Greetings all... First time poster. Discovered this shrub (possibly a tree?) growing all by itself in my backyard a couple years ago. I have no idea where it came from and so far the only other images I have found online of it were taken in a wild area in New England, though the photographer also could not identify it. So far it has survived the harsh conditions of the eastern Colorado montane zone (north slope Pikes Peak) well (I'm at 8650 feet in a montane forest dominated by ponderosa pine and aspen). It flowers prolifically usually in early summer (June for us), and appears to die back entirely to a scaly grey and brown skeleton in winter, only to reemerge come Spring. Most important clue - it flowers in pairs.
To confirm, this is a red cv. of Lonicera tatarica. It can become weedy in certain areas. I like it because it is one of the first plants to leaf out in spring.
Wow you guys are really good. Spot on! I had looked through the honeysuckles but that one eluded me. Probably because mine is such a spindley little fellow in these harsh conditions. I see that its listed as a prohibitive invasive in the NE, but all info related to Colorado indicates that its welcomed as a garden shrub. In any case I'll keep it around as its a beautiful and prolific flowerer. None of the seeds it has produced have taken hold anywhere else so it remains a one-of-a-kind in our neighborhood.
You are so fortunate, as We gardeners in the Pacific North East, can only hope for such early and colourful spring blooms! Even our Clematis armandii is non existent this tear, when it usually is in full bloom and most fragrant by mid February! Say good bye to the winter of 2008/09! Helloo spring!
Oh its not blooming yet! I still have a couple more months of winter at this altitude. Last freeze isn't usually until mid June with a growing season of only 100 days. Yikes!
Mountain Earth, That Plant is really pretty. I lived in South Lake Tahoe for a couple of years (elevation 6000+)and did little if any gardening. Juniper Tams growing under Ponderosa Pine, was about it. The Pines were native but the Tams always looked half dead. Do you think that plant would grow at sea level? I l now live on the coast of WA State, West of Mt Vernon. I really like to plant things that are different. It reminds me a little of the Weigelia but aparently less of a profuse bloomer. any ideas? barb
I'm not sure on that Barb. I know it grows in the NE - so well in fact that its considered a prohibited invasive in states like CT and MA - so I imagine it would have no problem at sea level. The problem I think you might have is too much moisture. But the experts would know better than me.
Can be invasive in Britain too, and the climate here is more like western WA than the northeast USA. So likely to be invasive in WA as well.
