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May 2019

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If you are interested in growing lonicera japonica, it is important to understand how to care for them. Honeysuckles are popular not just for their beautiful blooms but for the highly perfumed flowers they produce. The climbing varieties can be draped over garden support structures and pergolas while the shrubs make for great hedges. Quick Facts About lonicera periclymenum Common name Honeysuckle Botanical name Lonicera Type Shrubs and climbers Flowering time Shrubs flower at the end of winter, spring, or summer; climbers flower in summer Planting time Evergreens in spring or Autumn, deciduous in winter Sun Full sun or partial shade Hardiness Mostly fully hardly with certain tender species Types of Honeysuckle As mentioned, there are two types: climbers and shrubs. The climbers prefer humus rich soil that is moist at all times, but well drained. They will flower at optimum levels when their top growth is exposed to full sunlight but you can better protect them against aphids if they are planted in partial shade. The shrubs are less finicky about their soil and can grow in any well drained type. They will do well in partial shade or sun. Both varieties are simply to grow and will do better if you apply a base of mulch around them. This helps to maintain moisture at the root level. Pruning and Training Honeysuckles The methods you employ for pruning and training is going to vary based on type. For the climbers, the flowers arrive on the growth from the current season, which is especially true of lonicera japonica. So, they do not need regular pruning. You can, instead, just control their growth by removing any overly long shoots come spring time and thin out any congested parts. If there are any weak or diseased stems, these can be removed. The honeysuckles that flower at the beginning of spring do so on shorter, side shoots from the previous growth. This is true of the more common honeysuckle, the lonicera periclymenum. These need to be pruned by ? every summer, at the end of summer, right after flowering. If you are going to renovate your climbers with hard pruning, be sure to do it in early spring and cut them back to 60 cm. After that, thin any re-growth and tie off any new shoots. For the shrubs, you can remove weak or old stems to get newer growth. With those that flower at the end of spring or beginning of summer like the L. tatarica, you can shorten 1 out of every 3 branches. At the end of winter or beginning of spring you can renovate them with hard pruning. If you need to trim your shrubs, like the L. nitida, you can do it three times between spring and Autumn, if the plants are used as a hedge. To renovate hedge shrubs, prune it back to 15 cm off the ground at the start of spring. Propagating Honeysuckles You can propagate honeysuckles from plants you already have, if they are doing well and you want to encourage more plants. For this, with climbers, you want to clip 5-7 cm of semi-ripe or soft wood at the end of spring or beginning of summer. The evergreen shrubs can be taken from hardwood cuttings of 20-30 cm in length between Autumn and the middle of winter. Choosing Plants When you are ready to choose your plants, you have many great varieties at your disposal. Climbers Lonicera japonica--a semi-evergreen climber that has white, fragrant flowers and dark green leaves. It reaches heights of 10m L. henryi is an evergreen with purple/red flowers and purple/black berries. It reaches a height of 10m L. periclymenum is a deciduous plant with fragrant white or yellow flowers and red berries. It reaches heights of 7m L. sempervirens has scarlet flowers and orange red berries. It is a deciduous honeysuckle that reaches heights of 6m Shrubs L. nitida is an evergreen shrub boasting yellow leaves, ideal for hedging. Reaches heights of 3.5m and 3m wide. L. pileata has creamy, small white flowers with purple berries and is ideal for groundcover. It reaches heights of 60cm and widths of 2.4m L. fragrantissima, as the name suggests, has fragrant flowers but will require more shelter than others. It reaches heights of 2m and widths of 3m Winter beauty offers fragrant, white flowers with a height of 2m and width of 2.4 m Common Problems Honeysuckles are prone to a few common problems. They can get stressed by drought and conversely, are prone to mildew infections from too much water. New growth is at risk for aphid attacks, so it is best to stay vigilant.
General gardening topics

