2023 Plant of the Year, Winner

Lonicera sempervirens commonly known as Coral Honeysuckle has been named the 2023 Plant of the Year: Freeman Medal winner by The Garden Club of America! Annually, the GCA identifies a stellar North American native plant to receive the Montine McDaniel Freeman Medal: GCA Plant of the Year. 

Lonicera sempervirens is a long-bloomer, tolerant of a wide variety of soil conditions and is drought tolerant, requiring little water. 

Lonicera can create an interesting groundcover when allowed to sprawl, otherwise it is well-suited to climb arbors, trellises, fences, and climb/cascade over walls. It’s highly resistant to deer browse, and has a tendency to naturalize. Lonicera naturally occurs along roadsides and stream beds, in forests and thickets. It is an excellent candidate for large container gardening in urban settings, in addition to suburban and rural settings. Not to be confused with the invasive Asian honeysuckles, our native Lonicera sempervirens is an excellent garden plant.