Orange Trumpet Honeysuckle
Upper image by Walter Siegmund
Licensed Under: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Unported
Lower: Claudia Gorbman
Orange trumpet honeysuckle, Lonicera ciliosa, is a garden-worthy native vine, found in thickets and along creek and river banks from British Columbia to Northern California. Growing in open shade or part sun, orange honeysuckle is adaptable to a variety of soils, but does prefer moister conditions. It will scramble up through shrubs and trees as high as 20 feet. It's sweetly scented flowers appear May-June and attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Later, the flowers become red berries that are eaten by birds, including robins, finches, juncos and flickers
Lonicera ciliosa was used by Native American people in a variety of ways. An infusion made from the leaves was used
as a contraceptive and tea made from the bark was used to
treat colds and sore throats. They used the vines for weaving
mats and making rope.