''Lonicera sempervirens'' (commonly known as coral honeysuckle, trumpet honeysuckle, or scarlet honeysuckle) is a flowering plant species of

honeysuckle Honeysuckles are arching shrubs or Vine#Twining vines, twining vines in the genus ''Lonicera'' () of the family Caprifoliaceae. The genus includes 158 species native to northern latitudes in North America, Eurasia, and North Africa. Widely kno ...

vine native to the eastern United States which is known for its reddish flowers.

Description

''Lonicera sempervirens'' is best recognized by trumpet-shaped and coral to reddish flowers. The leaves and stems are waxy, a common trait in the

genus. It is a twining

vine A vine is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas, or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselves, for instance, when used in wicker work.Jackson; Benjamin; Da ...

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. They are present with red berries on them that are less than 1 cm width and length. The berries are inedible and grow from summer to fall. Their leaves are somewhat evergreen. The species is also flammable, which leads to it not being recommended for being planted close to residences. 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. The older stems get more of a red-orange color.

Distribution

''Lonicera sempervirens'' is most common in eastern North America, but has occurred as far west as Texas. It is found prominently in the southeastern United States. It is listed as endangered in Maine, the only state in which it has any legal status. 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. It is considered extremely rare in Rhode Island. ''Lonicera sempervirens'' is most common in coastal habitats.

Taxonomy

''Lonicera sempervirens'' was first described by Swedish botanist

Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...

in his treatise

Species Plantarum ' (Latin for "The Species of Plants") is a book by Carl Linnaeus, originally published in 1753, which lists every species of plant known at the time, classified into genus, genera. It is the first work to consistently apply binomial nomenclature ...

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. Hybrids of the species include ''Lonicera × tellmanniana'' and '' Lonicera × heckrottii''.

Uses

''Lonicera sempervirens'' is often used as an alternative to the invasive ''

Lonicera japonica ''Lonicera japonica'', known as Japanese honeysuckle and golden-and-silver honeysuckle, is a species of honeysuckle native to East Asia, including many parts of China. It is often grown as an ornamental plant, but has become an invasive species i ...

'' across the east coast of

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

. It is popular to grow in gardens or recreational areas as it is considered low maintenance. It is also used to attract hummingbirds and butterflies for pollinator gardens. The species is mainly used ornamentally on fences or lattices, and for the attractive red color of its flowers. It can be propagated by either stem cutting or by seed, and has been used to treat asthma and bee stings in Native American traditions. There are a 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. ''Lonicera sempervirens'' can grow in many areas due to its cold hardiness, being winter hardy in USDA zones 5-9. It prefers sunny and moist areas but is also drought resistant. Coral honeysuckle can live in

clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolinite, ). Most pure clay minerals are white or light-coloured, but natural clays show a variety of colours from impuriti ...

or loam soils that have good drainage, and it prefers acidic soil with a pH of 6. It can grow in full sun or in fully shaded areas. Deer prefer not to browse on it; it is also juglone-resistant, able to tolerate growing near walnuts.

Wildlife uses

''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. Birds such as quail, purple finch, and American robin eat the red berries. Ruby-throated hummingbirds and insects pollinate the bright red to pinkish-red flowers from mid-spring to fall.Operation Rubythroat "Top Ten" Native Hummingbird Plants
''Lonicera sempervirens''
/ref> It hosts the caterpillars of spring azures and snowberry clearwing moths. ''Lonicera sempervirens'' is used moderately for animal cover and has a relatively low nutritional value.

Gallery

File:Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) RWD4.jpg, Ruby-throated hummingbird feeding File:Lonicera sempervirens.jpg, Flower buds File:Lonicera-sempervirens-foliage.jpg, Leaves and appearance after blooms detach File:Lonicera sempervirens close up bloom.JPG, Close-up of blooms File:Lonicera sempervirens NRCS-002.jpg, Pinkish-red flowers with yellow insides

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q161352 sempervirens Flora of the Eastern United States Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus