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2014 2014 Virginia Wildflower of the Year: Coral , Lonicera sempervirens W. John Hayden University of Richmond, [email protected]

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Recommended Citation W. John Hayden. 2014 Virginia Wildflower of the Year: Coral Honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens. Virginia Native Plant Society, 2014.

This Brochure is brought to you for free and open access by the Biology at UR Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Biology Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of UR Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. honeysuckle beckon humming- beckon honeysuckle Lonicera sempervir C duced profusely from early spring to mid- to spring early from profusely duced pro- are flowers tips; stem at borne flowers sessile of whorls 1-4 of consists florescence winter of severity and latitude with varies retention leaf winter of degree the but long, winter all persist leaves some ten Of- confluent/perfoliate. often flowers the below directly and sessile be can nodes per up- of leaves whereas long, cm 1 to up oles peti- have may nodes lower of stem—leaves the on position with varies length petiole low be- hairy minutely sometimes but surfaces and entire margins, usually glabrous on both bases, rounded to cuneate apices, rounded to acute with long, cm 3-8 obovate, or tic ellip- to oblong are leaves later-developing whereas straplike and linear are leaves son early-sea- plant; single a on variable highly but simple, and opposite are Leaves bark. exfoliating papery-brown have stems older tion but sometimes trailing along the ground; The flashy red flowers of coral of flowers red flashy The birds to their sweet nectar sweet their to birds , gr , usually climbing on other vegeta- other on climbing usually vine, oral honeysuckle is a twining woody twining a is honeysuckle oral een above, and glaucous-white below; . The in- The .

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guished fr guished maackii ( the notoriously invasive Japanese honeysuckle including cultivation, from escapes exotic are native are honeysuckle, V of cies north the of gions (), found mostly in temperate re- green. There are about 180 species of herbalist; German form, Latinized diameter in mm 5 about berry orange or red a as matures ovary inferior The anthers. the beyond slightly projects stigma globose the exserted); partly or included slightly ther (ei- throat corolla the near borne are anthers yellow five yellow); or orange, red, all times some- (but internally yellow frequently and externally red lobes, equal-sized nearly five flower; cor each of base the at found are lobes calyx and ther sporadically spring, . japonica L. ir

ginia; only thr genus The Lonicera ). Coral honeysuckle is easily distin- easily is honeysuckle Coral ). om other honeysuck other om ollas ar

and ) Lonicera can be found growing wild in Adam Lonitzer Adam ee of these, including the coral e tubular

ern hemisphere. Nine spe- Nine hemisphere. ern sempervirens mr oescl ( honeysuckle Amur

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commemorates, in eafter while the other six ens , 2-5 cm long, with , a 16th a , . Minute bracts Minute . les in V in les

means ever- Lonicera -century ir ginia

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L. L and suckle) as such shrubs miliar fa- other with along in sified equal-sized lobes. The genus nearly with corollas tubular red and ters, clus- flower terminal leaves, evergreen cous glau- habit, climbing of combination the by little floral odor typifies the usual pattern usual the typifies odor floral little red tubular flowers with abundant nectar and bright- its of combination the fact, In birds. humming- and butterflies attract to ability its for known widely is honeysuckle Coral humans. in vomiting or sea nau- induce will Berries swelling. alleviate coughs. Chewedleavesappliedtobeestings and throats, sore asthma, treat to used were tea, a as water warm in steeped or smoked and dried either Leaves, purposes). tive tioned here for historical rather than prescrip- N clearwing moths. clearwing snowberry and butterflies azure spring of larvae to host is plant Further documented. been has Robins Thr Hermit finches, consumption by Quail, Purple finches, Gold- birds; to attractive also are fruits bright-red The species. hummingbird-pollinated for

riety of forests and successional habitats. onicera sempervirens onicera . . . I n t h e W i l d d l l i i W W e e h h t t n n I I ...... I n t h e W i l d l i W e h t n I ...... I n t h e W i l d d l l i i W W e e h h t t n n I I ...... ative eral uses for coral honeysuckle (men- honeysuckle coral for uses eral ...... American traditions include sev- include traditions American

H u m a n U s e s s e e s s U U n n a a m m u u H H H u m a n U s e s e s U n a m u H H u m a n U s e s s e e s s U U n n a a m m u u H H Symphoricarpos

ushes, and ushes, Diervilla

inhabits a va- Lonicera (coralberry). (bush honey- and berries and American honey- leaves suckle Coral is clas- is , the , . . . W h e r e t o S e e i t n Virginia, coral honeysuckle is most fre- Coral Iquently encountered in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont, less frequently in the Moun- tains. Lonicera sempervirens is native from Honeysuckle and New York to Florida, and west to eastern and Oklahoma. It has spread, apparently from cultivation, in sev- Lonicera eral states from Michigan to Missouri and Iowa, also in northern New England. sempervirens

Lonicera sempervirens

. . . I n t h e G a r d e n oral honeysuckle is an excellent garden Courtesy Virginia Botanical Associates, Digital Atlas of Cplant. It prefers well-drained acid or the Virginia Flora, vaplantatlas.org nearly neutral soil. Full sun with a support- ing structure such as a fence or trellis will . . . C o n s e r v a t i o n yield the best floral display; the plant can he Conservation status of Lonicera grow in shade, but fewer flowers will be Tsempervirens is Secure, although indi- seen. It tolerates clay, , and proximity to vidual populations may be threatened by . If needed, pruning should follow the habitat alteration. main flush of spring flowers, but care should Gardeners should not collect coral honeysuckle be taken not to remove budded yet-to-flower in the wild and should be certain that all native stems. It is easily propagated by softwood purchased for home gardens have been cuttings taken in late spring or summer. To nursery-propagated, not wild-collected. For a propagate by seed, fruit pulp should be re- list of retail sources of nursery-propagated plants moved, and the seeds cold stratified for three and responsibly collected seeds, visit months. Several named exist, includ- www.vnps.org; send an SASE to the Virginia Na- 2014 Virginia ing ‘John Clayton,’ a yellow-flowered form tive Plant Society, Blandy Experimental Farm, honoring the colonial-era botanist. These 400 Blandy Farm Lane, Unit 2, Boyce, VA 22620; Wildflower plants were discovered on the grounds of e-mail [email protected]; or call 540-837-1600. To see and learn more about interesting species the Abingdon Episcopal Church in of plants native to Virginia, visit www.vnps.org Gloucester County. and contact your local chapter of VNPS (details of the Year on website) for the times and dates of programs and wildflower walks near you.

Text and photos W. John Hayden Illustration Nicky Staunton Layout Nancy Sorrells