Lonicera x heckrottii

Lonicera x heckrotii is a particularly floriferous, well-coloured, and fragrant hybrid Honeysuckle, vigorous but with moderate dimensions, which allows it to be integrated into a small-sized garden or grown in a large pot on the terrace. It is seductive with its strongly scented and spicy summer flowering. Its flowers, very numerous, mix tones of pink, red, yellow, and cream, and succeed each other during a very long period, on a beautiful green-blue foliage that persists more or less in winter depending on the climate. This variety is also very ornamental when grown as a bush, in a hedge, or in a country flowerbed.

Lonicera x heckrotii is a horticultural hybrid resulting from the cross-breeding of L. sempervirens and L. americana (L. caprifolium × L. etrusca) carried out in the U.S.A before 1900. It is sometimes assimilated to the cultivars 'American Beauty' and 'Gold Flame', to which it bears a strong resemblance. All these plants belong to the Caprifoliaceae family. It is a deciduous to evergreen variety, with a bushy to climbing habit depending on the severity of the winter. The mature plant will reach approximately 4m (13ft) in height and 2.50m (8ft) in width. The flowering, particularly generous from June-July to September, takes place at the end of the young shoots, throughout the growth period. The tubular flowers, 4cm (2in) long, of a deep carmine red, open onto two lips of a very bright yellow, exhaling a powerful fragrance. Over time, they turn pink with a cream throat. They are gathered in dense whorls in the axils of the leaves. After pollination by bees and certain nocturnal butterflies, they produce small red berries that are toxic to humans but sought after by some birds. The young voluble branches are more or less reddish, adding a touch of colour to this lovely honeysuckle. The foliage consists of ovate leaves, 5cm (2in) long, taking on a pretty green-blue hue when ripe.

Lonicera x heckrotii can be trained to climb on a trellis, wire mesh, or espalier, especially on a pergola located on a patio, a terrace, or near the house where its fragrant flowering will be greatly appreciated. Alternatively, according to one's desires and tastes, it can be placed on a fence or above a stone wall where it will gracefully cascade. When grown as a bush, it will enhance a flowerbed near the house or the foreground of a flowering hedge, the edge of a grove... There is no shortage of ideas for associations with clematis plants: for example, it can be paired with small clematis plants like Clematis patens 'Shin-Shigyoku', 'Prince Charles', winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum), perennial peas (Lathyrus latifolius 'Red Pearl'), a small climbing rose 'Laguna', bright pink...