Coral Honeysuckle

Lonicera sempervirens

Hills guide picknative · Hill Countrysold locally

Coral Honeysuckle is a vine native to the Texas Hill Country that grows 6–12 ft tall and 1 ft wide. It wants full sun or part shade and low to medium water, and handles caliche and clay soil. Blooms red and yellow in late summer. Good for birds, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Will it grow in your yard?

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From our guide

Village of the Hills

Twining vine with clusters of coral-red tubular flowers spring through fall, followed by red berries. Semi-evergreen.

Why it works here

The native honeysuckle — well behaved, unlike Japanese honeysuckle. Major hummingbird plant; berries feed birds.

Watch out

Needs a support to climb. Prefers a bit more moisture than the truly xeric plants here.

The facts

10 sources

Type: Vine
Sun: Full sun to part shade (3+ hrs)
Water: Low to medium
Height: 6–12 ft
Spread: 1 ft
Bloom: Late Summer · red, yellow
Foliage: Semi-evergreen
Soil: Takes caliche and clay · recorded on caliche, clay, rich, sand, well drained
Deer: Moderate — deer may browse it, especially new growth. Browsed within reach
Wildlife: Supports birds, butterflies and hummingbirds

Size, sun, water and foliage from the Village of the Hills guide; the rest resolved across sources.

Where it grows

Recorded in these EPA Level IV ecoregions in the Austin and Hill Country launch area:

Balcones CanyonlandsNorthern Blackland PrairieSouthern Post Oak SavannaFloodplains and Low TerracesLimestone Cut PlainSan Antonio Prairie

569 occurrence records in Central Texas (GBIF).

Can you buy it?

Sold at local nurseries. Confirmed in stock at a Central Texas grower in these sizes:

2.5–4.5 inch pots1, 3, 5, 15 gallon

From the growers we read so far — a short list, not the whole trade. Call ahead.

also grows from seed It starts readily from seed, so a packet from a native-seed supplier, or seed collected with permission, is often the easiest way to get a plant no nursery pots.