Honeysuckle care — light, water, toxicity and hardiness
Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) wants full sun and a drink about every 7 days once established. It is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. It is toxic to pets — worth keeping out of reach.
| scientific name | Lonicera japonica |
|---|---|
| family | Caprifoliaceae |
| category | vine |
| plant type | perennial |
| light | full sun |
| water cadence days | 7 |
| min zone | 4 |
| max zone | 9 |
| frost tolerant | true |
| toxic to pets | true |
| edible | false |
How often should I water Honeysuckle?
Water during dry spells; vigorous and undemanding.
Is Honeysuckle toxic?
The berries are mildly toxic to pets and people if eaten.
Who eats it
Palatable to browsing animals such as deer: medium. Palatable to grazing animals: low. Palatable to people: no.
What it needs
Its shade tolerance is low. Its moisture use is medium. Its drought tolerance is medium. It wants at least about 30 inches of rain a year. Above roughly 60 inches of annual rain it struggles. It tolerates soil down to pH 4.9. It tolerates soil up to pH 8.3. Its fertility requirement is medium. Adapted to coarse, sandy soils: yes. Adapted to medium, loamy soils: yes. Adapted to fine, clay soils: yes. Its tolerance of waterlogging is low. It needs at least 135 frost-free days. Its salt tolerance is low. Its tolerance of chalky soil is low. Its fire tolerance is high. Fire resistant: yes. It has been recorded down to -13°F. It suppresses neighbours chemically: no.
How it grows
It grows as a stoloniferous form. Its growth rate is rapid. Its lifespan is short. It puts on most of its growth in spring, summer, fall. It spreads by seed at a slow rate. It spreads vegetatively at a rapid rate. It resprouts after damage: yes. Coppices: no. At maturity it reaches about 1.0 feet. Its roots go down at least 10 inches. Its shape is prostrate. It holds its leaves through winter: yes.
What it looks like
It blooms in mid spring. The flowers are white. Conspicuous in flower: yes. The foliage is green. The foliage texture is medium. In summer the canopy is dense in porosity. In winter it is moderate in porosity. Fall colour: no. The fruit or seed is black. Fruit begins in summer. Fruit finishes by summer. It fruits low. The fruit persists on the plant: no. The fruit is conspicuous: yes.
Growing more of it
Propagated by seed: yes. Propagated by cuttings: yes. Propagated by container: yes. Propagated by bare root: yes. Propagated by bulb: no. Propagated by corm: no. Propagated by tubers: no. Cold stratification required: yes. Seedling vigour is medium. Commercial availability: routinely available.
Source: USDA PLANTS Database; US Cooperative Extension horticulture publications · ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List · 2026-09-02