Honeysuckle, tab and care

Lonicera caprifolium

It is resistant to cold, its flowers are beautiful and fragrant, and it is also a climber that will quickly cover the walls or pergolas that you want. Many of us will have seen it more than once, perhaps in botanical gardens or perhaps in nurseries, where by the way they sell it at a very cheap price: it is the plant honeysuckle.

Unlike other climbing shrubs, this is one that does not grow more than 6m; In addition, it tolerates pruning very well, so it can be pruned to keep its growth controlled. She is very grateful, although she needs some care to look perfect. Care that I am going to tell you next.

Characteristics of the honeysuckle plant

Honeysuckle fruits

The honeysuckle, or sucker or goat's leg, as it is sometimes called, is a plant whose scientific name is Lonicera caprifolium. It belongs to the botanical family Caprifoliaceae, and is native to southern Europe. It is a climbing shrub of very fast growth it has evergreen leaves, oval-shaped, glaucous and shiny underneath.

It blooms during spring, giving off a very pleasant aroma, especially at night. Its flowers can be yellow, white or red. The fruit is an orange or reddish berry that, although it may appear to be very good looking, is actually not edible; in fact, it's toxic, and in high doses it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach discomfort.

Honeysuckle plant care

Orange flower honeysuckle

Honeysuckle is an excellent climber to have in gardens. Thanks to its small size and being an evergreen plant, it will make the corner look very beautiful, exotic even when it is full of flowers. In order for it to grow healthy, however, we need to consider the following:

Location

It must be protected from direct sun. It needs a lot of light, but let it get filtered. Being exposed to the sun, its growth is practically nil, and it can end up without leaves unless a shading mesh is placed over it to prevent it from suffering from sunstroke.

It is important to place it near a surface where it can climb, like a tree, a pergola or a lattice.

Irrigation

Irrigation will be regular, avoiding waterlogging. It tolerates drought better than permanently moist soil. Thus, it is recommended to water every 3 days in summer, and every 4-5 days the rest of the year.

Preferably use rainwater, but if you can't get it, fill a bucket with tap water and let it sit overnight. The next day you can use the one in the upper half of the cube.

Rusticity

It resists without problems the frosts of up to -15ºC.

Transplant

Lonicera caprifolium

Whether you want to move to a larger pot or to the ground, it has to be done in spring, before the honeysuckle plant resumes its growth. Let's see how to proceed in each case:

Move to a bigger pot

Transplanting it into a pot or a larger pot is very simple. If you don't believe me, check it out for yourself 🙂:

  • The first thing you have to do is grab your new pot, which has to be at least 5cm wider and deeper, since the root is very vigorous.
  • Then you have to fill it with a little substrate, which can be black peat mixed with perlite in equal parts, or substrate for acidophilic plants. It is important to say that it is not an acidophilus plant, but this is a soil that allows it to grow properly.
  • The common honeysuckle is then removed from its »old» pot, and is placed in the center of the new. If you see that it is too low, add more soil; If, on the other hand, you see that it has been too high, remove it.
  • Then fill the pot with more substrate.
  • And finally, give it a good watering, so that the earth is well soaked.

Move to the garden floor

When you definitely want to plant in the garden, you simply have to make a planting hole deep enough to fit, and place him if you see it necessary a tutor to act as a guide to the place where you want me to climb. You can also choose to entangle its branches in the post, if you can of course 🙂.

After planting, don't forget to give it a generous watering so that the roots begin to grow.

Pruning

This is a plant that needs to be pruned from time to time to get a bushy shape. It has to be done in spring, before it resumes its growth, with the help of pruning shears, and as long as it has a minimum height of 60cm.

With scissors no more than 4 pairs of leaves will be cut from all branches, especially if the plant is young, since otherwise it could harm it. It is not necessary to put healing paste on the wounds, but if you want, it does not hurt.

Plagues and diseases

No major pests or diseases are known, except aphids. These tiny, green insects attack it during the summer, taking advantage of the warm temperatures and the dry environment. You can prevent it by doing treatments with Neem Oil, but if you already have them, It is advisable to also use garlic or onion infusions (Putting five cloves of garlic or a medium-sized onion to boil in a pot with 1l of water for half an hour).

In extreme cases, where the plant is very, very full of aphids, systemic insecticides must be used.

Reproduction

Honeysuckle

The common honeysuckle can be reproduced in three different ways: by seeds, by cuttings or by layering. What to do in each case? We tell you:

Seeds

The seeds have to be sown in the spring, so you can collect the fruits with gloves in the fall, peel them and extract them and then store them until the good weather returns. Once I arrive, I advise you put them in a glass of water for 24 hours; This way you will know which are the viable ones, that is, the ones that will almost certainly germinate.

