woodland shrub
Twinberry honeysuckle
Lonicera involucrata
1 of 2Native to the Pacific Coast, the Southwest, and the Rockies and southern Canada
Mountains of central and northern California to Alaska, east to New Mexico and Montana, south to northwestern Mexico down to Durango; less commonly to Upper Michigan and Quebec
- Light Full sun to shade Sun tolerance
- Moisture Moist Moisture preference
- Zones 1–9 Cold to heat range
- Bloom Mar–Aug Flowering time
- Height up to 10 ft to 3.0 m
- Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial
In the garden
A woodland shrub for sun through shade and evenly moist soil. Its red flowers peak in June. At up to 10 ft, it needs room in shade gardens and woodland edges. Hardy in USDA zones 1–9.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet
Hardiness zones
Find your zone:
When it blooms
The Twinberry honeysuckle's red flowers bloom March to August, peaking in June. This early-summer display draws bees and butterflies.
Twinberry honeysuckle blooms red, orange & yellowFoliage
Pollinators & wildlife
- Bees Yellow-faced Bumble Bee
also Western Honey Bee, Tricolored Bumble Bee, Black-tailed Bumble Bee +20 more
Bombus fervidus, Fuzzy-Horned Bumble Bee, Two-form Bumble Bee, Half-black Bumble Bee, Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee, Vancouver Bumble Bee, California Bumble Bee, Yellowish Cuckoo Bumble bee, Sitka Bumble Bee, Indiscriminate Cuckoo Bumble Bee, Van Dyke's Bumble Bee, Very Smooth Sweat Bee, Knerer's Sweat Bee, Shaggy Furrow Bee, Peaceful Sweat Bee, Andrena sp., Dimple-bellied Sweat Bee, Bombus fernaldae, Fog-belt Bumble Bee, Habropoda cineraria - Butterflies Silvery Blue also California Pipevine Swallowtail
- Flower flies Black-margined Flower Fly also Common Flower Fly, Common Dainty
- Also visited by
- Hummingbirds: Rufous Hummingbird, Rivoli's Hummingbird
- Birds: American Robin
Butterflies that use this plant
Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.
- Pipevine swallowtailnectar
- Silvery bluenectar
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- The Pacific Coast, the Southwest, and the Rockies and southern CanadaUnited States (14): AK, AZ, CA, CO, ID, MI, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, WI, WY. Canada (6): AB, BC, MB, ON, QC, SK. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- Mountains of central and northern California to Alaska, east to New Mexico and Montana, south to northwestern Mexico down to Durango; less commonly to Upper Michigan and QuebecThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Full sun to shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
- Moisture
- MoistThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 1–9 · Canadian 0–9The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
- Soil
- Wet, brackish water marginsThe soils it grows in naturally.
- Soil texture
- Light to heavy (sandy to clay)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
- Soil pH
- 5.5–8.0The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
- Soil quality
- MediumHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
- Water use
- HighHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
- Salinity tolerance
- NoneHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
- Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance
- HighHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.
Growth & form
- Height
- up to 10 ft (to 3.0 m)Typical mature height.
- Life cycle
- PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
- Growth rate
- ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
- Shape
- ErectIts overall silhouette.
- Root depth
- 12+ in (30+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- ShrubWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- Mar–AugWhen it flowers.
- Flower color
- Red, Orange, YellowThe bloom color, or colors.
- Toxicity
- Poisonous if eatenWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.
Propagation & seed
- Cold stratification
- Required (cold, moist)Whether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
- Propagation
- Bare root, container, cuttings, seedHow to start new plants.
- Seed
- ~0.3 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
- Seed spread rate
- SlowHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
- Seedling vigor
- HighHow strongly young seedlings establish.
- Vegetative spread
- NoneWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.