Lonicera hildebrandiana

RHS Plant Profile

giant Burmese honeysuckle

RHS

Other common names

giant honeysuckle

Climber Wall Shrub Conservatory Greenhouse

Buy this from Plant Nurseries
6 Suppliers

The largest honeysuckle. It is an evergreen climber capable of reaching 10m or more, with flowers and leaves both up to 15cm long. The leaves are dark green and glossy. The highly fragrant, tubular flowers appear in pairs in the leaf axils all summer, opening pale cream and maturing to pale orange. Red berries up to 3cm long follow

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam

Max Height

8-12 metres

Max Spread

4-8 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 4-8 metres
Max Height: 8-12 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H2

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Caprifoliaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Climbing
Potentially harmful: Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Genus: Lonicera can be deciduous and evergreen shrubs, or climbers with twining stems. The tubular or two-lipped flowers, often very fragrant, are followed by red or black berries
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: SE Asia, China

How to Grow

Cultivation

May survive against a warm wall in very mild areas, otherwise grow in a cool greenhouse or conservatory in peat-free, loam-based compost with bright, filtered light

Propagation

Propagate by layering, or take semi-ripe cuttings in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Wall side borders

Pruning

Pruning group 11

Pests

May be susceptible to honeysuckle aphids, thrips and glasshouse whitefly

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews, fungal leaf spot, silver leaf and honey fungus (rarely)