California Honeysuckles, Lonicera spp.
California honeysuckles are not aggressive
vigorous vines like the kind you see completely engulfing chain
link fences. They tend to be more like open shrubs that couldn't
quite stand up on their own and needed to hold onto a few of their
neighbors.
In the photo on the right a Wrentit, Chamaea
fasciata, peering through the tangled branches of a Chaparral
Honeysuckle, Lonicera interrupta The
very pathetic wilted plant specimens are for comparing leaf
arrangements. (If anyone is into that kind of thing.) For more
attractive pictures (usually) and lots more information about the
plant, click on the links
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This tough drought tolerant honeysuckle grows
in the hot dry Chaparral of the interior coast ranges. It is happy
growing with Chamise,
Pitcher sage
, Redberry
or Elderberrry
usually on north facing slopes.
Here
is a coastal form of Chaparral Honeysuckle, Lonicera
interrupta. It has fuzzy new growth, and nearly smooth old
growth. Lonicera interrupta is an easy id. Look for the
connected top leaves and yellow flowers.
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Lonicera
interrupta, Chaparral Honeysuckle in the interior coast ranges
Chaparral
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Lonicera
interrupta. This coastal form of Chaparral Honeysuckle has
glossy smooth leaves.
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Lonicera
interrupta, Chaparral Honeysuckle in the interior coast ranges
Chaparral
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Lonicera
interupta. This Sierra form of Chaparral Honeysuckle has
dull green and smooth leaves.
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Lonicera
hispidula, California honeysuckle
 In
Lonicera hispidula the upper leaf pairs are fused around
the stem, the leaves are with obvious stipules, the corolla is
glandular-hairy. Its pink flowers are used by hummingbirds. The
red berries are eaten by birds. This drought tolerant,
deciduous,climbing shrub does best in part shade.
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Lonicera
hispidula, California honeysuckle.
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Lonicera
subspicata denutata, San Diego honeysuckle
This
is a nice ground cover with yellow flowers and attractive shiny
foliage.
(Mature
growth)
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 Lonicera
subspicata denutata, San Diego honeysuckle has yellows flowers
on an evergreen sprawling bush.
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Lonicera
subspicata denudata as it occurs in inner San Luis Obispo
county. (This is new growth.) Notice the underside of the leaf is
dull or white. Screwy ain't it?
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Lonicera
subspicata Johnstonii, Southern Honysuckle.
In
the underside of the leaf is kinda yellowish.
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Lonicera
subspicata johnstonii Southern Honeysuckle
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A
common occuring hybrid between the species Lonicera hispidula
and Lonicera denudata or Lonicera Johnstonii.
This one has yellow/pink flowers.
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Lonicera
invulucrata, Twinberry.
This
shrub grows in coastal marshes, along creeks and in mountain
meadows. The flower arrangement is really unique and gives this
plant some character. The berries are edible but yucky, really
bitter ( at least they were the last time I was brave enough to
eat one, probably when I was about 10 years old)
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Lonicera
subspicata, Santa Barbara Honeysuckle
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L.
Lonicera subspicata can be very confusing as some of the L.
denuata forms look VERY similar. This form occurs around Santa
Barbara. A number of the floras have the key transposed and and L.
denuata keys as L. subspicata.
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 Lonicera
ciliosa, Orange honeysuckle
The upper leaves are
clasping like L. hispidula, but do not have the waxy upper
side coating that L. hispidula has. This one has huge
bright orange flowers. It is really stunning.
In full shade with
nothing to climb on it will make a low groundcover. If it is
growing with shrubs it will be taller and climb around.
Because it is from
Northern California, if you live anywhere else, you will probably
need to give it a little water.
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