Growing Honeysuckle – the complete guide

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If you are interested in growing Lonicera japonica, it is important to understand how to care for them. Honeysuckles are popular not just for their beautiful blooms, but for the highly perfumed flowers they produce, especially the climbing scented varieties. The climbing varieties can be draped over garden support structures and pergolas while the shrubs make for great hedges and groundcover plants. Quick Facts About Lonicera Common nameHoneysuckleBotanical nameLoniceraTypeShrub and evergreen/deciduous climbersFlowering timeA shrub that…

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Pruning Potted Acers - when and how to prune potted acers
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Pruning Acers In Pots

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How and when to prune Acers in pots Acer in pots should not really be pruned and are best left to grow into their natural shape, however, there are a few exceptions. Rubbing branches under the main canopy as well as some branches that look out of place and ruin the aesthetics of the tree. Pruning is best done between November and January to avoid sap bleeding. If you are growing Acers in your home,…

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Pruning Acers - How and when to prune japanese maples
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Pruning Acer Trees and Shrubs – everything you need to know

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Pruning Acer trees is something that is usually not really needed. Japanese Acers should be left to grow naturally, however, branches below the canopy that cross or rub each other can be removed between October and January. You can also remove branches that ruin the shape of the tree if needed. Japanese maples are beautiful trees regardless of the season. They bring to any garden the most delicate of leaves, beautiful autumn hues, and arguably…

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Pruning forsythia - how and when
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Pruning Forsythia – when and how to prune them

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It is always great to look out your window and see the bright yellow flowers along your Forsythia bush, indicative that spring truly has sprung. But then as your bloom starts to fade, you might be asking, Can I prune my Forsythia? Should I prune it? and if so, Can I cut my Forsythia to the ground? When you are considering Forsythia pruning, you need to take into consideration that these are very durable shrubs…

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The difference between climbing and rambling roses

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Many people wonder whether rambling or climbing rose bushes are the same. However, the key differences that make them stand apart are the flowering times. You will find that the flowering frequency is the main difference most associated with them. Most rambling roses flower once around June time, whereas climbers often flower through summer but don’t usually have the same impact. Other noticeable differences to summarise include: Climbing Roses vs Rambling Roses The biggest difference…

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How to prune rambling roses
Roses

Pruning rambling roses – how to prune in 5 easy steps

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Rambling roses are a great variety if you want to quickly cover a fence, a garden structure or a wall. These roses produce shoots that are covered in green leaves and a collection of beautiful flowers. Thankfully, these particular plants do not require a great deal of pruning in order to stay in good shape. In fact, you only need to trim them about once a year in order to achieve a beautiful floral display.…

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How to prune climbing roses
Roses

Pruning climbing roses

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Pruning your climbing roses is a good way to ensure that your plant will produce flowers and remain strong each subsequent season. If you don’t prune your climbing roses they will inevitably become a tangled mess of branches and they won’t produce an adequate number of flowers. Most people consider this a complicated process but if you follow this guide you can learn how to prune a climbing rose easily. How to prune a climbing…

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Pruning roses - how and when to prune rose bushes
Roses

Pruning roses – everything you need to know

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Knowing how to prune roses is important for anyone who plans to integrate roses into their garden landscape, not just because it helps keep the rose bushes in line, but because it can encourage more beautiful results. You shouldn’t be intimidated by the prospect of pruning. There are very specific rules that are typically applied to specific types of roses that are designed to get the best out of each variety. Casual gardeners who simply…

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How to grow Camellias
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How to Grow Camellias

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Camellias are beautiful trees and shrubs that give you glossy foliage all year round with flowers appearing during the colder seasons. People who cultivate them know that the most common include the Japonicas and Sasanquas but there are also fun hybrid options out there that achieve various shapes, colours and unusual growth habits. Typically Camellias will do just fine when they are left alone and they thrive in decent growing conditions such as well-drained acidic…

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Grow Ceanothus - the complete guide
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Growing ceanothus – a beginners guide

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This is a large genus of shrubs that are very versatile and beautiful. Many of the shrubs are native to California which is why the plant is colloquially referred to as the California Lilac. Of course, this name is a bit misleading because it is not a lilac at all. This Ceanothus bush grows between 30 and 180cm tall, and some varieties will grow into a mound shape while others grow prostrate and turn into…

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