Does it need support?

Yes, it is a twining climber that requires a trellis, fence, or wall.

Prune after flowering to keep it tidy and encourage new growth.

Plant guide

Common honeysuckle.

Lonicera periclymenum

Pronounced lo-NISS-er-uh per-ih-KLY-men-um

Also known as European honeysuckle, Honeysuckle

Common Honeysuckle — Photo by Derek Winterburn (CC BY) via iNaturalist

This lovely climber is famous for its sweet, fragrant flowers that bloom throughout the summer. It is a classic choice for covering fences or trellises in a cottage garden. You will find it attracts plenty of pollinators like bees and moths to your yard.

Another photo of Common honeysuckle — Photo by Victor Heng (CC BY) via iNaturalist

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Deciduous vine
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Indoor light: Bright indirect
Water: Every 5 to 10 days
Mature size: 20 feet
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 5 to 9
Bloom time: Early summer to early autumn

Care

Plant this vine in a spot where its roots can stay cool while the foliage reaches for the sun. Keep an eye out for aphids on the new growth during the spring. Pruning after flowering helps keep the plant tidy and encourages more blooms next year.

Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, especially during dry spells.
Feeding: Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer during the active growing season.
Pruning: Prune back flowered stems in late summer to maintain shape and encourage growth.
Repotting: If grown in a container, move to a larger pot every few years when roots become crowded.
Soil: Well draining, fertile soil
Soil pH: Neutral to slightly alkaline
Temperature: -20 to 30°C
Humidity: 40 to 70%

Safety

People: All parts of the plant can cause mild stomach upset if ingested.
Pets: The berries can be mildly toxic to cats and dogs if ingested in large quantities.
Children: Keep children away from the berries as they are attractive but toxic if eaten.
Contact allergens: Contact with the sap may cause skin irritation in sensitive individuals.
Airborne allergens: The pollen is not considered a major allergen.
Edibility: The berries are mildly toxic and should not be consumed.

How to identify it

Twining woody stems
Fragrant tubular flowers
Opposite oval leaves
Red berries in autumn

Height: 3 to 6m
Spread: 1.5 to 3m
Leaves: dark green, blue green, deciduous
Flowers: creamy yellow, pink, red, 3 to 5cm
Fruit: red, Late summer to autumn

Problems to watch for

AphidsCommon
Powdery MildewCommon
Leaf ScorchUncommon
Sooty MoldUncommon

By symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: cuttings, layering, seed
When to plant: spring, autumn

Plant the base in shade to keep the roots cool while allowing the stems to reach for the sun.

Grows well with

Clematis · They share similar growing conditions and look lovely when intertwined.
Rose · Climbing roses provide a sturdy structure for the honeysuckle to climb.

Similar species

Japanese Honeysuckle · Similar growth habit but often considered invasive in North America.

Science

Family: Caprifoliaceae
Genus: Lonicera
Order: Dipsacales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Europe, North Africa, and parts of Western Asia.
Conservation: This species is common and not of conservation concern.

It grows in woodland edges and hedgerows where it can climb toward the light.

Value to wildlife: nectar source, provides cover for birds
Pollinators: bees, moths, butterflies
Uses: ornamental climber, fragrant garden plant, wildlife garden

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 1/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 6/9
Temperature: 5/9
Moisture: 5/9
Nutrients: 5/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Does it need support?: Yes, it is a twining climber that requires a trellis, fence, or wall.
How do I prune it?: Prune after flowering to keep it tidy and encourage new growth.

Where the name comes from

Lonicera honors Adam Lonitzer, a German botanist, while periclymenum is an ancient Greek name for honeysuckle.

Good to know

It is commonly known as woodbine.
The flowers are pollinated primarily by hawkmoths.
It is a classic cottage garden plant.

Also in

Plants toxic to cats and dogs

Keep your common honeysuckle growing

This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.