Curly honeysuckle: description of the plant, rules for planting, care and reproduction + types and varieties with photos, use in the garden

History and description of the plant

Wild plant varieties have chosen the woodlands of Western and Central Europe, and are also found in African and Asian countries.

Among the people, curly honeysuckle is often called wolf berries – saturated, red or yellow, but inedible fruits form on the branches. For the first time, the culture was described by the famous botanist Carl Linnaeus, later (in the XNUMXth century) a more detailed description was given by a scientist from Our Country, Stepan Krasheninnikov. In the south of our country, under natural conditions, the plant is no longer found, taking pride of place among horticultural crops.

Here is a botanical description of decorative culture:

1. It grows in the form of erect, climbing or creeping shrubs.
2. The flowers are always massive, the color varies depending on the variety. There are plants with pink, red, yellow, orange and white flowers.
3. The inflorescence is in the form of a bowl, from where a tube-shaped corolla, consisting of 5 identical lobes, peeps out.
4. The pistil is oblong, each flower contains a group of stamens.
5. Fruits with berries, the color of which also varies for different varieties – yellow, blue, black or red. On the branch are formed in pairs.

About 200 types of crops have been bred by gardeners, more than 50 varieties are in demand in Our Country. Approximately one fifth of the species has edible fruits.

Types and varieties of decorative climbing honeysuckle

Cultures are distinguished by their appearance into groups:

• low trees;
• shrubs;
• curly (climbing, weaving) vines.

Landings of the latter are more often used by summer residents for decorative decoration of the site. By braiding with lianas, the flowers of which shimmer with all shades of the rainbow, a building or a fence, you can transform the landscape of even an unprepossessing territory.

For our climate, gardeners recommend several varieties that take root well in adverse conditions and do not require special care:

1. honeysuckle. Perennial, leaves fall in autumn. Grows up to 6 m. Flowering time – mid-May, duration – 20 days. Flowers are replaced by green fruits, which then turn red. Frost-resistant.
2. Brown. Blooms twice during the summer, in early July and late August. The buds are rich red or carrot-colored. Recommended for planting in open areas, but protected from drafts, photophilous. The culture has a weak resistance to cold, so it has spread in the south and in the central regions.
3. Henry. Foliage drops partially. Srednerosly in comparison with other species, the stem stretches up to 2,5 m. Vegetation period: July. The flowers are scarlet, have a rich smell. Fruits in September with black berries.
4. Serotina. Extends to 4–5 m. Leaves fall off. Flowering earlier, long. Flowers form capitate inflorescences (up to 30 pieces).
5. Evergreen drema. The most frost-resistant type. Flowering occurs at the end of May. Inflorescences are tubular, purple with a yellow core. Fruits red berries from June to October.
6. Bakchar giant. Edible variety. Tall (up to 2 m), crown is branched, foliage is dark, picturesque. The fruits are massive, oblong, up to 5 cm, weight – 2,5 g. Up to 4 kg of crop is harvested from the bush.
7. Graham Thomas. Evergreen, frost resistant. Creamy yellow flowers from June to September. Fruiting from July to October. The fruits are poisonous.

Video “Honeysuckle climbing in the garden”

In this video, experts talk about the rules for planting and caring for ornamental crops.

Rules for planting curly honeysuckle

Two methods are suitable for sowing crops – with seeds and with the help of seedlings. The first is complex and time-consuming, therefore it is rarely used. Propagation by seedlings is easier, you just need to purchase high-quality specimens.

Site selection

In addition to the decorative appearance, the plant also has a pleasant smell. For many owners, this is an important factor when choosing a suitable location. It is better to plant crops near recreation areas.

To bloom profusely, the culture needs the sun. However, some forest varieties of honeysuckle prefer shady areas, therefore they grow better under a dense tree crown. Curly varieties are planted near structures (arches or fences) that need to be decorated.

Soil preparation and seedlings

The soil is selected with a reaction in the range of 5,5–6,5 pH. Lime is added to excessively acidic soil and dug up. Be sure to get rid of weeds, after which organic and mineral fertilizers are applied.

Rules for the selection of planting material:

1. Buy in special nurseries or from reliable gardeners.
2. For early flowering, seedlings aged 2-3 years are chosen.
3. Roots and shoots should be free of defects, flexible, without dried areas. Be sure to run with the kidneys.
4. It’s not scary if the bark peels off – this is common to all varieties of culture. It is better not to take a weak seedling.

For subsequent propagation, it is recommended to purchase three or more varieties. Honeysuckle is cross-pollinated, so it is desirable that there be more steam.

It is better to buy seedlings in plastic containers, immersed in a ready-made clod of soil – this way you will avoid damage to the roots during transplantation. But when planting in early spring or autumn, leave the spine bare.

Landing technology

Suggested landing times:

• end of April – beginning of May: the plant will have time to take root;
• end of September: the root system slowly forms throughout the winter.

