Honeysuckle: Fragrant and Scented

By Matt S., Pitt County Extension Director and Horticulture Agent

Southern gardeners love plants with fragrance and color, a combination that few plants can match as well as honeysuckle. Of course, there is not simply one honeysuckle, rather it is an entire genus of plants that includes a variety of different vines and shrubs. The numerous species and cultivars of honeysuckle offer tremendous diversity. Some offer fantastic floral color, others have fabulous scent, and several bring those characteristics together in a delightful way. Like nearly any genus with such varied members, there are some honeysuckle that are well suited for garden use and others that should probably be avoided.

Winter Honeysuckle, Lonicera fragrantissimi, blooms in February and is very fragrant. Photo credit: Jim Robbins, CC BY NC ND 4.0

The first to make its impression each year is winter honeysuckle, Lonicera fragrantissima, a medium-sized shrub with white blooms in late winter. Though the flowers are not visually striking, the fragrance they emit is powerful, and considering not many plants bloom in February, it can be a great conversation starter when visitors notice the aroma.  Winter honeysuckle typically grows to about 6 to 10 feet high and wide.

Coral honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens, is a native vine that blooms from mid-spring through fall.  It will grow to 20 feet in height/length depending on the structure supporting it. Flowers may be various shades and combinations of red, pink, orange, and yellow. Coral honeysuckle has relatively little fragrance, but is a major nectar producer and attracts butterflies, as

These red honeysuckle flowers, Lonica sempervirens, bloom in early summer. Photo credit: Susan Strine, CC BY 2.0

well as bees and hummingbirds. Native American folklore suggests that the way the individual blossoms cling together in clusters serves as a representation of love and affection. ‘Major Wheeler’ a dark red bloomer, is one beloved variety, while ‘Magnifica’ is a variety with pale yellow blooms. 

Lonicera periclymenum ‘Serotina’, woodbine honeysuckle, has a very strong scent. Photo credit: Kathleen Moore, CC BY 2.0

The Woodbine honeysuckle, Lonicera periclymenum, is similar to coral honeysuckle in its appearance and growth habit, but has a more powerful scent. The flower color is most typically a yellow and white combination, but some varieties are purple or red.  Popular varieties of the woodbine honeysuckle include ‘Scentsation,’a fragrant yellow bloomer’; ‘Serotina,’

which has crimson flowers with yellow throats, and ‘Belgica,’ with its purplish-red flowers and bluish-green leaves.

Finally, Japanese honeysuckle, Lonicera japonica, is another vine that offer substantial fragrance and a pretty bloom. Although undeniably attractive, the Japanese honeysuckle is an aggressive spreader and a prolific re-seeder, so it is typically considered invasive. Honeysuckle aficionados would be best served to plant either coral or winter honeysuckle.
In addition to its use in landscapes, honeysuckle can also be enjoyed when

Lonicera japonica, Leaves and Flowers. Photo credit: Cathy Dewitt, CC BY 4.0

plants.ces.ncsu.eduits flowers are harvested to make teas and other concoctions. Flowers from any type of honeysuckle can be mixed with herbs such as Echinacea to make flavorful medicinal teas. Honeysuckle tea is said to help with headaches, inflammation, fever, and digestion.  

Matthew Stevens is the County Extension Director and Horticulture Agent for North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s Pitt County Center.  If you have questions about this article or gardening in general, please contact the Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Infoline at 252-902-1705.