Identification

• Coral honeysuckle is a climbing vine with shiny, deep green leaves whose undersides are pale green with a silver tint. The leaves drop in the winter in colder climates to return in the spring, but they remain evergreen in warm ones. Coral honeysuckle produces bright red tubular flowers with orange interiors. There are several named cultivars of this plant and one in particular produces bright yellow flowers.
  
  

Growth Habit

• Flowers appear throughout spring and summer, and even in the winter in some climates, appearing sporadically to attract hummingbirds. They appear in whorls of four to six blossoms. Coral honeysuckle is a good climber, but its sparse vines will not strangle shrubs and other plants the way Japanese honeysuckle will. Individual vines can grow 15 feet in length, so light pruning might be necessary to keep them at a manageable length.
  
  

Requirements

• Coral honeysuckle does best in slightly acidic soil, on a site that receives full sun, but it will tolerate partial shade as well. Coral honeysuckle is drought-tolerant and doesn't attract any pests. It also makes an excellent container plant.
  
  

Uses

• Coral honeysuckle is an attractive way to hide an unsightly fence or wall. It can also be grown as a groundcover. It is an effective plant for erosion control when planted on steep slopes.
  
  

Wildlife

• The bright-colored tubular flowers attract ruby-throated hummingbirds and butterflies all season. In September and October, clusters of red berries appear, attracting songbirds to feast on them.