Plant Family: Caprifoliaceae
Growth Form: Twining vine that climbs on shrubs, trees, or support structures in the garden.
Leaves: Opposite, simple, smooth, elliptic to obovate, margins entire, the upper one or two pairs of leaves are united into a disk; evergreen in the Deep South, deciduous in New England.
Bark: Light brown or gray, peeling on older stems, pith solid.
Flowers: Red, slender, tubular, 4 – 6 cm long, in whorls at the twig tips; long-flowering, from late April to July.
Fruits: Bright red berries, in clusters at the twig tips; August to October.
Habitat: Woods and thickets, widely planted in yards and gardens, does best in full sun.
Range: Native to the southeastern U. S., it reaches the northern limit of its range in Massachusetts; populations further north are thought to be naturalized.
Key Feature: The attractive, red, tubular flowers are distinctive.
Comments: The flowers attract hummingbirds and other pollinators.
