Plant Patent #11,083.You'd never think to look at this spectacular Chinese Honeysuckle that it would thrive in the far north, but it will -- vigorously! Developed in Canada and very long-blooming, Mandarin is a superb choice for a screen, vertical accent, or butterfly and hummingbird attractor.
This deciduous woody vine is impressive from the day it leafs out in spring. The new foliage is deep coppery-russet, maturing to glossy dark green. The flowering stems are colorful too -- a rich, dark purple. And there are masses and masses of 3-inch blooms waiting to burst onto the scene from dark red buds!
The heaviest bloomtime is spring, but the flowers continue less profusely during summer, making Mandarin one of the most prolific Honeysuckles around. This plant sets no fruit, so it puts all its energy into making flowers. And such flowers they are! 3 inches long, trumpet-shaped, and elegantly recurved, they resemble slender Fuchsia blooms with their golden interiors. Seen from a distance, the combination of dark red exterior and yellow-orange interior becomes a strong, vibrant orange. Splendid!
These flowers are not strongly scented, but they attract butterflies and hummingbirds nonetheless. Mandarin makes a fine screen for an unattractive fence or wall, and will blanket the side of a building if given something to climb. It reaches 12 to 15 feet high and wide, but may be pruned annually to the desired size. Very vigorous, it will grow several feet a season, so severe pruning is not a problem!
Developed by the University of British Columbia in 1999, Mandarin has been growing without winter damage as far north as Manitoba (zone 3). It thrives in sun to partial shade, and prefers neutral to acid soils. Keep its roots cool with mulch or overplanting as you would a Clematis, and it will thrive for many years to come in your garden! Space multiple vines 3 feet apart for dense coverage.
