Climber
How to grow honeysuckle
Lonicera periclymenum and others
Plant climbing honeysuckle in March to May or September to October, 45 cm out from a wall or fence, in fertile soil that holds moisture, with its roots in shade and its top growing up into sun. It twines but cannot cling, so give it wires or trellis. The native Lonicera periclymenum is a good climber for wildlife gardening, with evening scent that draws moths and red berries that birds take. The two things that decide success are moisture at the root, which keeps aphids and mildew away, and pruning at the right time for the type you have.
- Hardiness
- Fully hardy
- Position
- Flowers in sun, roots cool and shaded
- Soil
- Fertile, moisture-retentive
- Ideal pH
- 6.0 to 7.5
- Water
- Moderate to high
- Feeding
- Moderate feeder
Sowing and planting honeysuckle
WhenPlant Mar to May or Sep to Oct; flowers Jun to Sep
Starting off
Plant pot-grown plants Mar to May or Sep to Oct, tying new shoots to wires or a trellis, as it twines but cannot cling. Layer a low stem in Mar to Apr, pegging it under soil to root by the next spring; semi-ripe cuttings 10 cm long in Jul to Aug root in 6 to 8 weeks; hardwood cuttings 20 cm long in Nov in a trench.
Spacing and planting
Plant 1.5 to 2 m apart along a fence or one per arch, 45 cm out from a wall; plant at pot depth in a hole 45 cm wide with compost. Not a container plant beyond a 60 cm tub; L. periclymenum 'Graham Thomas' reaches 4 to 6 m.
Varieties worth growing
- L. periclymenum 'Graham Thomas'
- The long-season native: white flowers ageing to yellow from June to September, heavily scented in the evening, 4 to 6 m.
- L. periclymenum 'Serotina'
- Late Dutch honeysuckle, purple-red outside and cream within, July to October; pair it with early 'Belgica' for five months of flower.
- L. japonica 'Halliana'
- Semi-evergreen and very vigorous, with scented white and yellow flowers all summer; for covering a fence fast, not for a small space.
- L. × tellmanniana
- Large coppery-orange flowers in June that open well in shade on a north or east wall. No scent.
- L. fragrantissima
- A 2 m shrub, not a climber, with small cream flowers on bare stems from December to March and a scent that carries across the garden.
Honeysuckle month by month
Timings are for central England. Allow two weeks later in the north and on cold, heavy soil.
- January
L. fragrantissima in flower. Nothing to do for climbers.
- February
Check ties and wires before growth starts.
- March
Feed and mulch. Plant. Trim late-flowering L. japonica and L. henryi. Renovate overgrown plants to 60 cm.
- April
Plant. Layer a low stem. Prune L. fragrantissima after flowering. First aphid check.
- May
Tie in new shoots. Water new plants weekly.
- June
Flowering starts. Soak in dry spells. Top-dress tubs and water in.
- July
Semi-ripe cuttings 10 cm long. Keep watering. Second and last top-dress for tubs late in the month.
- August
Prune L. periclymenum types as flowering ends: flowered shoots back by a third.
- September
Plant while the soil is warm. Late types still in flower.
- October
Plant. Sever and move layers pegged down last year if you left them.
- November
Hardwood cuttings 20 cm long in a trench.
- December
Nothing to do.
Feeding honeysuckle
A moderate feeder. One balanced feed and a thick mulch in March is the whole plan in the ground; the mulch matters more than the feed. Plants in tubs need two light top-dressings of the same feed in summer.
Moderate, rich, moisture-holding soil and a spring feed; mulch the roots.
Feeding plan
At planting
5 g per litre of root ball, dusted on the roots: 15 g for a plant from a 3 litre pot. Once.
March, in the ground
About 100 g/m², the label rate: 100 g spread over the square metre round the base and raked in. Once; do not repeat the label's 5 to 6 week top-up.
March, after feeding
Garden compost or leaf mould
A 5 cm mulch over the root area to keep it cool and moist.
June and again in late July, tubs only
2 g per litre of compost, the low end of the label top-dress: 20 g for every 10 litres the tub holds, scattered on the surface and watered in. The two dressings are 5 to 6 weeks apart, the label interval. Nothing after July.
Signs to watch
Leaves yellow and drop in a dry Jul
Water stress
Soak weekly and mulch
Leaves yellow between the veins on chalk
Magnesium or iron short
Epsom salts and an acidic mulch
Lush leaves and no flowers
Nitrogen excess or too much shade on the top growth
Stop feed, high-potash in Mar, more light
Pests, diseases and problems
Shoot tips and flower buds covered in grey-green insects, leaves curled and sticky, buds abort
Honeysuckle aphid, worst on plants in hot, dry positions against a sunny wall
Check from April and squash or hose off colonies before they build. Cut out badly infested tips. Mulch and water so the plant is not stressed, and leave ladybird and hoverfly larvae to work.
White powdery coating on leaves from midsummer, leaves yellow and fall
Powdery mildew on a dry-rooted plant
Soak the root zone weekly in dry weather, mulch 5 cm deep in March, and thin congested growth after flowering to let air through.
Bare woody stems below and a tangled bird's nest of growth at the top
Years without pruning; new growth always heads for the light
Cut the whole plant back to 60 cm in March. It reshoots from the base; tie the new stems out fan-wise and expect flowers again the following year.
Semi-evergreen types brown and drop their leaves in winter
Cold wind and hard frost on L. japonica and L. henryi
No action needed. Trim off scorched growth in March and it leafs up again.
Black sooty film over sticky leaves
Sooty mould growing on aphid honeydew
Deal with the aphids and the mould weathers away; wipe or hose leaves if it bothers you.
Pruning
Pruning and care
Prune L. periclymenum straight after flowering in Aug, cutting flowered shoots back by a third and removing a few of the oldest stems to the base; winter-flowering L. fragrantissima is pruned in Apr. Renovate an overgrown tangle to 60 cm in Mar; it regrows and flowers the following year. Tie in annually; mulch 5 cm in Mar. Fully hardy, no protection.
Good to knowKeep the roots cool and moist. Prune after flowering.
Growing honeysuckle in pots
Honeysuckle is a poor pot plant: the roots want a cool, moist, deep run and a tub in sun gives the opposite, which brings aphids and mildew. If a tub is the only option, use one at least 60 cm across filled with loam-based compost, choose a compact form of L. periclymenum such as 'Rhubarb and Custard', stand the tub where it is shaded and the top can climb into light, and water daily in summer. Top-dress with the balanced feed in June and again in late July, watered in, and replace the top 5 cm of compost each March.
Honeysuckle: common questions
When should I prune honeysuckle?
It depends when it flowers. Early-summer types that flower on last year's side shoots, including the native L. periclymenum and its forms, are pruned straight after flowering in late summer, cutting flowered shoots back by a third. Late types that flower on the current year's growth, such as L. japonica, only need a trim to fit their space in March.
Why is my honeysuckle not flowering?
The usual causes are too much shade on the top growth, pruning at the wrong time so the flowering wood is removed, or dry roots that bring aphids onto the buds. Let the top reach the sun, prune only after flowering, and mulch and water the root zone.
Will honeysuckle grow in shade?
Yes, in part shade, and the roots prefer it, but flowering and scent are best when the top growth reaches sun. For a north or east wall choose L. × tellmanniana or L. henryi, which flower well in shade.
Sources
Growing information on this page was checked against these references in November 2026. Feeding rates are Dr Forest label rates.