Vine & groundcover · North Texas care guide
Lonicera sempervirens
Nursery Pro tip: The well-behaved native honeysuckle. Hummingbirds, no invasiveness.
The native honeysuckle — clusters of coral-red tubes from spring through fall, red berries for the birds, blue-green foliage, and none of the invasive behavior of Japanese honeysuckle. 10–15 ft, restrained enough for a mailbox or a small trellis.
Full sun to part shade; more sun means more flowers. Any drained soil. Needs a support to twine on.
Spring or fall. Hole twice the pot width, ball at grade, native soil, Root Stimulator, mulch. Tie it to the support at first.
Weekly the first summer, then every week or two.
Light spring feeding.
After the main spring flush, and lightly through summer to keep it tidy — it blooms on new growth, so trimming brings more flowers. Cut old vines back hard in late winter to renew them.
Aphids on new growth in spring — hose them off; the ladybugs usually handle the rest. Powdery mildew in crowded shade.
Mailboxes, fences, trellises by a window. With crossvine and salvia for hummingbirds from March to October.
Written for Rockwall's black clay, heat and winters by the Landscape Source team. Every yard is different — bring a photo by, or ask LS-Ai, and we'll tailor it to your spot.