Trumpet Honeysuckle

Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)

Coral Honeysuckle, Scarlet Honeysuckle

Full sun to part shade, medium to well-drained moisture, tolerates clay and sandy soils, pH 5.5–7.5.

Semi-evergreen to evergreen twining vine reaching 10–20 feet; blooms April–September in flushes with 1.5–2-inch tubular flowers, scarlet to orange-red outside and yellow within; small red berries ripen late summer through fall; climbs by stem twining, not adhesive.

Propagation by semi-hardwood cuttings in summer or by fresh seed stratified at 40°F for 60 days.

Native region: Statewide in Tennessee, in forest margins, thickets, and disturbed roadsides throughout Middle Tennessee.

Trumpet honeysuckle is the correct native alternative to invasive Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) — it does not spread by runners, does not form dense ground-smothering mats, and its tubular flowers are inaccessible to non-native bees, making it an exclusive food source for ruby-throated hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) in spring migration. In Columbia-area gardens, the extended bloom season from April through the first frost provides near-continuous hummingbird activity at fence posts and trellises. The vine is well-behaved enough to train on mailbox posts without aggressive management. Aphid infestations (Hyadaphis spp.) are the primary pest concern — typically worst in spring on new growth; a strong water spray is usually sufficient without chemical intervention. The cultivar 'Major Wheeler' is widely available in Middle Tennessee nurseries and reblooms more reliably than straight species.