Washington Native Plant Society: Starflower Image Herbarium

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Lonicera ciliosa

Orange Honeysuckle

At a Glance: Climbing vine with clusters of tubular bright orange flowers.

Height: Typically up to 20 feet (6 meters).
Growth Form: Vine.
Stems: Hollow twigs.
Leaves: The end-pair leaves on each twig are joined to form a disk; stems leaves are opposite, oval, with a whitish bloom underneath; size: 4-10 cm (1.5-4 in) long.
Flowers: Flowers narrowly trumpet-shaped flaring to 5 lobes, bright orange; in whorls above end-pair disks at stem tips; can become purple when drying; size: 2-4 cm (.8-1.5 in) long.
Flowering Period: May, June.
Fruits: Bunches of small several seeded berries; size: 1 cm; color: orange-red.


Photo © Ben Legler

Sun/Shade Tolerance	Hydrology	Elevation Range
full sun > 80% mostly sunny 60%-80% partial sun and shade 40%- 60% mostly shady 60%-80% full shade > 80%	wet moist dry	low elevation mid elevation sub-alpine high elevation

Soil Preferences
(data not available)

Habitat Preferences
Aquatic and Wetland: Ponds or lakes Shallow pools Sloughs Swales or wet ditches Seasonally inundated areas Marshes or swamps Aquatic bed wetlands Emergent wetlands Scrub-shrub wetlands Forested wetlands Bogs, fens Seeps, springs Shorelines and Riparian: Lake shores Bog margins Streams or rivers Stream or river banks Riparian corridors River bars Floodplains Bottomlands Alluvial areas	Saltwater Areas: In or near saltwater Mud flats Tidal areas Estuaries Saltmarshes Brackish water Seashores Coastal dunes or beaches Rocky or Gravelly Areas: Coastal bluffs Cliffs Rocky slopes Outcrops Crevices Glacial outwash Gullies Slide areas Sub-alpine and Alpine: Heaths Snow beds Tundra Avalanche tracks	Forests and Thickets: Forests and woods Open forests Coniferous forests Old growth forests Deciduous forests Mixed forests Nurse logs Forest edges, openings, or clearings Thickets Meadows and Fields: Pastures or fields Meadows or grassy areas Mossy areas Disturbed Areas: Roadsides Trailsides Logged sites Burned areas Disturbed sites

Wildlife Value
Berries Seeds Nectar for hummingbirds Nectar for butterflies Host for insect larvae Thickets and shelter Thorny or protective cover	Birds: Fruit eaten by grouse, pheasants, flickers, robins, thrushes, bluebirds, waxwings, grosbeaks, finches, and juncos. Hummingbirds visit the flowers. Twining habit creates nest spots for small birds.

Ethnobotanical Uses and Other Facts

Material Uses: The stems were used for weaving, binding, and lashing by interior B.C. peoples.
Medicinal Uses: Bark was boiled as tea for sore throats. The leaves soaked in hot water were used to stimulate milk flow in Swinomish women; leaves were also chewed and swallowed for colds. Leaves dipped in water were drunk as a contraceptive by the Chehalis, and girls would bathe in the water to get long beautiful hair.
Food Uses: Saanich children sucked the nectaries.
Ecological Importance: Can reach as high as 60 in trees.

Name Info: Lonicera is named after Adam Lonitzer, a German naturalist.

Suggested References

Gunther, E. 1973. 2nd ed. Ethnobotany of Western Washington. University of Washington Press. Page 48.
Hickman, J.C., ed. 1993. The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California. University of California Press. Page 472.
Hitchcock, C.L., A. Cronquist. 1973. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Page 452.
Jacobson A.L. 2001. Wild Plants of Greater Seattle. Published by author. Page 132.
Kruckeberg, A.R. 1996. 2nd ed. Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Page 124.
Link, R. 1999. Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Page 275.
Lyons, C., W. Merilees. Trees and Shrubs to Know in Washington and British Columbia. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 128.
Pojar, J., A. Mackinnon. 1994. Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 69.

The landscaping and restoration information provided on this page is taken from Starflower Foundation Image Herbarium. All photographs © Starflower Foundation unless otherwise noted.