Zone: 4 to 9

Soil: Sand to loam

Light: Full sun to part shade

Bloom colour: Red, pink and yellow

Bloom period: May to September

Height: Up to 10 feet

Moisture: Dry to medium

Attracts: Hummingbirds and queen bumblebees

Notes:

Honeysuckles that are planted in gardens are usually vines that can grow up to 10 feet in height with the right support. Avoid planting Japanese or tartarian honeysuckle, which were commonly planted in gardens. They are dreadfully invasive.

There are four species worth considering and they all flower in the spring. They all require a reasonable amount of moisture. If you have regular garden soil and some watering, then these plants will have no problem growing. If you have dry sandy soil or a heavy clay soil, then they may survive one season. These plants do well in part-sun and reasonably drained soil with L. canadensis being the most shade tolerant.

L. dioica, is the most widespread as it is found across Canada and most of the north eastern united states. It has mostly red flowers. The shape and colour suggest that it is pollinated by hummingbirds (sorry, no personal observations to validate this). It flowers for a few weeks and then it produces red berries.

L. hirsuta is a stronger vine with larger and hairier leaves. The flowers are also quite similar except that they are yellow going on to produce orange berries. They are most likely pollinated by bees. For both of the aforementioned species, a trellis is recommended to support the leading vine.

L. sempervirens, known as trumpet honeysuckle is a much stronger vine that can grow over 10 feet high. You need an arbor, or at the very least, a trellis, to show off this incredibly attractive plant. It is not native to Canada, but it does grow in most of the eastern United States. What is notable about this plant is the extended flowering season. It flowers in spring like the other species mentioned here, but it can continue flowering up until September. The flowers have a narrow and deep red corolla that can only be pollinated by hummingbirds. Once a hummingbird finds this plant, it will remember its location and return on a regular basis to feed from it. The selection shown here is 'Major Wheeler', which is noted for having a heavier and extended bloom. If you want a heavy fruit set, you will need to plant this selection near a straight species or a different cultivar. Trumpet honeysuckle is very easy to grow and will give you spectacular results.

Honeysuckles are often attacked by aphids in the spring. Instead of using pesticide, it is preferable to let goldfinches clean them up. These birds supplement their seed diet with insects. If you do not have finches available, ladybirds or lacewings will eventually come in and bring the aphid population under control. Flowering will resume soon after this has occurred.

For gardeners from Eastern Canada, who want to plant a truly native species, Canada fly honeysuckle, Lonicera canadensis, is recommended. As shown in the picture, it is not particularly floriferous, but if you have a small shady spot that needs filling, then this plant is perfect. It flowers early in Southern Ontario before the hummingbirds arrive and it is popular with queen bumblebees. This shrub sprawls and should be supported with a cane. It produces pairs of small yellow flowers. After fertilisation, the berries that form on each flower fuse together at the base. This plant grows up to about 4 feet in height and the leaves remain in good condition throughout the growing season.