The landing technology is as follows:

1. 3-4 days before sowing, holes are dug for each bush in increments of 1 m for low-growing crops and 2,5 m for tall ones.
2. The bottom is drained by pouring a layer of fine gravel, expanded clay or brick fragments.
3. Sprinkle a layer of fertile soil. It is bought in a specialized store or prepared independently: 2 buckets of compost are mixed with 1 kg of wood ash and 50 g of superphosphate. For sandstones, a little clay is added.
4. A couple of hours before planting, the hole is abundantly moistened.
5. The seedling is set in the center, the root is buried with an earthen substrate, making sure that the root collar remains near the surface. The land around is watered several times. Since the earth will settle, later it is filled up and moistened again.
6. It is advisable to mulch the root circle with needles, sawdust or peat. Mulch will maintain the desired moisture and protect the roots from frost.

Transplantation is carried out when there are no flowers on the honeysuckle, that is, in late autumn or early spring. The culture is transplanted along with an earthen clod so that the plant feels more comfortable in a new place.

For successful growth in height, the vine must cling to supports. It can be:

• building wall with guide cords;
• gazebo or arch;
• gratings, grids, trellises installed vertically.

Features of care and reproduction

Honeysuckle soon begins to sprout, stretch in all directions, clinging to supports and taking root. The gardener at this stage is required to maintain growth at the proper level and from time to time trim off excess branches.

Preservation of soil moisture

Moisture is essential for normal plant growth. Agrotechnics assumes the following frequency of irrigation:

• twice a week on hot days;
• once on a cloudy day.

It is impossible for the soil in the root zone to dry out – the fruits will form small, dry and bitter. Excess is also harmful – stagnant moisture contributes to the development of varietal ailments, rotting of the roots.

Top dressing for abundant flowering

Additional feeding enhances growth. Several types of fertilizers are used:

1. Minerals are applied shortly before flowering, providing massive inflorescences with energy.
2. Store-bought complex formulations are applied during the active growing season.
3. Wood ash is sprinkled under each bush in late autumn.
4. Humus and mullein infusion are added in early July.

shrub formation

Periodic pruning allows you to give the shrub the desired shape. The rules are:

1. To prevent the bush from growing up, cut off the top. As a result, new shoots appear on the sides, enhancing the overall bushiness and splendor.
2. In the spring, sanitary pruning is performed, at the same time shortening live shoots by 25–30 cm.
3. The bushes are thinned out, reducing the thickening of the crown.
4. When forming a honeysuckle bush, pruning not only gives the vines a shape, but also rejuvenates the bush.

Methods of reproduction

For this, two methods are used:

1. Layering. The procedure is carried out in early spring, when the snow melts and the earth warms up. Choose a strong branch and bend down. The layer is pinned to the ground with a bracket or pressed down with a brick. During the season, the branch will take root, in the fall the young seedling is separated from the mother bush, dug up and transplanted to a new place.
2. Cuttings. Breeding takes place in July. Cuttings are cut from the bush with a couple of intact internodes and several leaves. The cuttings are placed in a greenhouse, which is made from a plastic bottle, cutting off the bottom. The stalk is covered by sticking the bottle with the cut edge into the ground. The neck is left open for air to enter.

Frost protection

Most popular varieties tolerate winter frosts well. Even if individual fragments freeze slightly, new ones quickly grow with the advent of spring. In late autumn, it is recommended to mulch the root sections of the crop. Covering honeysuckle with agrofiber is a must.

In the middle lane and the Moscow region, the plant is removed from the support. Creepers are laid out on leaves, protruding shoots are pressed to the surface with holders. Cover with coniferous spruce branches, film.

Diseases and pests of culture

Cultivated honeysuckle has strong immunity, rarely gets sick and is not attacked by pests. But in the first years, young shoots are weakened, so their condition must be monitored.

The plant is attacked by insects. The most harmful of them:

• leaflet;
• smoky moth;
• honeysuckle tick.

Culture is dangerous varietal diseases – viral and fungal. Powdery mildew becomes a common ailment. Specialized insecticides help against pests, but a plant affected by fungi and viruses cannot be cured. The best way out is to dig a bush and burn it so that the infection does not pass to the neighbors.

Gardeners recommend timely preventive measures to prevent the formation of larvae and adult aphids. The measures are:

• the trunk circle is sprinkled with granular superphosphate or lime;
• by winter, the shoots are sprayed with a 5% solution of urea;
• periodically carry out treatment with drugs “Lepidocid” or “Bitoxibacillin”.

Using honeysuckle curly in garden design

Since a culture is planted for a decorative purpose, fences, walls, arched and other garden structures are decorated with it. You can plant a bush separately and in a group, but with plants of the same species – a short flowering period does not allow you to combine honeysuckle with other liana crops. It is well grouped with climbing crops – hops, girlish grapes.

Reviews of summer residents

Moderate care, loosening and infrequent pruning is enough for shrubby honeysuckle to grow beautifully on the site. Over the years, culture carefully disguises unsightly objects. An ornamental fragrant plant entwining the gazebo allows the owners to feel as if they are in the bosom of wildlife.