← Plant Guides

How to Grow Honeysuckle Dropmore Scarlet

Wikimedia Commons

Honeysuckle Dropmore Scarlet

Lonicera × brownii 'Dropmore Scarlet'

vine

Dropmore Scarlet is a cold-hardy, deciduous to semi-evergreen climbing vine prized for its vibrant scarlet-red tubular flowers that bloom throughout the growing season. Native to temperate regions, this hybrid honeysuckle is extremely vigorous and attracts hummingbirds and pollinators with its nectar-rich flowers. It's an excellent choice for trellises, arbors, and ornamental screening in colder climates.

When should you plant Honeysuckle Dropmore Scarlet in your zone?

Get a personalized planting timeline — when to start seeds, transplant, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Free to start.

Get my Honeysuckle Dropmore Scarlet timeline →

Example Honeysuckle Dropmore Scarlet timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

  1. Plant Honeysuckle Dropmore Scarlet

    Around Apr 17

    Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.

  2. Tend & protect

    Late spring–summer

    Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.

  3. Harvest Honeysuckle Dropmore Scarlet

    Late summer into fall

    Before the first fall frost (≈ Nov 8)

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Honeysuckle Dropmore Scarlet dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

☀️
Sun: Full sun to partial shade; 6+ hours of direct sunlight daily for best flowering
💧
Water: Moderate water needs; keep soil consistently moist during the first growing season. Once established, it is drought-tolerant but performs better with regular watering during dry spells. Water at the base to avoid foliage diseases.
📏
Spacing: 36-60 inches (3-5 feet apart if planting multiple vines) inches
📅
Days to maturity: 12-18 months to mature size; flowers appear in the first season
🌱
Planting depth: Plant transplants at the same depth as their container; bare-root vines with the graft union 1-2 inches below soil surface to encourage hardiness

Soil

Type: Well-draining loamy soil; tolerates a range of soil types including sandy or clay soils
pH: 6.0-7.5
Amendments:
Compost or aged manure at planting Mulch to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature Perlite or coarse sand if soil is heavy clay

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 3-8; exceptionally cold-hardy for a honeysuckle

3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b

Sign up free to see if Honeysuckle Dropmore Scarlet grows in your zone — and get a personalized planting timeline.

Get my Honeysuckle Dropmore Scarlet timeline →

Growth Stages

1

Establishment

4-8 weeks

Young vine with minimal growth; focus on developing a strong root system. Leaves are small and spaced along thin stems.

Water regularly and keep mulched. Do not fertilize heavily. Ensure support structure is in place. Prune only to remove dead wood.

2

Vegetative Growth

8-12 weeks

Vine rapidly extends along support structure; leaves become more lush and abundant. Stem diameter increases.

Tie or train vines to support as needed. Water consistently. Begin light fertilizing in spring with balanced fertilizer. Remove competing weeds.

3

Flowering

June to September (4-5 months)

Tubular scarlet-red flowers appear singly or in pairs along the vine; flowers are 1.5-2 inches long and highly fragrant.

Maintain consistent moisture. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming. Reduce nitrogen fertilizer to avoid excessive foliage at expense of flowers. Provide stable support.

4

Seed Development & Late Season

August to October

Flowers transition to small red berries (ornamental but not edible). Foliage may begin to yellow as temperatures cool.

Reduce watering as growth slows. Do not fertilize. Allow some flowers to remain for berries if desired, or continue deadheading for more blooms.

5

Dormancy

November to March (4-5 months)

Vine goes dormant; deciduous foliage drops. Buds are visible along bare stems and will break in spring.

Cease watering; rely on natural precipitation. Perform dormant-season pruning to shape and remove dead wood. Do not fertilize.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Clematis Climbing roses Perennial peas Russian sage Lavender Catmint Salvia

Avoid planting near:

Other aggressively vining plants in confined spaces Plants requiring significant afternoon shade where honeysuckle would block light Delicate shade-loving groundcovers beneath the vine

Common Pests

  • Spray with strong water stream; use insecticidal soap or neem oil for heavy infestations. Encourage natural predators like ladybugs.

  • Yellow sticky traps; neem oil or horticultural oil spray. Increase air circulation around the vine.

  • Mist foliage regularly to increase humidity. Use miticide or sulfur dust if population is high. Remove heavily infested stems.

  • Prune out infested stems. Apply dormant oil spray in late winter. Insecticidal soap on nymphs.

  • Remove affected leaves and stems. Spray with spinosad in early summer when larvae are active.

Uses

🌿

Hummingbird & Pollinator Garden

Ornamental

The bright scarlet tubular flowers are exceptionally attractive to hummingbirds and bees. Blooms from early summer through fall provide extended nectar availability, making it an excellent choice for wildlife gardens and native pollinator support. [source]

🏠

Privacy Screen & Shade Structure

Household

The vigorous, dense growth habit makes Dropmore Scarlet ideal for covering arbors, trellises, and unsightly structures while creating living privacy screens. Its ability to climb 12-15 feet in a season allows rapid landscape transformation. [source]

🎨

Cut Flowers & Arrangements

Craft

Fresh flowers can be cut and used in floral arrangements, retaining their vivid color and pleasant fragrance. The long tubular blooms add visual interest to bouquets. [source]

🦋

Bird Nesting & Shelter

Wildlife

The dense foliage provides excellent nesting habitat and protective cover for songbirds, while the fruits attract migratory species in late summer and fall. [source]

💊

Traditional Herbal Use

Medicinal

Historically, honeysuckle flowers have been used in traditional medicine in Asian and European herbalism for anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, though Dropmore Scarlet is primarily grown ornamentally. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

This vine is ornamental and not typically harvested for food. Flowers can be enjoyed fresh on the vine or deadheaded to encourage more blooms. If berries develop, they are attractive to birds but not edible for humans. Prune woody stems in late winter or early spring while dormant; cut back to desired height and shape. Light pruning can be done anytime during the growing season.

Fun Facts

  • 🌱 Dropmore Scarlet was developed at the Dropmore, Manitoba research station in Canada, specifically bred for extreme cold hardiness, making it one of the only honeysuckle vines reliably hardy to zone 3.
  • 🌱 Unlike many invasive honeysuckle species, Dropmore Scarlet produces relatively few viable seeds and is less likely to become invasive in northern regions, making it a more responsible choice for gardens.
  • 🌱 Hummingbirds can remember every flower they visit and are attracted to the scarlet color; this vine's continuous blooming habit means hummingbirds will revisit it multiple times per day throughout the summer.

Gardening Terms

New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:

Deadhead Full Sun Hybrid Mulch Partial Shade Trellis
Shop Honeysuckle Dropmore Scarlet plants and related plants at Plant Addicts →

Join 30,000 gardeners planning their gardens with LizPlants.

Get your personalized Honeysuckle Dropmore Scarlet planting timeline

Tell us your zip code and we'll calculate exactly when to start Honeysuckle Dropmore Scarlet seeds, transplant seedlings, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Includes calendar reminders and printable task lists. Free to start.

Get my Honeysuckle Dropmore Scarlet timeline →