Lonicera subspicata var. denudata

Santa Barbara Honeysuckle (Lonicera subspicata var. denudata) is a vining shrub in the Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle) family. It is the most commonly occurring variety of the species. Despite the common name, it grows across much of southern and central California, primarily in the coastal counties but with scattered inland locations. It tends to grow on slopes, at elevations from sea level to 5,900 feet. It is known from several types of mountain and coastal habitats, particularly chaparral. It is a vining shrub which usually climbs on other plants for support. It may exceed two meters in length. It is lined with oval leaves up to 4 centimeters long. The flower cluster is a long, fuzzy spike of light yellow flowers each about a centimeter long. The flower has an upper and lower lip with hairy stamens and style protruding. The fruit is a round red or yellow berry just under a centimeter wide. There are subtle differences between the two varieties, and they have overlapping ranges (see separate listings).