The Gorgeous Flowering Plant That Adds Color & Privacy To Your Space

Do you want to add a massive pop of color to your garden? Or, perhaps you want to create a private oasis where you can relax in comfort without anyone else disturbing your peace. What about a gorgeous flowering plant that can do both? You can easily combine your need for color and privacy by growing just one terrific plant that will be the envy of your neighbors, family, and friends. This versatile and eye-catching beauty is known as coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) and you'll be surprised how easy it is to grow. It makes a good alternative to invasive English ivy to cover that fence or trellis you've erected to create your private space.

Coral honeysuckle is native to the U.S. and will happily grow in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 9. Best of all, it's a semi-evergreen with a rapid growth rate, so if you yearn for that extra color and privacy, you won't have long to wait before it becomes a reality. It has the most stunning orange-red or scarlet, trumpet-shaped blooms in large clusters on the ends of the stems. These outstanding flowers are also a magnet for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. The berries that follow are loved by songbirds and the plant is a larval host for the snowberry clearwing moth and the spring azure butterfly. Although this is a member of the same family as other honeysuckles, its lack of fragrance is one of the ways to tell if the honeysuckle in your yard is native or invasive.  

While you can add privacy to your outdoor space in a number of different ways, there's nothing quite as good as a living "wall" that changes with the seasons. As the end of winter nears, you can enjoy some of the lush new leaves in bluish green tones that will cover your privacy wall. When spring arrives, you'll be amazed by the profusion of colorful blooms that will appear on this verdant new growth. As these fade towards the end of summer, dark red to black berries will take their place and these remain into the fall. You'll also notice the leaves turning color at this time and these will amaze you, once again, with their orange and yellow hues, and the fact that some of them will persist right through winter.

Although coral honeysuckle can handle some shade, you'll get the brightest and most colorful display when it's grown in full sun. This species prefers organically rich soil that's well-drained and regular water during dry spells. The only maintenance it might need is a prune after it's finished flowering. But, this is only necessary if you want to control its shape and where it grows. You'll find that this is one of those outstanding climbing plants that will make you feel like you're living a fairytale, as you sit comfortably, drinking your morning coffee in complete privacy.