Exploring the Different Types of Honeysuckle Plants

Honeysuckle plants are admired for their sweet fragrance, beautiful blooms, and attractive foliage. There are numerous varieties of honeysuckle plants that come in a range of shapes, sizes, and colors. In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at the different types of honeysuckle plants and their unique characteristics.

1. Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)

The Japanese Honeysuckle is a popular choice among gardeners due to its fast-growing nature and sweet fragrance. It’s a deciduous or semi-evergreen vine with oval leaves and white flowers that bloom throughout summer. The plant can be invasive if not managed properly, but it’s easy to cultivate and requires minimal care.

A close-up of white Japanese Honeysuckle flowers

2. Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)

The Trumpet Honeysuckle is a native North American plant known for its vibrant red-orange trumpet-shaped flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. It’s a perfect choice for trellises, arbors, and fences due to its twining habit. This plant prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil.

A hummingbird sips nectar from the red-orange trumpet-shaped flowers of a Trumpet Honeysuckle plant

3. Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima)

The Winter Honeysuckle is a deciduous shrub that blooms in winter, adding a touch of color and fragrance to the garden during the colder months. It has small creamy-white flowers with a strong lemony scent that attracts bees and other pollinators. This plant prefers well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade.

A close-up of small creamy-white flowers on a Winter Honeysuckle plant

4. Goldflame Honeysuckle (Lonicera x heckrottii ‘Goldflame’)

The Goldflame Honeysuckle is a twining vine with glossy leaves and tubular pink and yellow flowers that bloom in early summer. The plant prefers full sun to partial shade and moderate water. It’s a low-maintenance plant that’s ideal for covering walls, fences, and trellises.

A close-up of tubular pink and yellow flowers on a Goldflame Honeysuckle plant

5. Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens ‘Major Wheeler’)

The Coral Honeysuckle is a vigorous vine with dark green leaves and clusters of bright red tubular flowers that bloom throughout the summer. It’s a favorite among hummingbirds and butterflies and can be trained to climb on trellises, fences, and walls. This plant prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil.

A cluster of bright red tubular flowers on a Coral Honeysuckle plant

6. Blue Velvet Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum ‘Blue Velvet’)

The Blue Velvet Honeysuckle is a deciduous vine with velvety blue-green leaves and fragrant purple-blue flowers that bloom in mid to late summer. It’s an excellent choice for arbors, trellises, and fences and prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil.

A close-up of fragrant purple-blue flowers on a Blue Velvet Honeysuckle plant

7. Dropmore Scarlet Honeysuckle (Lonicera brownii ‘Dropmore Scarlet’)

The Dropmore Scarlet Honeysuckle is a woody vine with deep green leaves and clusters of bright scarlet-red flowers that bloom in late spring and early summer. It’s a hardy plant that can tolerate a wide range of growing conditions, including drought and poor soil. This vine prefers full sun to partial shade and moderate water.

Clusters of bright scarlet-red flowers on a Dropmore Scarlet Honeysuckle plant

8. Sweetberry Honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea)

The Sweetberry Honeysuckle is a fruit-bearing shrub that produces edible blueberries in early summer. It’s a hardy plant that can grow in a broad range of conditions, including cold climates. The plant has narrow blue-green leaves and white-yellow flowers that bloom in late spring. It prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil.

Edible blueberries on a Sweetberry Honeysuckle plant

Types of honeysuckle plants: Japanese Honeysuckle, Trumpet Honeysuckle, Winter Honeysuckle, Goldflame Honeysuckle, Coral Honeysuckle, Blue Velvet Honeysuckle, Dropmore Scarlet Honeysuckle, Sweetberry Honeysuckle