Mature vines have papery, orange-brown bark that complements the orange-red flowers.
Coral honeysuckle is a semi-evergreenevergreen in warm climates and deciduous in colderregions.
Plant coral honeysuckle in the spring or fall.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Though it grows in part shade, the plant will not flower as abundantly.
Soil
Coral honeysuckle needs well-draining soil.
As long as this need is met, this plant adapts to a variety of soil conditions.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
If the soil does not drain well, add compost before planting.
Coral honeysuckle prefersslightly acidic to neutral soil(pH 5.5 to 7).
Water
Regular watering will help promote healthy blooming and is most important for young, establishing plants.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Established plants are very drought-tolerant.
Coral honeysuckle withstands hard frosts and winters down to USDA Zone 4.
It prefers medium humidity levels, as high humidity can foster the spread of fungal diseases.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Fertilizer
Fertilize coral honeysuckle once in the spring with acomplete, slow-release fertilizer.
Excess nitrogen, such as from lawn run-off, causes the plant to produce more foliage than flowers.
The best time to prune is after the bloom so you don’t accidentally remove any flower buds.
The seeds of cultivars won’t produce plants that are true to the parent.
Planting them near structures such as fences or trellises shelters them from damaging cold winds.
Additionally, addingmulchin the fall insulates the root system in subzero winters.
Coral honeysuckle in containers needs to be winterized, as the roots are insufficiently insulated against the cold.
In hot and humid summer weather, it is prone to get infected withpowdery mildewand leaf spots.
Good air circulation reduces the risk of fungal diseases.
Some varieties sporadically bloom again later in the summer or early fall.
What Does Coral Honeysuckle Flowers Look and Smell Like?
The trumpet-shaped flowers grow in whorled clusters at the end of the stems.
The flowers are usually non-fragrant.
Coral honeysuckle is not aggressive and by no means invasive like its Asian counterparts, such as Japanese honeysuckle.
Growing it as a climbing vine on a trellis is a great way to display the abundant flowers.
