Climber · Caprifoliaceae family
common honeysuckle
Lonicera periclymenum
In short a 10-second read
Common honeysuckle (climber) grows to 3–6 m tall and 0.9–1.8 m wide when mature. It grows best in full sun to part shade, in average to moist soil. It flowers in June–September; the flowers are white, yellow, pink, purple or red. Hardy to −29 °C.
× spread 0.9–1.8 m
Where to plant
Sun, soil, frost.
It grows best in full sun to part shade, in average to moist soil. Hardy to −29 °C.
Sun
Tolerates several positions — choose to suit the rest of the garden.
Soil and water
average to moist · watering: a lot
Soil: loamy, sandy, clay, humus-rich
Soil pH 5.5–8.5
Frost
It copes with a normal winter outdoors.
How much space it takes
Mature size.
The mature plant next to a person (175 cm).
Next to a person
Reaches maturity in about 5–10 years. The final size depends on the cultivar and the spot — we give the range from smallest to largest.
Calendar
What to do and when.
Months for Central Europe. The line shows the current month.
The year at a glance
Flowers
June–September · white, yellow, pink, purple or red
Pruning
prune after flowering (as needed)
Planting
container plant: October–April
Winter protection
not needed
Overwintering
It copes with winter on its own.
It overwinters outdoors without protection, hardy to −29 °C.
- Needs no protection
- Hardy to −29 °C
- Deciduous — bare in winter
What to combine it with
Same needs, different flowering.
They share the same sun and soil and flower in other months — so the bed flowers for longer.
Frequently asked
Quick answers.
When does common honeysuckle flower?
In June–September; the flowers are white, yellow, pink, purple or red.
Does common honeysuckle tolerate shade?
It tolerates part shade (3–6 hours of sun), but not full shade.
How much space does common honeysuckle need?
At maturity 0.9–1.8 m wide and 3–6 m tall; recommended spacing 120 cm.
Does common honeysuckle survive winter outdoors?
Yes, without protection, hardy to −29 °C.
Where the data comes from
We compared the data in 18 expert sources. Last checked 20 October 2026.
Show sources (18)
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Lonicera periclymenum
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Lonicera periclymenum
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Lonicera periclymenum
- GBIF Occurrence Search API — Lonicera periclymenum
- Wikidata (CC0) — Lonicera periclymenum
- EPPO Global Database — Lonicera periclymenum
- RHS - Lonicera periclymenum
- RHS - How to grow climbing honeysuckle
- RHS - Climbers: pruning established
- RHS - Trees and shrubs: planting
- Clemson HGIC - Planting Trees Correctly
- Invasive plant lists — this species is not on them: EASIN, EU, Slovakia, Czechia, Germany, Poland, Denmark
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