orange honeysuckle
Western trumpet honeysuckle
© Richie Steffen / Great Plant Picks
© Richie Steffen / Great Plant Picks
© Richie Steffen / Great Plant Picks
The bright tangerine orange trumpets proclaim spring has arrived and the hummingbirds are irresistibly drawn to this Pacific Northwest native vine in mid-May. Quite unlike its relation, Japanese honeysuckle, which has become invasive in the Eastern U.S. and grows aggressively, orange honeysuckle is a kinder, gentler vine that clambers lightly over shrubs. Reddish orange berries shine in late summer to early fall.
Plant Type: vine
Foliage Type: deciduous
Plant Height (10-year): 20 ft. 0 in. (6.10 meters)
Plant Width/Spread (10-year): 0 ft. 4 in. (0.09 meters)
Plant Height-Mature: 30 ft. 0 in. (9.14 meters)
Plant Width-Mature: 0 ft. 4 in. (0.09 meters)
Hardiness: USDA Zones 4 to 9
Flower Color: orange
Sun/Light Exposure: full sun to light or open shade
Water Requirements: occasional watering
Seasonal Interest: citrus orange trumpets are a magnet for hummingbirds in springtime with red-orange berries in autumn
Wildlife Associations: bees, hummingbirds, birds
In the wild this native vine is often seen growing up through shrubs such as salal or grasses along the roadside; therefore, even though the vines may be in sun, the roots are kept cool by other plants or are growing near moist soil. Plant in a site with full sun or light to open shade. Be sure the roots are shaded and water occasionally during the summer. Dappled shade is also fine and the plants are more drought tolerant in such a situation. A rich, well-drained soil will ensure a robust, flowering vine.
Text and photos ©2020 Great Plant Picks/Elisabeth Carey Miller Garden except where otherwise noted
Funded by the Pendleton and Elisabeth Carey Miller Charitable Foundation, The Seattle Times, and Individual Donors
Administered by the Elisabeth Carey Miller Botanical Garden