Lonicera hispidula

A climbing deciduous shrub with large pink flowers. Very drought tolerant and good in shady areas of the garden. Its pink flowers are used by hummingbirds. The red berries are eaten by birds. Great plant for around oaks with snowberry, coffeeberry and toyon Pink flowers spring-summer Red berries late summer through fall. Native to California and is also found outside of California, but is confined to western North America. Nectar source for butterflies and for hummingbirds. The berries are eaten by other birds. The Pomo tribe used the hollow stems for pipe stems and the burned wood ash for tattooing. Found in open woods, streambanks, slopes. Communitites located in Mixed Evergreen Forest, Redwood Forest, Douglas-Fir Forest, Foothill Woodland Between 0 and 2500 feet.

I’m always charmed to see this pretty Honeysuckle blooming when I’m out on a hike. The 3-4’ cluster of pink flowers are so cheery at a time when a lot of California natives are just waiting out the dry season. Blooming through Summer, the flowers are much appreciated by hummingbirds. Later followed by 1/4” jewel-like red berries, also savored by birds. The berries are also edible to humans too, but tend to be bitter. L. hispidula grows as a climbing deciduous vine which maybe isn’t the best choice for a trellis but looks wonderful twining through a supporting shrub. Growing to 6’ tall & wide, it has softly hairy blue-green leaves that occasionally fuse to form a funny oval leaf that the stem grows through the middle of. Found in oak woodlands from California through Washington, L. hispidula is drought & clay tolerant. The hollow stems of mature branches were used by the Pomo tribe as smoking pipes.