Coral honeysuckle
This one speaks English, not Japanese. Yes, the common white-flowered and sweet-scented honeysuckle that grows all over the United States and Canada is originally from Japan, but Lonicera sempervirens, called coral honeysuckle, grows from Texas to Quebec, as you can confirm at the USDA website. (I assume it also speaks French in Quebec.)
Coral honeysuckle is clearly red, and a comparison to the blossoms of the redbud tree in the background proves—as if any proof were needed—that the flowers of the redbud tree are a pinkish-violet. This photograph comes from the same March 2 session along Great Northern Blvd. in north-central Austin that has already brought you a picture in which a blossoming redbud tree played the starring role. This time, in order to have the non-red redbud appear as a backdrop to the red honeysuckle, I had to thread my way through some greenbriers and some stalks of poison ivy that were just beginning to leaf out, then get down low and aim upward at perhaps 60°. Intrepid me.
© 2012 Steven Schwartzman
Portraits of Wildflowers 
And a perfect angle it is. Love the background again too.
Cathy
March 13, 2012 at 5:58 AM
For a math teacher, a 60° angle has lots of familiar associations (for example, its cosine is one-half). As for photography, you may have heard me say that there are times when I think the three most important things are background, background, and background.
Steve Schwartzman
March 13, 2012 at 6:16 AM
Such a thrill seeker, and aren’t we glad for it! The color is vivid with a hint of transparency on those flared petals. These are destined for my back fence once I finally get the Japanese honeysuckle and English ivy killed off. It is rampant in my neighbors back forty here. ~ Lynda
(PS: I see evidence that my baby Redbuds are going to bloom! 😉 )
pixilated2
March 13, 2012 at 6:00 AM
I could have done without those two thrills, but then this picture wouldn’t exist. I hope coral honeysuckle works well on your back fence—if you can get those two invasives to stop invading. Happy redbud spring in Alabama. Austin has shifted from premature spring to full and by now normal spring, with plenty of species of wildflowers appearing, and some even in small colonies already rather than isolated occurrences.
Steve Schwartzman
March 13, 2012 at 6:22 AM
I rescued one from our old house and brought it with me. It is very happy clinging to the barn so much so that it has one group of flowers about to bloom and no green leaves! It is indeed a strange weather year.
Bonnie Michelle
March 13, 2012 at 6:46 AM
A successful rescue. And this year the warm weather is working in favor of wildflowers, yours and ours
Steve Schwartzman
March 13, 2012 at 6:59 AM
Great photo. Love the angle and the background.
We have coral honeysuckle up against a shed. Last year it was devastated by the drought and the deer who took a bite every time they walked by. It came back strong this year and has blossoms.
Bill Hopkins
March 13, 2012 at 8:01 AM
It’s good that your coral honeysuckle has recovered. The one on my picture was in the same place last year at this time, which is why I went looking for it again there this year. Whether it was affected later in 2011 by the drought, I don’t know.
Steve Schwartzman
March 13, 2012 at 8:21 AM
From the USDA website, it is an introduced species to Canada (Ontario & Quebec). So, I guess it is only native to the eastern side of the US. We’ll stick with our northern bush honeysuckles (Diervilla lonicera) and leave this species in the states.
The Local Scoop
March 13, 2012 at 8:03 AM
Sorry I hadn’t noticed that it’s an introduced species in Canada; I guess that means French with an American accent. At least you do have a native species to enjoy.
Steve Schwartzman
March 13, 2012 at 8:23 AM
Hi Steve .. stunning and I so love that coral colour .. just superb. Cheers Hilary
Hilary
March 13, 2012 at 8:21 AM
Texas has no corals of the maritime kind, but we do get to enjoy this type.
Steve Schwartzman
March 13, 2012 at 8:24 AM
Beautiful – love honeysuckle – mine is white/yellow:)
cravesadventure
March 13, 2012 at 10:28 AM
I wasn’t acquainted with the red one till a decade or so ago, here in central Texas.
Steve Schwartzman
March 13, 2012 at 11:21 AM
You know what you do, Steve, you make Texas beauty something universal for everybody to enjoy. Thanks for the wonderful reminders of my homeland. A left you an award at http://snowschuler11.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/who-me/
Dave
March 13, 2012 at 2:16 PM
Thanks for those words, Dave. If I can make the local universal, then I’ve accomplished something.
Congratulations on being chosen for the Versatile Blogger Award, which means that people appreciate what you’re doing. And I appreciate your thinking of me, but after this first came up half a year ago I decided that my posts and people’s comments about them were reward enough. Thanks again.
Steve Schwartzman
March 13, 2012 at 4:01 PM
I understand. That is the only meaningful award.
Dave
March 13, 2012 at 4:33 PM
Thanks for understanding.
Steve Schwartzman
March 13, 2012 at 5:16 PM
The colours are like jewels.
The World Is My Cuttlefish
March 14, 2012 at 8:30 AM
And a lot less expensive!
Steve Schwartzman
March 14, 2012 at 1:07 PM
My grandmother had a honeysuckle tree with orange red flowers. Wish I had one like that! Yours is very beautiful. Thanks for bringing back a fond memory for me; if you have a picture of the one I describe I would love to see it! 🙂
Sheila T Illustrated
March 14, 2012 at 8:29 PM
Because our native coral honeysuckle grows only as a slender vine, I looked on the Internet to see if I could find what your grandmother’s honeysuckle tree might be. I’m afraid there are various things that people call a honeysuckle tree. You might want to search too to see if any of the pictures online match what you remember.
Steve Schwartzman
March 14, 2012 at 8:48 PM
I just remember it was a short, craggy, bushy thing.
Sheila T Illustrated
March 14, 2012 at 9:01 PM
I like the bokeh.
weaselwiththecam
March 18, 2012 at 12:50 PM
I’ll agree that it was effective here.
Steve Schwartzman
March 18, 2012 at 1:01 PM