WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Lonicera sempervirens, WUCOLS IV

How often to water trumpet honeysuckle in California

In July in the Central Valley, established trumpet honeysuckle in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days: about 2.2 gallons each time for a plant 2 feet across, about 1.9 gallons a week. Trumpet honeysuckle is a vigorous twining vine from the eastern United States, climbing 10 to 20 feet on a trellis or fence. Its narrow, scarlet to orange-red trumpets are yellow inside and have no scent, and hummingbirds pollinate them. It grows best in rich soil that holds some moisture but drains well. Full sun gives the most flowers.

VineRated for 5 of 6 zones

How often to water trumpet honeysuckle, month by month

Your city
Plant width
2 ft
Your soil

Type your city above and the days between waterings and the gallons appear here, worked out from your city's climate table. Or read the figures by climate zone further down.

Every month, on your water days. The personal plan prints this for trumpet honeysuckle and the rest of your yard, on the days your water supplier allows.Get the plan for $19

How this is worked out: established roots fill the top 1.5 feet of soil, and you water again when that soil has dried halfway. Loam soil holds about 1.5 inches of water per foot. Water the whole area the plant covers, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.

Which soil do you have?

Dig down a few inches, take a handful of moist soil and squeeze it.

  • Sandy: gritty, falls apart when you open your hand, will not form a ball.
  • Loam: forms a soft ball that crumbles when you poke it.
  • Clay: forms a firm, sticky ball and squeezes out into a ribbon between thumb and finger.

Still not sure? Pick loam. Most garden beds sit between sand and clay.

How to measure plant width

A shrub with its width marked from one side to the other and the circle under it shaded blue

Measure across the plant, from the tips of the leaves on one side to the tips on the other.

Water the whole area the plant covers, shown in blue. The gallons here cover that area.

A wider plant means more gallons each watering, not more waterings. While it is young, measure again each spring.

How to tell it needs water

  • Soil dry 3 inches down at the base of the vine means it is time for a deep soak
  • Bluish-green leaves that droop in afternoon heat and are still limp by evening, over dry soil, point to thirst
  • Leaves that yellow and wilt while the soil stays wet point to soggy roots, since this vine needs good drainage
  • White powdery patches on the leaves are powdery mildew, a fungus problem rather than a sign of thirst
  • Plenty of leafy growth with few flowers often follows high-nitrogen fertilizer rather than a watering fault

How to water it

  • Water at the base of the vine with drip or a slow hose, keeping water off the leaves and flowers
  • Soak until water reaches about a foot down, then let the top few inches dry before the next soak
  • Work compost into the planting area, since this vine does best in humus-rich soil that drains well
  • Spread organic mulch over the root zone, keeping it a few inches back from the stems
  • Widen the watered area as the base thickens, or along the stems where the vine sprawls as a ground cover

Through the seasons

Water a new trumpet honeysuckle deeply through its first summer, until its roots grow well beyond the planting hole. Established vines need fewer, deeper soakings. Flower clusters open at the stem ends from spring into early summer, and red berries follow in late summer and early fall. The vine drops its leaves in cold winters and keeps some or all of them where winters are mild. Winter rain covers the cool months on the north-central coast and in the Central Valley. In both deserts, check the soil during dry winter spells. WUCOLS rates it moderate water on the north-central coast, in the Central Valley, in South Inland, in the high desert and in the low desert. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the south coast.

In pots

Trumpet honeysuckle can grow in a large, deep container if a trellis or obelisk goes in with it. Use a rich mix that drains freely. Check it 2 inches down every few days in summer, and daily in Central Valley, inland or desert heat. Water until it runs from the drainage holes, then empty the saucer so the roots do not sit wet. Feed lightly, since high-nitrogen fertilizer gives leaves instead of flowers. In winter a potted vine uses much less water, so let the mix dry a little more between soakings.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
2.67gal per sq ft in JulyModerate water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
17.11 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
0.761.52.33.00.4JAN0.65FEB1.09MAR1.52APR2.08MAY2.48JUN2.67JUL2.39AUG1.8SEP1.18OCT0.56NOV0.34DEC0.761.52.33.00.4JFM1.52AMJ2.67JAS1.18OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 2.67 in Jul, 17.11 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Trumpet Honeysuckle: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.4–0.780.740.78
Feb0.530.65–0.870.930.93
Mar0.871.09–1.31.461.52
Apr1.181.52–1.611.891.95
May1.462.08–1.952.392.45
Jun1.612.48–2.292.852.79
Jul1.612.67–2.513.042.85
Aug1.492.39–2.332.792.6
Sep1.241.8–1.862.142.08
Oct0.871.18–1.331.461.49
Nov0.470.56–0.90.930.96
Dec0.310.34–0.680.650.68
Year1217.11–18.4121.2721.08

