Twinberry honeysuckle (Lonicera involucrata)
Sold as: Bareroot, 12”

Twinberry honeysuckle (Lonicera involucrata) is an upright deciduous shrub that grows up to 12-16 ft tall. It is an excellent plant for attracting pollinators like hummingbirds! The leaves are in opposite pairs, egg or broadly lance shaped, pointed, and often hairy beneath. The flowers are tubular, in pairs, and yellow (except for the orange-red tinted flowers for the coastal variety ledebourii). The double or “twin” shiny black berries that ripen in July or later are cupped by prominent purple-red colored bracts.

Twinberry honeysuckle occurs from the sea coast to high elevations in alpine regions. It ranges from Alaska south to Mexico and west through the Rocky Mountain states, as well as most of Canada. The species is adapted to soils that vary from course sand to fine textured silt and clay with a pH of 5 to 8 (moderately high acidity to slightly basic). Found on moist, seasonally wet, and flooded sites, habitats include moist woods, thickets, riparian zones and bogs. It also occurs in brackish tidal swamps and sandy areas along the coast. While tolerant of full sun, twinberry honeysuckle is most commonly found under shady conditions. It will grow on upland soils with moderate fertility but drought tolerance is lacking.

Classification: Perennial, shrub
Key Characteristics: Fruit, small yellow flowers
Light Requirements: Partial Sun to Shade
Water Requirements: Wet soil
Ease of Growing: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Bloom Time: Mid-season
Spreads: No
Type of support: Wildlife, raingarden, pollinator, wildfire resistant
Edible: No
Mature Height: 8 - 12 feet
Mature Width: 4 - 10 feet

Photo Credit: Ashley Smithers, WACD PMC