Honeysuckle (Lonicera) is a fantastic, hardy shrub that belongs to the Caprifoliaceae family. One of the best things about this plant is that it’s not picky at all about where it grows, and keeping it in shape is a breeze. If you’ve been wondering how to keep yours looking its best, here’s the lowdown on how to prune it the right way.
Pruning in June or Autumn
When it comes to timing, you’ve got a couple of great options. A popular choice is to give your honeysuckle a trim in June, right after the flowers have started to fade. Deadheading those spent blooms doesn’t just encourage the shrub to grow back bushier; it also prevents berries from forming. Since the berries on many varieties are actually toxic, cutting them back early is a smart move if you have curious pets or kids around.
On the other hand, you can wait until autumn to prune. This allows you to enjoy those colorful berries throughout the season. This is a particularly good strategy if you’re growing Blue Honeysuckle (Honeyberry). Unlike the Red Honeysuckle, the berries on the blue variety are completely edible and delicious! Don’t be afraid to be a bit bold with your shears in the fall, either—honeysuckle is incredibly resilient and will bounce back vigorously even after a heavy pruning.
Maintenance Trims and Propagating New Plants
If you just want to tidy up the shape, you can pretty much grab your garden shears any time of year. A light maintenance trim is almost always fine, though I’d recommend avoiding it on days when it’s freezing outside. While you’re at it, keep an eye out for any diseased branches and snip those off to keep the plant healthy.
Want more honeysuckle for your garden? It’s super easy to grow new plants from cuttings!
Here’s how to do it:
- Look for shoots that are sturdy but haven’t turned completely woody yet.
- Cut sections about 8 inches (20 cm) long.
- Strip off the leaves from the bottom half of the cutting.
Once you’ve got your cuttings, pop them into pots filled with good quality potting soil. Keep the soil nice and moist with regular watering, but make sure the pots drain well—you don’t want the “feet” to get soggy, or the roots might rot. Once you see new leaves sprouting and the roots have established themselves, your new honeysuckle is ready to be planted out in the garden!
