Decorative Climbing Honeysuckle: Planting and Care, Diseases

Honeysuckle is a wonderful plant for decorating a garden, plot, and is used as a hedge (vertical gardening).

Ornamental honeysuckle is easy to care for, and with proper planting and propagation guidelines, any gardener can grow it. This species is very popular in garden design.

Benefits of Climbing Honeysuckle

Cultivated honeysuckle varieties are grown in the central and southern regions of Russia. The plant has numerous leaves on its stems and beautiful flowers with a pleasant aroma.

Compared to other ornamental plants, honeysuckle has the following advantages:

1. Drought resistance (can withstand up to 6 days without watering).
2. Endurance.
3. Easy to care for.
4. Rapid growth rates.
5. High vegetative potential.
6. Long flowering period.
7. High life expectancy.
8. Resistance to pests and diseases.
9. Ease of reproduction.

Among the disadvantages, it is worth noting low frost resistance, which entails the need to cover the plant for the winter, the need for pruning, garter, poor growth in shady areas or in the absence of sun.

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Types of ornamental honeysuckle

Climbing honeysuckle is typically a vigorous shrub with beautiful, unusually shaped flowers and a pleasant fragrance. In spring, it blooms with vibrant clusters of tubular flowers. The flowers can be single-colored or bicolored. Both upright and groundcover varieties of honeysuckle are used in gardening.

Popular vertical types of honeysuckle include:

1. Dropmore Scarlett – climbing stems with grey-brown or orange flowers.
2. Gold Flame – has an intense fragrance. Blooms from June to September. The buds are yellow-crimson.
3. Hungry Trumpet – long flowering period, odorless inflorescences.
4. Belgium Select – frost-resistant, fragrant, with purple flowers.

There are also low-growing groundcover varieties of honeysuckle:

1. Serotina – a yellow-pink shade of flowers, requires additional care in the form of removing faded buds.
2. American Beauty - no scent, orange flowers, stiff stems.
3. Brown's honeysuckle is a climbing shrub with a decorative crown and double flowers.
4. Blanche Sandman is a spreading perennial honeysuckle with large inflorescences, undemanding to soil.

In addition to all of the above, there are also the following varieties:

• Brown;
• Alpine;
• Korolkova;
• Telman;
• Japanese variety;
• Primorskaya Kaprilia;
• Maaka;
• Honeysuckle and some other varieties.

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Planting decorative climbing honeysuckle

Honeysuckle has a taproot system. It's best to avoid planting it in areas directly exposed to northerly winds, as these gusts can damage shoots and flowers.

When planting decorative climbing honeysuckle, the following conditions must be met:

• preferably on the south side, in a sunny place, partial shade is acceptable;
• in April, May or early autumn;
• the soil is fertilized with organic and mineral fertilizers;
• into soil of neutral acidity;
• if necessary, arrange drainage;
• Before planting, the roots are trimmed;
• the area is watered generously;
• seedlings are placed at a distance of at least 2 meters from each other.

Honeysuckle grows quickly and requires strong support.

Types of supports for honeysuckle

Vines are tied to additional supports to maintain their decorative qualities. Summer arbors and fences can be used as a base.

The following types of supports are distinguished:

• for vertical surfaces – planks, nets, guide cords, gratings;
• pergolas, arches, canopies;
• For single bushes – trellises, frames, mini-trellises.

Also, supporting structures can be constructed in the form of a hanging garland, a long arch, a tower, or a tunnel.

Caring for decorative climbing honeysuckle

Further care of decorative climbing honeysuckle will not be difficult even for a novice gardener.

It includes the following manipulations:

1. Watering should be timely, but not too abundant (do not allow liquid to stagnate in the roots).
2. Deep loosening of the soil around the roots (up to 20 cm).
3. Mulching the soil around the roots.
4. Application of mineral fertilizers (usually in spring and after flowering), but the plant is not fed for 2 years after planting.
5. Cutting off old and frost-damaged shoots in autumn and spring.
6. Weeding is necessary, as honeysuckle does not like the presence of weeds.

It's also worth noting that the plant should be covered with spruce branches or other covering material during winter. The vines should be removed from their supports beforehand.

Possible diseases of decorative climbing honeysuckle

Under good growing conditions, this plant is rarely susceptible to disease. However, during prolonged rainy periods, this ornamental climbing honeysuckle can become ill.

Typically, she is threatened with:

• powdery mildew;
• cerposcorosis;
• tubercularis;
• leaf mottling;
• blackening of branches;
• Arabidopsis mosaic virus;
• red-olive spot.

Fungicides and antifungal agents are used to combat diseases. Affected stems and leaves are burned, and the soil is disinfected.

For disease prevention necessary:

• weed removal;
• use of fertilizers and dressings;
• immediate response to the first signs of the disease.

Honeysuckle is also threatened by the following pests:

• pollen wing;
• mite;
• aphid;
• leaf roller.

There are up to 200 species of honeysuckle vines and shrubs. It is rightly considered a garden ornament, attracting with its diverse colors and magical scent. Easy to care for, honeysuckle will help you create magically beautiful and cozy spaces in your garden.