The following observations were made of Lonicera sempervirens from specimens collected throughout the Southeastern U.S. that are now housed in the University of Tennessee Herbarium. Lonicera sempervirens is a spindly, woody vine that has narrow woody stems with oval leaves and red and orange-yellow flowers with a yellow interior to the flower. The flowers are about two inches long and have the tapered shape of a horn, hence their common name trumpet honeysuckle. Coming out of the end of the flowers are stamens with tiny anthers of about 1 mm in diameter and spherical in shape. Their bee-bee sized seeds are woody and green. The collectors reported them growing often in disturbed areas such as the edge of roadsides or along a fence, or at the edge of woods or by a creek. They reported the soils to be anything from sandy, to gravely, to limestone outcroppings, to loam. These specimens were collected in a range of Southeastern states, from Louisiana, to Alabama, to Texas, to Florida.
Trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) is a native from all along the Eastern US (commonly in SE) and goes inland to as far as Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan. It is exotic and present in just about all of Massachusetts and in small pockets of New Hampshire, Maine, Missouri and Illinois.
Honeysuckle “appears to thrive on well-drained moist soils in woodlands and bottomlands and tends to also appear in mid-successional, disturbed areas.” (Schierenbeck 1993). Honeysuckle has also adapted to surviving in fine and medium textured soils. Honeysuckle needs a pH level in the soils of 6.0-8.5. It has adapted to survive winters and can survive a minimum temperature of -33°F. Trumpet honeysuckle has brightly colored flowers that attract hummingbirds, butterflies and bees, while birds are drawn in to the plant by the small red berries it produces (Missouri Botanical Garden).
Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera Sempervirens) is a resilient plant with an attractive appearance, boasting long red flowers and a dark green foliage. It attracts many living things, as humans and birds alike. However, its true perk is how long it stays attractive and in how bad of conditions.
Trumpet Honeysuckle is well known for its long blooming period. If in the deep southern regions of the United States it blooms from April to May, and going north it can be found blooming June to July (Fischer 1996). Depending on its location it can be found blooming for up to four months. Its long red flowers and berry like fruits add to any floral garden. Add that to its resistance to drought and cold, as it can live through conditions of -33°F. Meaning it can grow most anywhere it is also a good way of covering dead areas or harsh conditioned areas.
Another benefit to this plant is its interaction with animals. For people who enjoy watching birds, seeing a hummingbird is a treat. These people would most likely know that hummingbirds enjoy Trumpet Honeysuckle. While bringing them in it does the exact opposite with deer. It is by no means a repellent for deer, it does have an adverse effect on them. With deer not wanting to eat the honeysuckle (Jull 2001) this normally means they won’t mess with whatever the vine is growing on. It can be used as a “shield” to protect things in close proximity with it. Just be careful to not let it steal light from its neighbors.
The most surprising benefit is a new idea called vertical greening (Lin et al. 2016). In cities where heat and pollution are becoming issues, people are considering the idea of plants covering walls now as well as roofs. Trumpet Honeysuckle is a major factor in this thanks to its climbing ability, resistance to drought and cold as well as its thick dark green foliage.
Lonicera sempervirens (commonly known as coral honeysuckle, trumpet honeysuckle, or scarlet honeysuckle) is a flowering plant species of honeysuckle vine native to the eastern United States which is known for its reddish flowers.[1][2]
Lonicera sempervirens is best recognized by trumpet-shaped and coral to reddish flowers. The leaves and stems are waxy, a common trait in the Honeysuckle genus. It is a twining vine growing to 20 ft or more through shrubs and young trees. The leaves are produced in opposite pairs, oval, up to 5 cm long and 4 cm broad; the leaves immediately below the flowers are perfoliate, joined at the base in a complete ring round the shoot. When born, their flowers are whorled on the end.[3] They are present with red berries on them that are less than 1 cm width and length.[4] The berries are inedible and grow from summer to fall.[4] Their leaves are somewhat evergreen.[5] The species is also flammable, which leads to it not being recommended for being planted close to residences.[4] The flowers are produced on new growth in clusters of several groups of three together, tubular, 5 cm long, with five small lobes opening at the tip to expose the stamens and stigma. The bark is green and fuzzy when younger but becomes a light brown as it ages.[4] The older stems get more of a red-orange color.[3]
Lonicera sempervirens is most common in eastern North America, but has occurred as far west as Texas.[1] It is found prominently in the southeastern US.[1] It is listed as endangered in Maine, the only state in which it has any legal status.[1] Although introduced in parts of New England, populations of L. sempervirens have been found that seem to be growing natively in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.[6] It is also considered extremely rare in Rhode Island.[6] Lonicera sempervirens is most common in coastal habitats.[4]
Lonicera sempervirens was first described by Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in his treatise Species Plantarum in 1753. Varieties of L. sempervirens are Lonicera sempervirens L. var. hirsutula Rehder, Lonicera sempervirens L. var. minor Aiton, and Lonicera sempervirens L. var. sempervirens. Phenianthus sempervirens (L.) Raf is a synonym.[1] Hybrids of the species include Lonicera × tellmanniana and Lonicera × heckrottii.[7][8]
Lonicera sempervirens is often used as an alternative to the invasive Lonicera japonica across the east coast of North America.[1] It is popular to grow in gardens or recreational areas as it is considered low maintenance.[4] It is also used to attract hummingbirds and butterflies for pollinator gardens.[4][9] It is also popular to plant for a flowering effect because of its attractive red color.[9] The species is mainly used ornamentally on fences or lattices. The species can be propagated by either stem cutting or by seed.[4] It has been used to treat asthma and bee stings in Native American traditions.[9][10] There are few different cultivars including: 'Magnifica' which blooms later and is more floriferous, 'Sulphurea' with sulfur-yellow flowers, and 'Superba' - another floriferous selection with bright red flowers.[11]
Lonicera sempervirens can grow in many areas due to its cold hardiness,[12] being winter hardy in USDA zones 5-9.[13] It prefers sunny and moist areas but is also drought resistant.[14] Coral honeysuckle can live in clay or loam soils that have good drainage, and it prefers acidic soil with a pH of 6.[4] It can grow in full sun or in fully shaded areas,[9] and deer prefer not to browse on it and it tolerates growing around walnuts.[10]
Lonicera sempervirens is used by many animals for food, most commonly used for nectar by butterflies and hummingbirds. It attracts bees, hummingbirds, moths, and even songbirds.[4] Birds such as quail, purple finch, and American robin eat the red berries.[10] Ruby-throated hummingbirds and insects pollinate the bright red to pinkish-red flowers from mid-spring to fall.[15][16] It hosts the caterpillars of spring azures and snowberry clearwing moths.[17] Lonicera sempervirens is used moderately for animal cover and has a relatively low nutritional value.[1]
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Ruby-throated hummingbird feeding
Flower buds
Leaves and appearance after blooms detach
Close-up of blooms
Pinkish-red flowers with yellow insides
Lonicera sempervirens (commonly known as coral honeysuckle, trumpet honeysuckle, or scarlet honeysuckle) is a flowering plant species of honeysuckle vine native to the eastern United States which is known for its reddish flowers.
