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Native Plant Society of Texas

White Honeysuckle

Lonicera albiflora

Other common name(s):

Western White Honeysuckle, White Shrub Honeysuckle, White Bush Honeysuckle, White Limestone Honeysuckle, Texas Honeysuckle

Family:

Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, Edwards Plateau, Texas Blackland Prairies
Low Mountains and Bajadas, Stockton Plateau
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Limestone Cut Plain
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift
Northern Blackland Prairie

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Vine

Height

4
to
10
ft.

Spread

10
to
12
ft.

Leaf Retention

Semi Evergreen

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Rocky, Limestone, Caliche, Well Drained, Moist, Dry

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Low, Medium

Native Habitat

Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Fruit, Forage, Nectar, Pollen

Wildlife Benefit

Browsers, Butterflies, Birds, Deer, Hummingbirds, Bees

Maintenance

Easy to grow. Provide a trellis to climb. Prune for shape or place it above a retaining wall for cascade. Needs supplemental water in full sun. Grows well under Ashe Juniper. Native habitat: cedar brakes, cliff edges, and rocky slopes. Propagation: softwood cutting, semi-hardwood cutting, seed.

Comments

Blooms March-May. Can grow as a shrub or woody vine. Small, paired, gray-green leaves are broadly oval, and rounded at the tip, with a minute point. The pair of leaves immediately below the flowers is distinctly fused at the base. Attractive clusters of small, white, two-lipped flowers appear at the tips of stems. The fruit is an orange-red berry. Replaces non-natives: Japanese honeysuckle, but does not have the same spreading tendency.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Lonicera albiflora var. dumosa, Lonicera dumosa

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) Miller, George O., Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas 2nd Ed., 2013, pg 48. 2) Miller, George O., Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas 2nd Ed., 2013, pg 48, 53. 3) Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants Landscaping Region by Region, 1991, pg. 250. 4) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LOAL. 5) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Lonicera+albiflora&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 6) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=7145&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 7) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=35284#null, 8) https://www.gardenia.net/plant/lonicera-albiflora, 9) https://southwestdesertflora.com/WebsiteFolders/All_Species/Caprifoliaceae/Lonicera%20albiflora,%20Western%20White%20Honeysuckle.html

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Softwood Cutting Taken in summer to fall. https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LOAL
Semi-harwood Cutting Taken in summer to fall.
Seed Stratification Stratification for two to three months at 40 degrees. Collect seeds in late summer to early fall when berries turn ripe color. Clean immediately to avoid fermentation and overheating.

White Honeysuckle

Lonicera albiflora

Other names:

Western White Honeysuckle, White Shrub Honeysuckle, White Bush Honeysuckle, White Limestone Honeysuckle, Texas Honeysuckle

Family:

Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family)

Characteristics
Growth Form:
Vine
Height:
4
to
10
ft.
Spread:
10
to
12
ft.
Leaf Retention:
Semi Evergreen
Lifespan:
Perennial
Soil:
Sand, Rocky, Limestone, Caliche, Well Drained, Moist, Dry
Light:
Sun, Part Shade
Water:
Low, Medium
Native Habitat:
Woodland
Photo Credit: Wasowski, Sally and Andy, https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=23137
Photo Credit: Marcus, Joseph A., https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=13135
Photo Credit: Wasowski, Sally and Andy, https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=23140
Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, Edwards Plateau, Texas Blackland Prairies
Low Mountains and Bajadas, Stockton Plateau
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Limestone Cut Plain
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift
Northern Blackland Prairie
Color:
White
Season:
Spring
Seasonal Interest:
Fruit, Forage, Nectar, Pollen
Wildlife Benefit:
Browsers, Butterflies, Birds, Deer, Hummingbirds, Bees
Easy to grow. Provide a trellis to climb. Prune for shape or place it above a retaining wall for cascade. Needs supplemental water in full sun. Grows well under Ashe Juniper. Native habitat: cedar brakes, cliff edges, and rocky slopes. Propagation: softwood cutting, semi-hardwood cutting, seed.
Blooms March-May. Can grow as a shrub or woody vine. Small, paired, gray-green leaves are broadly oval, and rounded at the tip, with a minute point. The pair of leaves immediately below the flowers is distinctly fused at the base. Attractive clusters of small, white, two-lipped flowers appear at the tips of stems. The fruit is an orange-red berry. Replaces non-natives: Japanese honeysuckle, but does not have the same spreading tendency.

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Softwood Cutting Taken in summer to fall. https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LOAL
Semi-harwood Cutting Taken in summer to fall.
Seed Stratification Stratification for two to three months at 40 degrees. Collect seeds in late summer to early fall when berries turn ripe color. Clean immediately to avoid fermentation and overheating.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Lonicera albiflora var. dumosa, Lonicera dumosa
1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) Miller, George O., Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas 2nd Ed., 2013, pg 48. 2) Miller, George O., Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas 2nd Ed., 2013, pg 48, 53. 3) Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants Landscaping Region by Region, 1991, pg. 250. 4) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LOAL. 5) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Lonicera+albiflora&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 6) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=7145&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 7) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=35284#null, 8) https://www.gardenia.net/plant/lonicera-albiflora, 9) https://southwestdesertflora.com/WebsiteFolders/All_Species/Caprifoliaceae/Lonicera%20albiflora,%20Western%20White%20Honeysuckle.html

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our four host chapters (New Braunfels, Lindheimer, Guadalupe, and the Hill Country chapters) are located in one or both of the ecoregions above. However, the eastern portion of Guadalupe County also falls within the Post Oak Savanna ecoregion. Annual rainfall averages 35 to 45 inches, with higher averages to the east. A wide variety of hardwood trees are found, including several species of oaks, elms, and in the Bastrop area, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Grasses and forbs dominate in the open savannas, with most common grass being little bluestem. Ranching, agriculture, and fire suppression have allowed woody species to encroach on the once-open savannas.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason