How to grow and care for Honeysuckle

Evocative of summer country gardens twining around garden fences, walls or pergolas, Honeysuckles are a favourite amongst informal gardeners. Most Honeysuckles have a sweet heady summer fragrance that pollinators and in particular bees and butterflies are attracted to in the day, with moths feeding on the nectar at night. Honeysuckle blooms are followed by red berries in the autumn which are popular with birds.

Honeysuckles are most commonly known as climbers, either evergreen, semi-evergreen or deciduous. Their decorative and fragrant flowers appear over the summer period and into autumn, with some varieties flowering earlier or later in the year. The classic variety of Honeysuckle, known as ‘Lonicera’, is generally easy to grow and likes nothing more than plenty of space to showcase its fragrant and showy flowers. There are other shrubby Honeysuckle varieties that make a great hedge or evergreen coverage.

Some Honeysuckles are native to the UK and others are from further afield in Asia and America. Honeysuckle is also known as Woodbine, stemming from it originally growing in woodland and climbing up trees, explaining their preference for either dappled shade or sun for part of the day.

It was thought in Victorian times that Honeysuckle was a symbol of fidelity and having a Honeysuckle vine growing around your front door kept away bad spirits.

Honeysuckle plants are readily available for sale in the UK in garden centres, nurseries and online.

Types of Honeysuckle to grow

There are two main types of Honeysuckle:

Climbing - Deciduous, semi-evergreen or evergreen
Shrubby - Deciduous or evergreen

Climbing Honeysuckles

Climbers can be a combination of deciduous, semi-evergreen or evergreen varieties. Deciduous Honeysuckles flower more profusely, and the semi or evergreen varieties have smaller flowers but do provide all year round cover with ovate glossy leaves.

A new variety of climbing Honeysuckle called Strawberries and Cream is considered to be well suited to growing in pots as it’s more low growing that the full climbing varieties. Other classic Honeysuckles suitable for growing in pots are ‘Henry Honeysuckle’ (L.henryi) or ‘Goldflame Honeysuckle’ (L. x hecrottii).

Shrubby Honeysuckle

Shrubby Honeysuckle comes in either deciduous or evergreen varieties. As a general rule of thumb, the evergreen varieties have shiny dark glossy leaves that respond well to clipping, making a good choice for hedging or even shaped for topiary. The only thing to note is that regular clipping will reduce flowering as the growing buds will be taken off.

If your area suffers from Box Moth, shrub Honeysuckle is an option to replace Box hedging. For example, Lonicera ligustrina var. yunnanensis or Lonicera ligustrina var pileata.

The deciduous varieties can have woody stems and are beautifully scented white flowers in the early spring/late winter, helping any pollinators that have woken up too early. For example, Lonicera x purpusii or Lonicera fragrantissima.

With over 180 varieties to choose from, there is sure to be one that suits your garden – whether climbing, evergreen, deciduous or shrubby.

What you'll need to grow Honeysuckle

If you’d like to plant a Honeysuckle, read our list below so you have everything at hand before you start.

First off check the space you have available is right for Honeysuckle - dapped shade or part sun, cool roots and enough space for it to grow into.
A good quality plant with decent root growth will give you a good start.
Peat-free, multi-purpose compost to bed your Honeysuckle plant in with.
A bucket full or so of mulch to help keep moisture in.
Your chosen support, wires or trellis.

How to plant climbing Honeysuckle

Ideally, set up your chosen support before planting - wires, trellis or if it’s a pergola, make sure it is firmly bedded in the soil. Before planting, water well in its existing pot.
When planting Honeysuckle climbers, it’s important not to plant them too close to the wall. When digging the hole, leave approximately a 30 - 60 cm gap between the wall/fence and the back of the hole. The gap distance depends on how bushy your plant will be.
Your hole should be a bit wider and a bit deeper than your pot. Break up any hard soil and scatter in the bottom. Add compost and if your soil needs, some slow release fertiliser.
Gently ease your plant out of its pot, turning upside down if necessary to help it out. Using one hand on the bottom of the pot and the other to softly encase the stems. Place the plant in the hole to check if it’s the right depth – the top of the soil should be the same as or slightly under the top of the soil. This means the plant will be secure in its new spot.
When you are happy with the depth of the hole, backfill with soil and some compost or feed/bone meal if needed.
Lightly heel in (using your heel tread around the newly filled hole) to make sure the surface is firm. Add more soil if needed.
Water well and then add approximately 5 - 7 cm depth of mulch around the base.
If your newly planted Honeysuckle already has long enough shoots, gently tie in or tuck in and around the supports.
Water every other day for the first two weeks if there is no proper rain. Generally speaking, keep an eye on not letting newly planted Honeysuckle and other plants dry out as they establish themselves.

