Trumpet Honeysuckle

In Virginia's Shenandoah Valley I have come across both bush and vine Honeysuckle, two of which are naturalized exotics. The Trumpet Honeysuckle, which is the third variety on display, is native to Virginia. (Another vine and a close native relative, is the Coralberry, which is a valuable source of food for wildlife.)

The immigrant Honeysuckles, as is the case with some other alien plants, have displaced and sometimes overwhelmed some native flora. This native vine, however, is not endangered and continues to flourish in some areas.

The vining Honeysuckle varieties are similar in appearance, differing in the fineness and coloring of the fresh blossoms.

This native Lonicera is not as floriferous as either of the immigrant Honeysuckles , but its blossoms are larger and the most beautiful of the three, in my opinion.

The family name, Lonicera, honors the 16th century German botanist, Adam Lonitzer; the suffix, sempervirens , is botanical Latin for "evergreen ", one of the characteristics of this variety.

The blossom of the bush variety, Morrow's Honeysuckle is the most delicate of the three in the Gallery.

This is the other import, Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica ), another vining variety.

Go to the Main Directory to consider more lilies of the field.

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