Flower profile
Coral honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) is a vine in the Caprifoliaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–May across the U.S.
Coral honeysuckle is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 3 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–May.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina
Quick look
Lonicera sempervirens is a flowering plant species of honeysuckle vine native to the eastern United States which is known for its reddish flowers.
- It belongs to the Caprifoliaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as a vine with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 32 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to North Carolina, South Carolina and Oklahoma. NatureServe
- In North Carolina, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. iNaturalist
- In South Carolina, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–April. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as red. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as late summer. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 16 ft. USDA PLANTS
- iNaturalist has 2,232 research-grade sightings of it in North Carolina, ranking #77 among the 192 flowers on our North Carolina list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 658 research-grade sightings of it in South Carolina, ranking #46 among the 171 flowers on our South Carolina list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 469 research-grade sightings of it in Oklahoma, ranking #74 among the 159 flowers on our Oklahoma list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in the 3 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | Native | April–May | 2,232 |
| South Carolina | Native | March–April | 658 |
| Oklahoma | Native | April–May | 469 |
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- North Carolina
- Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: S5, secure in North Carolina. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
- South Carolina
- No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in South Carolina.
- Oklahoma
- No list Oklahoma has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Oklahoma ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Oklahoma.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: VT (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records coral honeysuckle in 32 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia; District of Columbia.
North Carolina counties with USDA records: Alamance, Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Brunswick, Burke, Cabarrus, Carteret, Caswell, Catawba, Chatham, Chowan, Cleveland, Columbus, Cumberland, Dare, Davidson, Davie, Duplin, Durham, Forsyth, Franklin, Gates, Granville, Greene, Guilford, Halifax, Harnett, Henderson, Hertford, Hyde, Iredell, Johnston, Lee, Lenoir, Lincoln, Martin, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Moore, Nash, New Hanover, Onslow, Orange, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Person, Pitt, Randolph, Richmond, Robeson, Rowan, Rutherford, Sampson, Stanly, Stokes, Tyrrell, Union, Vance, Wake, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wilson.
South Carolina counties with USDA records: Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Cherokee, Chester, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Fairfield, Florence, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, Lexington, Marion, Marlboro, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Sumter, Union, Williamsburg, York.
Oklahoma counties with USDA records: Payne.
Growing conditions
USDA PLANTS gives Coral honeysuckle a low shade tolerance, low drought tolerance and medium moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 6.0 to 8.5 and winter lows down to -33 °F.
- Shade tolerance
- Low
- Drought tolerance
- Low
- Moisture use
- Medium
- Soil textures it is adapted to
- medium, fine
- Soil pH range
- 6.0 to 8.5
- Minimum temperature tolerated
- -33 °F
- Frost-free days needed (minimum)
- 140
- Annual precipitation range
- 22 to 60 inches
- Minimum root depth
- 10 inches
- Salinity tolerance
- None
- Fertility requirement
- Medium
- Growth rate
- Rapid
- Lifespan
- Long
- Active growth period
- Spring
- Fruit or seed
- Black · Summer to Fall
- Can be propagated by
- bare root, container, seed
- Commercial availability
- No Known Source
From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for LOSE. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.
Names, range and relatives
Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Introduced; Lower 48 states: Native.
Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Phenianthus sempervirens.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 688 counties across 30 states; the most are in Virginia (72), North Carolina (66), Texas (49).
Other Lonicera on Bloomipedia (7): Amur honeysuckle, Japanese honeysuckle, Twinberry honeysuckle, Pink honeysuckle, Orange honeysuckle, Morrow's honeysuckle, Utah honeysuckle.
More from the Caprifoliaceae family (18 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Wild teasel, Common snowberry, Twinflower, Cutleaf teasel, Northern bush honeysuckle, Sitka valerian, Common valerian, Shortspur seablush.
More North Carolina flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile LOSE.
- iNaturalist, Lonicera sempervirens: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Lonicera sempervirens (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- North Carolina: North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301).
- North Carolina: North Carolina Noxious Weed List (02 NCAC 48A .1702) (the list names any non-native Lythrum; we apply it to purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), which isn't native).
- South Carolina: South Carolina State Plant Pest List, plants (S.C. Code Regs. 27-135; Clemson Dept. of Plant Industry).
- Oklahoma: Oklahoma Noxious Weed Law (2 O.S. § 3-220).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Lonicera sempervirens (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Michael J. Papay via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.