Will Honeysuckle Vines Grow in the Shade?

Landscapers employ honeysuckle vines in numerous ways -- they train them onto trellises, fences and arbors, or allow them to grow along the ground. No honeysuckle vine thrives in a full shade site, but a handful of species will develop in partial shade, according to the Missouri Botanical Garden. The handsome flowers of the honeysuckles are their greatest ornamental asset, often attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.

Honeysuckle (Lonicera flava) matures in partly shady conditions, as does a cultivar of woodbine (Lonicera periclymenum) called Serotina, another form of the honeysuckle vine. The goldflame honeysuckle hybrid (Lonicera x heckrotti) is an option for a somewhat shady growing location. Another shade honeysuckle is Lonicera x italica "Sherlite," a type also known as Harlequin.

While some of the honeysuckle vines will grow in part shade, they require full sun if you desire to see their best flowering effect. Sherlite is one honeysuckle fitting this description and Lonicera flava is another. Growing them in the shade does not mean they fail to flower, but it does translate into fewer flowers than if you planted the vine where the sun shines on it for the vast majority of the daylight hours.

The Serotina cultivar of woodbine honeysuckle actually prefers a partially shaded area in which to grow. It needs a damp, loamy soil in the shade to have the best chance of developing. Goldflame honeysuckle is one of the hardier of the honeysuckles for shady places. It has an ability to grow in difficult sites that provide tough conditions that other plants struggle to develop in. This form adapts to a number of various soil types.

As with any type of honeysuckle, the flowers are the stars of the show for these vines. Lonicera flava takes its nickname of "yellow honeysuckle" from its yellow blooms, which emerge during April and May. Goldflame honeysuckle's flowers are pinkish to red on the outside but possess a yellow inside; they bloom from June into August. The Sherlite cultivar has yellow and rose colored flowers during May. Serotina's flowers feature a dark red exterior, but a mix of white and yellow on their interior. The ability of this honeysuckle to handle partial shade and the long length of its flowering period -- from July through the first frost of fall -- gives it great appeal.