Penny,

Thank you for the advice. I already went ahead and purchased a goldflame honeysuckle. But the Coral honeysuckle definitely sounds good because I was intending on planting two vines anyway. I just have to hurry up because winter creeps in early, here in Michigan!

Thank you,
Mika

Mika,
If you decide to plant it now and you have to order one, I highly recommend Mail Order Natives as Amy's prices are great and her shipping is half of the cost of the plant. If you order one in spring it will still grow gangbusters in one season. Mine reached ten ft. the first summer that I had it and bloomed like crazy.

Penny

Mika - the goldflame honeysuckle was one of the plants that got me my first hummer! The other good thing about it was that it is one of the few non-asian fragrant honeysuckles (fragrance strongest in the late afternoon and evening). The only downside that I found with it (I tried them 2 years in a row) was Powdery Mildew - both got it very bad despite treating with non-toxic remedies. The PM stressed it so (yellowing and then dropped leaves) that neither survived the winter. If sited in a place with good air-circulation, it might help.

I have a coral honeysuckle ("Blanche Sandman") this year and the hummers did use it. It's blooming again right now. It also got a little PM earlier in summer but nowhere near as bad as the goldflame. The PM is gone at this point and I think it should be good to go getting established with its new flush of leaves, and it will hopefully do okay in winter (all of my plants are in containers). I also have a mandarin honeysuckle that the hummers used and that has never had PM since I've had it (about 4 years now).

Penny,
Thanks for referring me to to Mail Order Natives. It looks very reasonable and has a few items of interest to me. It's already getting cold here in Michigan, so it looks like the rest of my planting will be done in the spring. Winter likes to come early here, then sometimes makes a return in the spring.

Jenny, the goldflame was the first honeysuckle that I really liked. Well, the Harlequin too, but I couldn't find it locally at the time. I was also interested in the Mandarin or a coral honeysuckle, like penny recommended. I will see how it goes with the goldflame, although I think I probably should've purchased the mandarin. Gardening is a bit of a luxury for me that I can easily go overboard with, so I'm trying to research what I'm buying, it's susceptibility to powdery mildew, etc. Many of the goldlfames, and some of the mandarins at the nursery looked like they had a very minor case of PM. But I didn't know if one was more prone to PM than the other. My goldflame is facing east in a very sunny spot with decent air circulation. I'll see how mine fairs this coming spring. (fingers crossed)

I would like to put more honeysuckle near my other fences, but there are fruit trees near these fences. So, I've decided to be sensible and realize that it wouldn't be wise to put them there.

Thank you both for the terrific advice. I appreciate it!
Mika

I have a number of clematis and honeysuckle vines in my front yard. I don't notice hummingbirds in the clematis but they always visit the honeysuckles -- after visiting the agastache patches, of course!

And yes, it's hard to be sensible while gardening, much easier to be carried away ...

The hummingbirds are supposed to use the native clementis
addisonii and pitcheri. I planted both last month however some critter ate the addisonii. But the pitcher is doing well it has little red bell shaped flowers and Someone in eastern Pa said the hummers were all over it this past summer.

I was just about to post that they will use Clematis pitcheri. I do think the honeysuckle is used more though as it blooms over the whole season.

Penny

Penny this is a very tiny clementis. Arlene Koch was raving about on humnet They love the native honeysuckles for sure!@

Sarah you're right. I think I recall reading Arlene's post. I couldn't remember where I had heard about the pitcheri but I am pretty sure it was on Humnet now that you have said that. I have never seen pitcheri around here. All I ever see are the HUGE hybrids. In spring when they start to come out I will have to check around the nurseies to see if anyone locally has pitcheri. I really like the flower myself.

Penny

I love my fruit trees, but it would be awesome to utilize the fence near them for a vine that would attract hummers. Clematis Pitcheri!! Good to know that there are Clematis that might prove attractive to the hummers too. I've looked in books and I haven't found as much unique insight as I have here.

Mika

Penny - if you can't find C. pitcheri locally, Brushwood sells it here. Right now it is sold out but hopefully they'll get more. The link has a picture of it and it is very unusual to say the least.

Thanks Jenny,
I am sure they will have more cuttings rooted and ready in the spring. Have you tried it yet?

Penny

I have 3 clematis vines and the hummers love them, not only for nectar but also for shelter. They will also use spent blooms for nesting material. Another vine I have that they love is Carolina jessamine. It will take some pruning to keep it in bounds, but they love the flowers!