Lonicera x 'Mandarin' – Mandarin Honeysuckle

The 'Mandarin' honeysuckle is a Canadian hybrid climbing vine that offers a truly spectacular show. This vigorous vine stands out for its clusters of intense mandarin-orange tubular flowers and its new coppery-hued spring foliage. Its exuberance and long blooming season make it a top choice for quickly and elegantly covering any vertical structure in the garden.

Characteristics

• Foliage: In the spring, the new foliage displays an attractive coppery-purple hue before turning a glossy green for the rest of the season. The deciduous leaves are oval-shaped and grow in pairs along the stems.
• Flowering: From summer to fall, it produces clusters of large, fragrant, trumpet-shaped flowers, nearly 8 cm (3 inches) long. They showcase a vibrant mandarin-orange colour with a paler interior, creating a luminous effect.
• Light: It flowers most abundantly in full sun but also adapts well to a location in partial shade.
• Habit: It develops a twining, climbing vine habit. Its stems naturally wrap around their support to climb.
• Growth: Fast and vigorous. It can easily grow 1.5 to 2 metres (5-6 feet) in a single season, reaching a total height of 4.5 to 6 m (15-20 feet).
• Moisture: It prefers average moisture conditions.
• Soil: It thrives in average, well-drained garden soil.
• Hardiness: Very hardy, it faces winters down to Zone 3 or 4 without any problem.
• Watering: It requires regular watering during its first season to establish a good root system. Once established, it better tolerates short periods of drought.
• Resistance: It demonstrates good resistance to rabbits.

Uses

• Types of Use: It is the perfect plant to quickly and beautifully cover a trellis, pergola, arbour, fence, or even an old tree. It can also be left to drape over a wall or used as a ground cover over a large area.
• Ornamental Features: Its brilliant flowers attract gazes and hummingbirds, adding an exotic touch and strong verticality to the garden. The colourful spring foliage offers additional interest early in the season.

Care

• Fertilizing: Apply an all-purpose fertilizer in the spring to support its vigorous growth.
• Pruning: Prune annually in early spring to control its size, maintain a desired shape, and encourage denser flowering.
• Planting: Provide a sturdy support right from planting to guide its twining stems.