About Honeysuckles

Overview

Honeysuckles add color and fragrance to a garden, but the vines are considered invasive by some. There are two types of honeysuckle: vines and shrubs. If not controlled by tying to a trellis or fence, they can quickly overtake other plants. Properly controlled, they will be appreciated and last for years.

Features

Honeysuckle vines are woody, easy to grow, strong and can stand up to the hot weather. Honeysuckle can be either deciduous or evergreen. The flowers are trumpet shaped, about 2 inches long, have a strong fragrance that attracts both hummingbirds and butterflies and can be pink, purple, red, white or yellow. The leaves are green and white and measure from 1 to 3 inches long. Vines can grow as tall as 25 feet and produces either a fruit that is orange or berries that are red. The honeysuckle will bloom from summer through fall. Honeysuckle shrubs can grow from 3 to 25 feet tall, depending on the variety.

Planting

Honeysuckle does best in full sun, but can take partial shade. It is hardy in zones 4 to 9, all but the coldest and hottest zones in the continental United States. Plant honeysuckle in the early spring immediately after the danger of frost has passed. If used on a trellis, plant from 2 to 3 feet apart. If used as ground cover, plant 2 feet apart. Water heavily till new growth appears, then mulch with a thick layer of leaves.

Care

Honeysuckle only needs a moderate amount of water most of the time. The only time they need more is if the summer is exceptionally dry. As long as they're planted and mulched correctly, the honeysuckle will only need to be fertilized once at the beginning of the season and again in the middle. Only prune after the flowers are gone and just for shaping. Honeysuckle should not be heavily pruned until the plant is over two years old.

Uses

Honeysuckle vines are usually used to grow up a trellis or along a fence. Honeysuckle can also be used as a flowering ground cover or on a slope to help prevent soil erosion. Shrub varieties grow successfully as container plants and are also used as privacy hedges. Birds use the fruit as a food source.

Problems

Aphids will cause the leaves to yellow and curl up. Infested stems will die and the plant can stop growing. Spider mites cause the leaves to be stippled with yellow or red dots. Honeysuckle leaf blight is a fungus that causes young leavers to become discolored and drop off. Canker causes swollen bumps on the stems. Severely infected plants need to be destroyed. Powdery mildew is a fungus that covers the leaves and flowers with white powder. Leaves can become discolored and drop off.