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Pink Honeysuckle

Lonicera hispidula

vine View on Calscape

Care

Sun

full sun, part shade

Water

low

Soil

adaptable; tolerates some clay and dry conditions

Size

6–15ft tall , 3–6ft wide

Bloom

Apr-Jul · pink

Foliage

Semi-Deciduous

Deer

Resistant

Fragrant

Yes

Flowers

Prized

Edible

Berries eaten fresh; used by Indigenous peoples as food

Native Range

Pacific Coast from British Columbia to Southern California

Clusters of tubular pink flowers; red berries follow

Native honeysuckle; less aggressive than non-native species

Care Guide

Planting

Plant your pink honeysuckle in spring or fall in a spot with full sun to part shade. It's extremely adaptable to soil type - clay, sandy, loamy, it doesn't matter - as long as drainage is at least medium. Space it where it can either climb a trellis or larger shrub, or sprawl as a ground-hugging trailer. This Bay Area native will settle into most garden conditions, though it prefers a location where you can water it regularly during the first growing season.

After Planting

Water weekly through your first summer, then taper off once established - by late summer of year two, you should need to water only once a month or less. Pink honeysuckle is semi-deciduous and may lose some leaves in winter, which is normal. The #1 mistake is overwatering after the first year; this plant evolved for California's dry summers and will thrive on minimal water. If you're planting near oak trees susceptible to sudden oak death, monitor the plant's leaves and remove any with suspicious spotting to reduce disease spread.

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