Honeysuckle Dropmore Scarlet

A wonderfully coloured honeysuckle, Lonicera brownii Dropmore Scarlet is a really beautiful, semi-evergreen (deciduous in colder areas) climber, which will need support. The leaves are ovate, and blue-green, setting off the flowers well. From July to September, the plant carries rich scarlet, trumpet-shaped, unscented flowers, followed in hot summers by small, red berries, good food for birds. The lack of scent is more than compensated for by the gorgeous flowers. Cut back flowered stems after flowering by one-third, and mulch well with well-rotted manure or compost in spring to conserve moisture.

Site: Sheltered
Soil: Any fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil
Position: Full sun or partial shade
Season of interest: July to September
Hardiness: Fully hardy
Height: 13’ (4m) Spread: 6’ 6” (2m) eventually

Photos by Matt Lavin and David Stang, cropped, and licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 and 4.0.

To care for your Dropmore Scarlet Honeysuckle, plant it in a sheltered spot with fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil. It can tolerate full sun or partial shade. During the growing season from July to September, enjoy its beautiful scarlet flowers. After it finishes flowering, cut back the flowered stems by about one-third to encourage new growth. In spring, add a layer of well-rotted manure or compost to help keep the soil moist. Remember, it’s fully hardy, so it can withstand cold temperatures. Just make sure it has support as it’s a climber. The small red berries that appear in hot summers are a treat for the birds, but you don’t need to do anything special about them for the plant’s care.