Chapter 106 Lonicera japonica, L. fragrantissima
106.1 Japanese honeysuckle, Winter honeysuckle
A Japanese honeysuckle in winter silhouette. Despite its appearance, this rescued stump has been in training just 3 years since it was collected from a farm field. Link to original image.
106.2 Soil: General Deciduous / Rich Conifer Mix
Ratio: 3 parts bark, 1 part grit
Add-ins: dolomitic limestone (~5 lbs/yd), Tree-Tone (15 lbs/yd)
pH: ~6.5 (slightly below neutral)
Moisture: Average
106.3 Light
Routine: full sun to part shade. Decreased flowering occurs as amount of shade increases.
106.4 Cultivation Notes
Winter honeysuckle. Link to original image.
Close-up of flowers and foliage
Close-up of foliage and flowers of a winter honeysuckle. Link to original image.
106.4.1 Potting & Root Pruning
Schedule: repot in spring.
106.4.1.1 Top & Branch Management
Heavy pruning: carve trunks in late fall or winter, trim back hard in the growing season.
Fine pruning: wire in late spring. Trim foliage like topiary. Constant clipping is essential to keep foliage pads tidy and to encourage dense growth. Foliage should be thinned out in Spring to allow light to reach inner leaves.
Leaf pruning: unknown
106.4.2 Feeding
Feed every two weeks during the growing season.
106.4.3 Pests & Problems
Some susceptibility to leaf spot, blight and powdery mildew. Potential insect pests include aphids, scale, sawfly, whitefly, loopers, plant hoppers, flea beetles and webworm. Overall though honeysuckles are mostly pest-free.
Japanese honeysuckle vines can be quite invasive, and can rapidly cover and literally suffocate shrubs or small trees if allowed to climb on them. Keep well separated from other trees.
106.4.4 Winter Storage
Store in mulch outdoors. Try to place in a shaded area so buds do not break in a mid-winter warm spell. Store winter honeysuckles where they are easy to see; mid- and late winter blooms are a great distraction from winter cold. Foliage can drop in frosts below 25°F but is quickly replaced in Spring. Some frost protection is advised for trees in very small pots.
106.5 Propagation Notes
Large honeysuckles with good tapers can be collected locally, so there is no reason to grow new plants.
106.6 Artistic & Styling Notes
Japanese honeysuckles can be grown in single-trunk styles. Winter honeysuckles form multiple stems, and look better in more naturalistic styles focused on overall silhouette rather than specific branch placement.
106.7 Additional Information
106.7.1 Natural History
Japanese honeysuckle is a deciduous, twining vine which typically grows 15-30’. Extremely fragrant, slender, tubular, two-lipped, pure white flowers age to light yellow. Flowers appear from May to frost and give way to black berries which mature in late summer to fall. Attractive oval, dark green foliage. Perhaps the most popular of the honeysuckles that are used as ground covers.
Winter honeysuckle is a somewhat stiff-branched, deciduous shrub with a bushy, spreading habit. Typically grows 6-10’ tall and as wide. Extremely fragrant (lemony), short-tubed, creamy white flowers appear in early spring before the leaves emerge.