I thought this came out nicely. This plant has persevered through some woeful gardening bad luck and bad decisions, and seems to have relished this very hot, dry summer. The hummingbirds just love it. It is rare not to see one with its beak half buried in a flower. Although I get an occasional fruit or two, which are okay attractive, I have not had any invasiveness issues.
Scott
Although I get an occasional fruit or two, which are okay attractive, I have not had any invasiveness issues.
Are you including Lonicera sempervirens in your general condemnation? Lovely native vine that is almost evergreen here. I've never seen it listed as invasive. The cultivar Blanche Saunders(red) does not reseed itself but is easy to propagate from cuttings in the spring. I also have a yellow flowered variety "John Clayton".
This message was edited Sep 2, 2006 6:20 AM
Here's a photo of the yellow lonicera sempervirens in a more shaded position.
Nice camera Scott !
I agree with you, Sempervirens, even if your name suggests a bias! You are growing some spectacular specimens in your garden. I also have L.s. "John Clayton". It is beautiful all year long and blooms from late February through December here. It hits its peak in April just as the hummingbirds are returning. Also makes translucent red berries that other birds love to eat. It is my favorite native vine and I would hate to find out that it is a menace. I have never seen a volunteer pop up. Wish I could say the same for the hideous L. japonica that is taking over the county.
Edited to try and fix spacing - looks OK on the preview
This message was edited Sep 2, 2006 12:53 PM
This message was edited Sep 2, 2006 12:55 PM
This all reminds me, is Dropmore Scarlet not a L. x heckrotti type? If it is, is not L. x heckrotti a hybrid of two American species? If so, how invasive can it be? Which is all academic anyway, because my plant sets very little fruit and I've never seen a stray plant. I even planted seeds one year and got nothing for my efforts.
Scott
"Purported" to be Lonicera sempervirens x Lonicera americana, introduced before 1895.
So, till some DNA analysis is done, heritage/bloodlines remain indeterminate. I've never heard anyone claim this is a problem plant anywhere in the US, yet.
For those concerned, plant the species or named clones of same since there are plenty to choose from. They are all pretty easy to grow and equally rewarding in quantity and length of bloom.
Sofi, Thanks, it is my favorite native vine also. Definite bias.
Bias works wonders, in both directions. I've never tried this plant, and due to being burned so badly by others in the genus I never will enjoy the potential pleasure of growing it. If it's benign, that's great, and more power to you all. But the mere thought of the word "Lonicera" (or Elaeagnus, or Ligustrum, etc.) makes my hair stand on end and my skim crawl. I couldn't sleep at night knowing it was out there in my garden conjuring up evil actions against me!
Guy S.
I hate it when my (or your) skim crawls.
Grow it in a pot by your front door and enjoy the hummingbirds. If you can control Albizia, then a poor little red trumpet honeysuckle would be child's play.
According to Hightshoe, it looks like it's native all around your part of the world. It consorts with the likes of post oak, tuliptree, dogwood, fringe tree, red cedar, sumac, persimmon, blackhaw viburnum, and gray dogwood, so it seems quite IL-suited.
We already have plenty of potted hummer plants -- Thryallis, Jasmins and Mandevillas of all sorts, Ungnadia, Bougainvilla, Allamanda, various Aloes, etc. I'm probably just biased against Lonicera because the first three species I learned decades ago all are extremely invasive. I don't have the same "skim-syndrom" with Rhamnus, for example, probably because the first three I Iearned were North American natives and I liked them. I hate the invasive ones, but not the whole genus (or genera, if you're a splitter).
Guy S.
You just gave me a lump(er) in my throat.
Well, just split it out before it chokes you, or we might have to do the Heimia maneuver! (Better still, we could give you a Viburnumectomy . . . )
That would be the end of any cross-pollinating in my future.
I'd like to plant our native Lonicera dioica and Lonicera prolifera, but haven't seen them for sale anywhere in awhile.
