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Goldflame honeysuckle

Lonicera x heckrottii

Common names:
goldflame honeysuckle, goldflame honeysuckle vine

Content Detail

Goldflame honeysuckle is a twining vine that twists and spirals around a supporting plant, trellis, or arbor. In summer, it has clusters of fragrant, tubular flowers in vibrant pink and yellow that bloom amid the vines. Unlike some species of honeysuckle, it is not invasive.

  • Family (English) Honeysuckle
  • Family (botanic) Caprifoliaceae
  • Tree or plant type Vine
  • Foliage Deciduous (seasonally loses leaves)
  • Native locale Non-native
  • Size range Large plant (more than 24 inches)
  • Light exposure Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily), Partial sun / shade (4-6 hrs light daily)
  • Hardiness zones Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9
  • Soil preference Moist, well-drained soil
  • Tolerances clay soil, Dry sites
  • Season of interest early summer, midsummer, late summer
  • Flower color and fragrance Fragrant, Pink, Yellow
  • Shape or form Vining
  • Growth rate Fast

Size and Method of Climbing:

Twining vines climb 10 to 15 feet high by twisting their stems or leaf stalks around a support. This type of vine grows well on trellises, arbors, wires, or chain-link fences.

Attracts birds, pollinators, or wildlife:

This plant attracts birds, hummingbirds, and butterflies.

Bark color and texture:

It has brown to yellow-brown bark that is corky and furrowed.

Leaf or needle arrangement, size, shape, and texture:

It has opposite, deciduous simple leaves that are 1 to 2 1/2 inches long. The new leaves are fused at the base. The leaves are dark green with lighter green underneath, turning yellow in the fall. 

Flower arrangement size and shape:

Spiky tubular whorls of fragrant pink flowers have a showy yellow center.

Fruit, cone, nut and seed descriptions:

They get red berries, but are not known to have a heavy fruit set.

Plant care:

Plant in full sun to part shade and moist, well-drained soils. This vine can tolerate some drought once established. Goldflame honeysuckle flowers on old stems and should be pruned after flowering.

Disease, pests and problem resistance:

Although it can get leaf spots, powdery mildew, and aphids, it is tolerant of deer and black walnut toxicity.

Pink Lemonade® honeysuckle (Lonicera x heckrottii ‘Goldflame’):

This cultivar has more vibrant flower color and produces flowers in abundance.

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