More plants available in 2025
Major Wheeler is arguably the best coral honeysuckle and is perfect for growing up trellises, fences, and arbors to provide color and attract wildlife.
- Hummingbird favorite
- Red flowers throughout most of the growing season
- A tough vine that’s well behaved
Details
- Twinning habit, growing 10 to 20 ft.
- Fast-growing in rich soil
- In gardens that only receive light frosts, leaves stay evergreen
- Hardy in USDA hardiness zones 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9
Flowering period
In central North Carolina, blooming starts in March, and on mature vines, it can continue throughout the growing season and sometimes into December.
How to grow
Sun to part shade, more sun equals more flowers. Prefers moist, well-drained moist soil, but it is adaptable and drought tolerant, once established. Avoid planting in wet soil.
Care and maintenance
If you need to prune, do it after their heavy spring flush of flowers, so as not to lose next year’s blooms. To prevent damage from deer, protect vines with netting or chicken wire until they grow above deer browsing height, about 5 ft. high.
Where to plant
Any vertical structure; including pergolas, pillars, and gazebos. Major Wheeler can also be planted in a large container to train along a deck railing.
When to plant
The best time is spring or fall (in the south), but with attention to watering, vines can be planted through the summer.
Spacing
8 to 12 feet apart. Depending on how fertile and moist the soil is, plants will cover around 60 to 120 sq. ft. of space.
When will my plant flower?
Spring-planted vines should produce some blooms in their first year.
What’s the difference between Major Wheeler and ordinary coral honeysuckle?
Major Wheeler has a longer and heavier flowering display than the species, Lonicera sempervirens. However, if you want to have lots of berries, you’ll need another coral honeysuckle that is not Major Wheeler. This allows the flowers of each vine to cross-pollinate and produce more fruit.
Native habitat and range
The species is native along woodland edges from Maine to Florida.
Source and origin
Plants are grown here at the nursery from cuttings. The original Major Wheeler coral honeysuckle was discovered on the North Carolina coast.
| States | Orders up to $50 | Orders $51 to $100 | Orders over $100 |
| AL, DE, GA, KY, MD, NC, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, and WV | $16 | $18 | $20 |
| AR, CT, FL, IL, IN, LA, MA, MI, MO, MS, NH, NJ, NY, RI, VT, and WI | $18 | $20 | $22 |
| IA, KS, ME, MN, OK, and TX | $20 | $22 | $24 |
| CO, NE, ND, and SD | $22 | $24 | $26 |
Sorry, we can't ship plants outside of the continental United States or to AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, NM, NV, OR, UT, and WA due to agriculture restrictions.
When will my order be shipped?All plants are shipped within two weeks of placing an order.
Is it okay to plant in the winter?Yes, as long as the soil is not frozen. Planting native perennials in winter and early spring gives your plants a head start before the summer heat arrives.
What if it’s too cold to plant where I live, but I want to buy a plant before it sells out?Dormant plants can safely be kept in a basement, garage, or cool room until you are ready to plant in late winter or early spring.
How will my plants get delivered?Most orders are shipped on Monday or Tuesday via UPS Ground, which depending on the destination takes between 1 to 4 days.
Are your plants shipped in their containers?Yes, all our plants are shipped in their growing containers. The majority are grown in containers that are 4.5 inches wide by 5 inches deep and 32 fl. oz. / 946 ml in volume.
Do you guarantee your plants?We guarantee our plants to be healthy, ready for planting and correctly named. We are not able to guarantee whether a plant will grow in your garden as there are too many circumstances that are beyond our control.
On rare occasions, a plant shipped dormant may fail to emerge from its dormancy. If this happens, please let us know. If you are concerned about a plant, please contact us within 14 days to let us know. If we can’t help you make it grow, we’ll send you a new plant or issue a refund.
You can return your plants if you no longer want them once they arrive. To receive a refund (minus 20% restocking fee) the plants must be returned in good condition. Return shipping is the customer’s responsibility.
Can I cancel my order?Yes, you can cancel your order. Please visit our terms and service page for details.
What about sales tax?We propagate our own plants and are not required to collect North Carolina sales tax.
Where can I find information about your plants?Here are some FAQ on how we grow plants.