Then, you have to fill a pot of 20cm in diameter with substrate -it can be universal, or mulch-, and place a maximum of 2 seeds in it. Put them a little apart from each other in case the two germinate, and water them now and every 4 days, so that the soil is always slightly damp.

Place the pot in an area where it does not get direct sun, and you will see how in 15-30 days they will start to sprout the first.

Cuttings

But if you're in a bit of a rush, you can choose to reproduce it by cuttings during the summer. For it, cut a semi-woody branch at least 40cm long, impregnate its base with powdered rooting hormones and plant it in a pot with universal substrate. From then on, you will have to water it every 3-4 days, preventing it from drying out.

Layered

And if you want to be successful yes or yes, then I advise you to agree on it in spring. It is the easiest way to reproduce honeysuckle, as it only you have to bury a hanging branch in the ground. After about 20 days, it will have rooted, so you can cut it and plant it in another area.

Properties of honeysuckle

Honeysuckle plant

Honeysuckle flowers have many interesting medicinal properties. They have been used and are used today to relieve symptoms of: flu, respiratory infections, hepatitis, cancer, rheumatism. What's more, they also help you sleep and be calmer.

Did you know about these magnificent qualities of honeysuckle?


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  1.   Rick merlin said

    this is missing: the common honeysuckle is in the prov. Buenos Aires is a very invasive pest, it kills trees, grass and all kinds of plants. In the DELTA IT'S TERRIBLE. It endangers all other plants. In a garden it can be chaos. Better to cultivate the mburucuyá («passionflower)

    1.    ernesto santillan said

      Hello, I wanted to congratulate you on the wedding and ask you a question, I would like to make a green fence in a country place, where the sun constantly shines on it, it is an extensive fence. My intention is to do it with madre selva, for the aroma and the rapid growth, but in the article I read that the sun does not allow it to grow well. What do they advise me? I do? And I would also like to know how the ants affect this plant. Thank you so much

      1.    Monica Sanchez said

        Hi Ernesto.
        Honeysuckle is a plant that usually burns if it is in the sun. It is better to use other climbing plants, such as bougainvillea for example, or others that may be exposed (such as those mentioned in this article).
        regards

  2.   Claudio said

    Also interesting what Ricky says, but I suppose that will be when the garden is very small ... I want it to climb on a wire mesh 2 meters high and dozens of meters on the sides ... I guess it will cover me quite well from the looks from the outside. The idea is to add ivy and jasmine to the hedge, which are also perennial ... How do you see it?
    Very good website, thanks for the contributions.
    regards
    Claudio

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Claudio.
      I do not recommend jasmine. It grows slowly and probably both honeysuckle and ivy would end up preventing it from growing normally.
      We are glad that you like the web 🙂
      A greeting.

      1.    shell said

        Well, I have a lipstick called Honey suckle, which I think means honeysuckle, right?

        1.    Monica Sanchez said

          Hello Conchita.
          Indeed, honeysuckle is the English name for honeysuckle.
          Greetings.

  3.   Cecilia said

    Hello. I'm looking for a plant to cover me with a hammock with a pergola! It is under pecans, that is, it would receive sun in winter and excess in summer. They recommended the fake vine and honeysuckle. What insects does each attract? What do you recomend me?

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello cecilia.
      For these conditions, I recommend the false vine, which withstands the sun somewhat better; although any of them will surely look great on you.
      Regarding which insects they attract: in the flowering season bees, butterflies, and all kinds of pollinating insects.
      A greeting.

      1.    Cecilia said

        Thank you very much Monica. For the advice and the quick response. ??

        1.    Monica Sanchez said

          Thanks to you 🙂

  4.   sepulveda said

    In the parental house, the honeysuckle was always wrongly called "cananga", today I learned something new. Thanks for the info.

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Great 🙂 Thanks for your comment.

  5.   Benedict said

    Hello, I have three mother jungle in pots 40cm high x 70cm long and 30cm wide. My mother jungle leaves are turning yellow for a few months now, it does not stop growing but it does not look leafy.
    I cannot transfer it to another pot because its growth was guided on the wall and I am afraid that they will break when transferred.

    Can its root be controlled so that it does not need to be potted?
    Will this root problem cause it to be yellowing and not bushy?

