Is Tellmann's honeysuckle hardy?

Hardy down to -23 °C (USDA zone 6, RHS H7). In the colder parts of the country (Podlaskie Voivodeship) it may not survive winter without protection.

When does Tellmann's honeysuckle flower?

Flowering: May–July, orange, yellow.

How much water does Tellmann's honeysuckle need?

Water need: medium. Drought tolerance: medium.

Tellmann's honeysuckle

Lonicera × tellmanniana

Tellmann's honeysuckle (Lonicera × tellmanniana) is a climber. Light: part shade, full sun. Hardy down to -23 °C. Drought tolerance: medium.

Illustration of Tellmann's honeysuckle — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

A vigorous deciduous honeysuckle that carries clusters of large coppery orange tubular flowers at the shoot tips in early summer; it has no scent, but it flowers freely in part shade, which is rare among honeysuckles. It climbs by twining stems and has no suckers or aerial roots, so it needs something to wind around: a trellis, wire mesh, a fence, a pergola post or tensioned wires; it will not go up a bare wall on its own. That way it climbs to 4 or 5 metres, even more in a good spot, so give it room. It wants fresh, fertile, well-drained soil with its base in shade, and watering in dry summers.

Watch out for

Shoot tips and buds are often covered in aphids in late spring and early summer, mainly in baking sun in front of a warm wall; less so in part shade. Powdery mildew can also appear, mostly with dry roots and stagnant air, so in Central Europe water it in summer, mulch the soil and plant it where air moves. With time it goes bare at the base and tangles: thin it after flowering, and an old plant can be renewed by hard pruning spread over one or two years. It is a garden hybrid that sets few berries; there is no record of it escaping, and it is not on the EU, Hungarian or Slovak invasive lists.

Key facts

Light: Part shade, Full sun
Water need: Medium
Care: Medium
Size after 10 years: 4.5 m × 2 m
Hardiness: down to -23 °C
Foliage: Deciduous
Flowering: J F M A M J J A S O N D May–July, orange, yellow

All details

Group	Climber
Light	Part shade, Full sun
Size after 10 years	4.5 m × 2 m
Ultimate size	3–6 m × 1–3 m
Hardiness	down to -23 °C (USDA 6, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay
Foliage	Deciduous
Flowering	May–July, orange, yellow
Water need	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium
Maintenance	Medium
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Low
Distance from buildings	no data
Distance from paving	no data
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	150 cm
For dogs	no data
For cats	no data
For children	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	no data

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 17, 2026 · How our data is made

Appears in these lists

Plants for screening

Looks good next to it

Cherry laurel 'Novita'

Prunus laurocerasus 'Novita'

Apple

Malus domestica

Star magnolia

Magnolia stellata