conditions of the Pacific coast have resulted in at least 9 native species of honeysuckle but they may be native to other areas of the US too. The honeysuckles described here are native to at least one of the states on the Pacific Coast.
Honeyberry (Lonicera caerulae)
With multi-branched stems, this deciduous shrub has elliptic to ovate green leaves that are 2-3″ long and have wavy margins. In early spring to early summer pairs of tubular, two-lipped, pale yellowish-white flowers appear that are 5/8″ long and give way to edible, deep blue fruits in early summer.
Alternate Name/s: Blue honeysuckle, sweetberry honeysuckle, and haskap
Native Range: Washington, Oregon, California as well as places in the Rocky Mountain area and Midwest
Habitat: Mountains, coast
Type: Deciduous perennial shrub
Size: 4-6′ H x 4-6′ W
Bloom Time: Early spring to early summer
Bloom Color: Yellowish white
Light: Partial shade to full sun (with afternoon shade in hot climates)
Soil: Organically-rich, consistently moist, well-drained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 2-7
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Orange Honeysuckle (Lonicera ciliosa)
This twining climber has has opposite, oval leaves 1.5-4″ long, with the terminal pair fused to form a single disc. From late spring to mid summer whorled terminal clusters of orange flowers appear. They are tubular, two-lipped, .75-1.5″ long, and have 5 lobes. The flowers are attractive to pollinators and hummingbirds and give way to an orange-red berry less than 3/8″ across.
Alternate Name/s: Western trumpet honeysuckle
Native Range: Arizona as well as places in the Rocky Mountain area and Pacific Coast
Habitat: Open woods and thickets
Type: Deciduous perennial vine
Height: 10-20′
Bloom Time: Late spring to mid summer
Bloom Color: Orange
Light: Partial shade; tolerates full sun
Soil: Fertile, consistently moist, well-drained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Purpleflower Honeysuckle (Lonicera conjugialis)
Lightly hairy leave are oval and up to 3″ long. Flowers are paired and appear in the axils toward the end of a branch from early to mid summer. Each flower is up to 3/8″ long, maroon to deep purple, and composed of a single lower lip and an upper lip made up of four fused lobes, with extruded stamens. The fruit that follows is a bright red inedible berry.
Alternate Name/s: Double honeysuckle, wedded honeysuckle
Native Range: Washington, Oregon, California as well as places in the Rocky Mountain area
Habitat: Moist mountain soils
Type: Deciduous perennial shrub
Height: 3-6′
Bloom Time: Early to mid summer
Bloom Color: Maroon to dark purple
Light: Sun; tolerates some shade
Soil: Average, medium moist, well-drained; drought tolerant once established
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-9
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Pink Honeysuckle (Lonicera hispidula)
This well branched climbing shrub has oval leaves that are softly hairy and up to 3″ long. One or more leaves on each twig are fuse to form a disc. Pink to rose or purple flowers appear in terminal and axillary clusters from late spring to early summer. The clusters are 3-4″ wide and are composed of tubular, 2-lipped flowers that are 1″ long, hairy, and have stamens and pistils that extend beyond the corolla. Small red berries follow. The flowers are attractive to butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators, and the fruits are attractive birds.
Alternate Name/s: California honeysuckle, hairy honeysuckle, pink chaparral honeysuckle
Native Range: Washington, Oregon, California
Habitat: Open woodlands and shrublands
Type: Deciduous to semi-evergreen perennial climbing shrub
Height: 3-20′
Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
Bloom Color: Pink to purple
Light: Full sun to full shade
Soil: Average, dry to moist, well-drained, acidic
USDA Hardiness Zones: 7-9
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Chaparral Honeysuckle (Lonicera interrupta)
The oval to lanceolate leaves are up to 1.5″ long and may appear to encircle the stem. Spikes of irregularly spaced whorls of yellow to cream flowers appear from late spring to early summer. The flowers are 1/2″ long, two-lipped, and have stamens and stigma that extend well beyond the reflexed corolla. Small red berries follow. The flowers are attractive to butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators, and the fruits are attractive birds.
Alternate Name/s: None
Native Range: Oregon and California as well as places in the Southwest
Habitat: Chaparral and oak woodland in foothills and mountain ranges
Type: Deciduous perennial shrub
Height: 3-5′
Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
Bloom Color: Yellow to cream turning red to orange as fruits ripen
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Average, dry to medium moist, well-drained; drought tolerant
USDA Hardiness Zones: 7-8
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Twinberry (Lonicera involucrata)
The elliptic to oval-shaped leaves are 1–5 1/2″ long, have hairy margins and undersides, and tips that that narrow sharply to a point. Pairs of tubular, two-lipped flowers appear from early to mid summer. Each flower is 1″ long, yellow and surrounded by green bracts that turn orange to red as the fruits ripen. The fruit that follows is a small black berry. The flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators while the fruits provide food for birds, small mammals and bears.
Alternate Name/s: Bearberry honeysuckle, bracted honeysuckle, twinberry honeysuckle, Californian Honeysuckle, black twinberry, inkberry honeysuckle
Native Range: Washington, Oregon, and Califonia as well as places in the Rocky Mountain area, Southwest, and Midwest
Habitat: Moist, wooded areas, clearings and on the edges of wetlands
Type: Deciduous perennial shrub
Height: 3-10′
Bloom Time: Early to mid summer
Bloom Color: Yellow
Light: Full sun to partial shade; shade tolerant
Soil: Average, consistently moist, well-drained soil
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-10
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Southern Honeysuckle (Lonicera subspicata)
The deep green leathery leaves are .4-1.6″ long, elliptical to round and the upper pairs are not fused around the stem. Pale yellow to cream colored flowers appear in fuzzy spikes from spring into summer. They are tubular, two lipped, about 1/2″ long, and often hairy. The hairy stamens and stigma extend beyond the corolla. The fruit is a round red or yellow berry.
Alternate Name/s: Santa Barbara honeysuckle
Native Range: California
Habitat: Chaparral in mountain and on coast
Type: Evergreen perennial vining shrub
Height: 3-8′
Bloom Time: Spring into summer
Bloom Color: Yellow to cream sometimes with pink tinge
Light: Sun to partial shade
Soil: Average, medium moist, well-drained, slightly acid; tolerant of lean soil and drought
USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 and above
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Utah Honeysuckle (Lonicera utahensis)
Slender, spreading branches carry thin leaves that are oval to broadly oblong and .8-3.25″ long . Tubular or bell-shaped, slightly two-lipped flowers appear in pairs on slender stalks at the leaf axils from late spring to early summer. They are 0.4–0.8 long, pale yellow to creamy white (sometimes tinged with green), and give way to small red berries that are attractive to birds and mammals.
Alternate Name/s: Red twinberry, fly honeysuckle
Native Range: Washington and Oregon as well as places in the Rocky Mountain area and Southwest
Habitat: Mid to subalpine shrub communities, wooded slopes, coniferous woods, wetlands.
Type: Deciduous perennial shrub
Height: 3.5-6.5′
Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
Bloom Color: White to pale yellow
Light: Part shade
Soil: Average, consistently moist, well-drained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-8
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
The three states of the Pacific coast, Washington, Oregon and California, have a great variety of geography and climate. The key factors uniting these states are the coastline along the Pacific Ocean and the presence of numerous mountain ranges. The area of the Pacific coast includes rainforests as well as semi-arid plateau and deserts. The climate varies with the geography with average annual rainfall ranging from over 130″ to less than 2″. Precipitation can be in the form of rain or snow. Likewise, summer temperatures can be over 110 F in Death Valley and down to -70 F in the mountains.