How to plant shrubby Honeysuckle

Planting shrub Honeysuckle can be done at any time of year, but just as with other planting, avoid the hot summer months as it’s more difficult for any plants to put down new roots.

Using the list above, plant the shrub Honeysuckle in dappled shade/part sun as its preferred spot.

Dig a hole a little deeper than the pot the plant is in and then approximately two to three times as wide. Using the spade, break up any hard soil, helping the roots get a channel downwards.
If your soil condition needs improving (too wet or sandy for example), add in some compost for nourishment.
Before planting, water well in its existing pot. Plant the shrub Honeysuckle, level with the ground so that the stems won’t be buried in the soil.
Backfill with a mix of compost and soil and heel in as above.
Water well and add 5 - 10 cm of mulch on the top.

Where to plant and place your Honeysuckle

As a vigorous grower, climbing Honeysuckle needs plenty of space to grow into, whether it's over a pergola, against a fence or even weaving its way through a tree. As a species that originates in woodland, both the shrubby and climbing Honeysuckle grow best in dappled shade or only sun for part of the day - avoid a spot where there is full sun as your Honeysuckle won't flower and can develop powdery mildew.

If you’re not using a pergola or tree for the climbing variety, use vine wires or a trellis to provide support as the Honeysuckle grows. Don't forget that if you want to grow Honeysuckle in pots, you’ll also need to also provide support.

If your Honeysuckle is looking a bit yellowish and it doesn’t seem to be growing, feed in the spring with a general fertiliser.

How to sow Honeysuckle from seed

Collect the ripe Honeysuckle berries in the autumn from a mature plant, making sure to wear gloves as they can be poisonous to humans. Remove the red flesh, clean the seeds with warm water and allow them to dry out.

As Honeysuckle needs a cold temperature to germinate, either sow directly into the soil in the late autumn or pot up with compost and refrigerate for about 12 weeks.

After the initial 12 weeks, move to a greenhouse in early spring and keep lightly moist until warm enough to harden off and then plant out when they are approximately 10cm.

Honeysuckle can also be grown from seed by scattering the cleaned seeds in raked and prepared soil in October/November. The disadvantage of using this method is the small seedlings have to compete with weeds in the spring and may be overcome.

Being in the right position is important for Honeysuckle plants to give their best show of blooms. Without too much attention, they can live for around 20 years.

Caring and nurturing your Honeysuckle

Wondering about how to look after, prune and propagate your Honeysuckle? Read our tips on how to successfully care for your plant.

In the spring, keep your Honeysuckle well watered, but not soaked, and apply a generous layer of mulch.

Make sure the light remains dappled and only sun for part of the day.

If you’re planting your Honeysuckle, apply a classic balanced slow release fertiliser when planting and then again each year in spring and halfway through the growing season.

When to Prune Honeysuckle

Depending on when your Honeysuckle flowers and which variety it is, there are varying methods of cutting back the stems.

Late flowering varieties

This type of Honeysuckle flowers on the current season's growth, so a light prune in spring will ensure blooms for this year. Going for a heavy prune will mean you will most likely reduce flowering for the current year.

As with all pruning, remove any dead or damaged stems to encourage an open and healthy framework.

Early flowering varieties

Prune Honeysuckle soon after the flowers have finished. And with this type of Honeysuckle, flowers are produced on side shoots from last season's growth. Cut back the flowered shoots by approximately one third by late summer.

If your Honeysuckle is short on space, cut back the side shoots to around 2 or 3 buds from the main stems.

If you are looking to do a tidy-up an overgrown and very ‘woody’ Honeysuckle, tackle a restorative prune in late winter. Pruning the stems to around 50-70cm, means in the spring you should be rewarded with a flush of new stems. If needs be, thin out any of the new growth so the strongest stems remain.

Deadheading Honeysuckle flowers is not generally practiced. If the flowers are taken off, there will be no berries, which are both good as bird food in the autumn and considered attractive.

