Description
Purpleflower honeysuckle is also known as wedded honeysuckle or double honeysuckle. The small yet very interesting maroon to deep purple flower clusters generally form a pair of flowers in the leaf axil that develop into double-lobed bright red berries in late summer. This deciduous shrub in the honeysuckle (Caprifoliaceae) family is native in the Western United States, from the Pacific Northwest south to the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. Purpleflower honeysuckle’s height can range from 3′-6′ and it can have either a slender shape or it can take on a full, bushy form. In the Klamath-Siskiyou Mountains it typically grows at higher elevations in full sun or part shade, in well-drained, sometimes rocky soil. In its mountain habitat it is quite drought tolerant, but will need supplemental water if grown in dry locations at low elevations. Although the flowers are small they are highly attractive to a wide variety of pollinators and birds feast on the ripe berries in late summer.
Purpleflower honeysuckle (Lonicera conjugialis) seed packets contain approximately 50 seeds per packet.
Seed Germination Instructions
This species requires approximately 60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow seeds outside in fall.
Sow seeds in pots or direct sow outside in fall with a light dusting of soil over the seeds and let nature do the stratification naturally outside if you have cold enough winters. If you live in an area with mild winters, you may need to provide the cold-moist stratification artificially. For more information please read through the information in our Seed Germination and Propagation Reference Guide.