How this is worked out: the WUCOLS water rating for each zone times that zone’s climate for the month. A dash means WUCOLS does not rate the plant there. The figures are what the plant uses, before sprinkler losses.

Plants with the same water needs 16

Rated moderate water in the Central Valley, like trumpet honeysuckle. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

JasmineJasminum polyanthummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyStar JasmineTrachelospermum jasminoides and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyHoneysuckleLonicera japonicamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyIvyHedera helixmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyGrapevinesVitis vinifera ssp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyClematisClematis & ssp., hybrids & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyEvergreen ClematisClematis armandiimoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyWinter CreeperEuonymus fortunei radicansmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyArabian JasmineJasminum sambacmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyHyacinth BeanLablab purpureus (Dolichos lablab)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyPink Trumpet VinePodranea ricasolianamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyPotato VineSolanum laxum (jasminoides)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyItalian ClematisClematis viticellamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyHopsHumulus lupulusmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBoston IvyParthenocissus tricuspidatamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyVirginia CreeperParthenocissus quinquefolia ssp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July

Similar plants that need less water 9

Rated lower than trumpet honeysuckle in the Central Valley. Worth a look for a new bed or a lawn replacement.

BougainvilleaBougainvillea & spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyWisteriaWisteria spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyFlowering WoodbineLonicera periclymenumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyFleeceflowerFallopia baldschuanica (Polygonum aubertii)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCarolina JessamineGelsemium sempervirenslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCecile Brunner RoseRosa 'Cecile Brunner'low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyLady Banks RoseRosa banksiaelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRoger's Red GrapeVitis 'Roger's Red'low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyBlue Dawn Morning GloryIpomoea acuminatalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes trumpet honeysuckle, your sprinkler type and the month, and gives the minutes per water day for that supplier's schedule. Or put it in a zone of the personal watering plan and get all twelve months printed.

Questions people ask

How often should I water trumpet honeysuckle in summer?

In July, established trumpet honeysuckle in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days in the Central Valley and about every 9 days in the South Inland zone. Sandy soil holds less water, so waterings come closer together. Clay stretches them. Check the soil before each watering and skip one after a soaking rain.

How much water does trumpet honeysuckle need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established trumpet honeysuckle needs about 0.3 gallons a day for a plant 2 feet across and about 1.1 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.

Does watering for trumpet honeysuckle change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates trumpet honeysuckle separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate water in the Central Valley zone, not evaluated in the South Coastal zone, moderate water in the South Inland zone, moderate water in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, moderate water in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

Why is my trumpet honeysuckle not blooming?

Shade is a common cause, since it flowers best in full sun. High-nitrogen fertilizer also pushes leaves at the expense of flowers. Prune only right after it blooms, so you do not cut off the next show.

When should I prune trumpet honeysuckle?

Prune as needed immediately after flowering. Thin tangled stems and shorten any that outgrow the support. Avoid pruning before it blooms.

Does trumpet honeysuckle attract hummingbirds?

Yes. Hummingbirds are its pollinators, drawn to the long red trumpets. Butterflies and bees visit too, and birds eat the red berries.

Are trumpet honeysuckle berries edible?

No, the small red berries are inedible for people. They form in late summer to early fall and look attractive on the vine. Birds eat them.

Can trumpet honeysuckle grow near the coast?

Yes. It tolerates salt, which makes it a good vine for coastal gardens. Give it full sun or part shade and soil that drains well.

Is trumpet honeysuckle a fire risk?

It has a high flammability rating. Keep it out of the defensible space close to your home. Plant lower flammability plants nearest the house.

More plant watering guides

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Sources