Propagating Honeysuckle

There are three ways to propagate Honeysuckle, using a layering technique, taking cuttings and using the berries.

Layering Honeysuckle

This works best for the climbing varieties. Using the long flexible stems, bend down the stem to the earth and peg in if necessary. Lightly cover with soil, adding some root hormone to help the new roots develop. All being well, your new Honeysuckle will flower in around three years at maturity.

Taking a Honeysuckle cutting

In spring through to early summer, take a semi-ripe cutting from your Honeysuckle. Semi-ripe means that the wood is both flexible and firm - the base is firm but the tips are soft.

Choose a healthy stem where the leaf nodes are close together, this ensures that the cutting length isn't too long (around 10cm or less).

Propagating shrub Honeysuckle

Another method of propagating shrub Honeysuckle is by taking a hardwood cutting in the late autumn.

Choose a straight, good condition stem about the same thickness as a pen.

Cut off about 20-25cm and push into a pot of peat-free compost and ideally keep in a cool greenhouse or cold frame over winter. Check every now and again to make sure the compost is neither too wet or too dry and by spring you should see new shoots appearing.

Key features of Honeysuckle

Botanical Name	Lonicera
Plant Type	Deciduous and evergreen and semi evergreen
Family	Caprifoliaceae
Light Exposure	Partial shade, some sun for part of the day
Soil pH	Acid to mild alkaline
Flowering Time	Summer through to autumn and also varieties in late winter/early spring
Flower Colour	Various - yellows, pinks/whites, reds and oranges and combinations of the above

Frequently asked questions about Honeysuckle

Does Honeysuckle grow in shade?

Most varieties of honeysuckle, both climbing and shrub, need some light. However, their favourite conditions are where their roots stay in the shady cool and their foliage and flowers enjoy some sunlight. The sunlight can either be dappled shade or sun for part of the day and shade for the rest. There is a particular variety of Honeysuckle (L.ciliosa) that flourishes in lower areas of woodland and is native to North America.

If your Honeysuckle is getting less light than its variety needs, you will see more foliage and fewer flowers.

How fast does Honeysuckle grow?

Honeysuckle is a fast growing plant in the right conditions and should flower in its first season. Some varieties of Honeysuckle can live for up to 20 years, with their first mature flowering starting in around their third year.

Depending on the fertility of your soil, you could give extra growth a chance by adding organic plant food or a slow release shrub or tree fertiliser in the spring. Manure is another option, if your soil needs an extra boost.

Does Honeysuckle grow in pots?

Yes, Honeysuckle can be grown in pots and containers. Make sure your pot is big enough to sustain this fast growing climber with good drainage holes. When planting, use good quality peat-free compost and make a hole as big as the Honeysuckle root ball. Add in some generic balanced fertiliser and place the Honeysuckle climber in the hole, cover and water well. Add some more fertiliser partway through the growing season.

Don’t forget to include a trellis or wires for your Honeysuckle to wind its way up and through, and place the pot or container somewhere with dappled shade or part sun.

Is the Honeysuckle vine invasive?

Most of the Honeysuckle climbers plants that are available in UK garden centres and nurseries, both on and offline, are non-invasive. Shrub Honeysuckle can take over, so keep an eye on any saplings and pull out.

Himalayan Honeysuckle is considered invasive in Australia and New Zealand and occasionally pops up in the UK, but hasn't really taken hold.

Common pests and diseases with Honeysuckle

What is the most common Honeysuckle pest?

The most well-known pest for Honeysuckle is the Honeysuckle aphid. If you see the leaves become twisted and curled, it could be a sign they have an attack of aphids. The aphids excrete a substance that leads to dark colour mould.

As a rule of thumb, plants that are not in good health will be more prone to an infestation, so make sure your Honeysuckle is correctly watered and fed.

If aphids do make an appearance and you need to get rid of them, cut out the affected stems and if needed use an organic insecticide.

What happens if my Honeysuckle gets too much sun?

If your Honeysuckle is in too sunnier a position, it may be more prone to powdery mildew. To help prevent this, plant your Honeysuckle in partial shade. Powdery mildew can make an appearance around June to August and covers the leaves, tips and flowers with a white powdery coating.

To help reduce the onset of powdery mildew, weed well around your Honeysuckle, mulch in the spring, and avoid over congestion of plants to aid airflow.