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Benedic.
      Sorry, I have not understood you correctly: does it have roots outside the pot? If so, this is probably what is causing the leaves to turn yellow.
      Therefore, what you could do is take the pot and put it in a bigger one. This way, you really wouldn't have to transplant the plant and it wouldn't be harmed at all.
      A greeting.

  6.   Gavino said

    Good
    Afternoons I have a five-year-old jungle mother a year ago the long stems are drying approximately 4 meters and the stems are drying I fertilize her with 20 20 20 and water her weekly which would be the cause thanks

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Gavino.
      You may need more water. One watering a week may not be enough.
      I recommend you water it twice a week, and avoid wetting the stems as they could burn.
      A greeting.

  7.   EVA FERMIN said

    Hello!!!!! I have a dry tree and I would like to place a climbing plant that has to be in a pot since the soil is clayey and with stones also gives it the strong sun from noon. I thought of the Honeysuckle, it is possible that this option is the correct one. Thanks for the reply

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Eva.
      Yes, honeysuckle, clematis, Trachelospermum jasminoides, or even bougainvillea can work for you.
      A greeting.

  8.   Gandolfo Garcia Galicia said

    I have a 1.50 m honeysuckle that in several years has given me its scents and beautiful flowers ... but this spring I see little flowering ... what is happening?

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Gandolfo.
      You may be running low on compost. Fertilize it with fertilizers rich in potassium and phosphorus and it will surely sprout more flowers.
      A greeting.

  9.   cut dart said

    I have 4 honeysuckle plants in a gazebo that is 2 meters wide by 6 meters long, the plants are 3 years old and they are slow to cover, I had them covered on top with half shade without touching the plants but the leaves are very pale , this year I took out the half shadow to see if it improves
    In summer it has to withstand like 30 degrees in some days, I am from the province of Bsas. which advises me. Thank you.

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hi Dardo.
      I recommend you water them more often and pay them -for example with guano- following the instructions specified on the package.
      A greeting.

  10.   Pablo said

    Very interesting page. Consult, I have a green crataegus fence and I would like to complement it with honeysuckle so that it is of another color and is more dense. Do you see any negative relationship between the two plants?

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hi, Pablo.
      If you are pruning the honeysuckle -it grows a lot and fast-, you will not have problems 🙂
      A greeting.

  11.   Cecilia said

    Hello. I live in the Patagonian mountain range (San Martín de los Andes). Much wind, cold, frost and snow. When it's sunny, it hits hard. What diversity of perennial climbers with scented flowers do you recommend I put in wall fences without invading each other? Thank you. Cecilia

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello cecilia.
      I recommend you take a look at this article.
      A greeting.

  12.   leonardo ramirez said

    I live in Patagonia Argentina in a fully enclosed ground floor apartment with a 3 meter high wall. Here is my question, Ms. Mónica, what plants do you recommend to me since the climate is semi-desert with temperatures in summer from 30º to 45º and -10º in winter. Already very grateful

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Leonardo.
      I recommend you read this article.
      A greeting.

  13.   Alexander Macal Flores said

    I would like to get honeysuckle for being fragrant, I live in Cacahoatán Chiapas, in a climate of 18 to 30 degrees throughout the year, the changes of seasons are not appreciated, it is an eternal spring, can it survive at this temperature?

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Alejandro.
      No, honeysuckle is a plant that needs to feel the passing of the seasons, otherwise it would be fine the first year, but the second year its health would be weakened by not having been able to winter.
      A greeting.

  14.   Esther said

    Hola!

    I have a honeysuckle that I want to transplant into a bigger pot in April ... I don't know if it would be a good month ... the problem is that I really think it needs more soil.

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hi Esther.
      If you are in the northern hemisphere, yes, now is a good time to transplant it 🙂 Here you have information on how to transplant a plant.
      Greetings.

  15.   Nany said

    Hello Monica. I really like your page, very good information!. I dare to consult you because I see that your page is still active. Here is the query: I live in Villa Gral Belgrano, Córdoba, I need to cover a fence that is wired, it does not get direct sun but it does filter and a lot of light all day. I love honeysuckle and I'm about to buy a quantity online. My concern is if I buy them and leave them in a pot, just as they come, until spring to transplant them, will they hold up to the weather or do I have to keep them indoors until then? I hope it has been understood. Thanks for your answer !! Greetings . nanny

  16.   Hugo saldana said

    Good afternoon.
    How long does a jungle mother plant take to grow to a height of 2 meters? or in any case its the top of its growth in what time it occurs.
    regards

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Hugo.

      If conditions are right, it can take approximately 3-5 years to reach 2 meters.

      Regards!