Decorative honeysuckle: photo and description, planting and care

It is difficult to imagine a modern garden without well-groomed, neatly trimmed or abundantly flowering shrubs. Thanks to constant breeding work, the number of such plant species is increasing every year. Among them there is also decorative honeysuckle – an unpretentious garden shrub that grows well in almost all climatic zones of Our Country.

Is it possible to eat decorative honeysuckle berries

All decorative honeysuckle is inedible. Moreover, the use of its fruits in food can lead to serious poisoning. The main purpose of such species is not to obtain a harvest of berries, but to decorate a personal plot. Decorative honeysuckle is used to create hedges, various architectural elements of the garden, climbing varieties are used for vertical gardening of arches, columns, building facades or trellises.

In the garden, decorative honeysuckle can be used for various purposes.

These plants retain an attractive appearance for a long time due to the rich color of greenery and abundant flowering. After the fruits ripen, bright berries remain on the branches for a long time, and the foliage itself acquires a yellow or red color.

How to distinguish decorative honeysuckle from edible

Honeysuckle has over 200 different species, some of which are edible and some not. It is easiest to distinguish them by the shape of the berries. In edible varieties, they are dark blue or purple, with a bluish wax coating, elongated-oblong or spindle-shaped. Inedible types of ornamental honeysuckle form round or oval berries in red, orange or black. This perennial has one more feature. All edible varieties of this plant are bushy, but inedible ones can grow not only as a bush, but also as a liana.

Varieties of decorative honeysuckle with photos and names

All varieties of decorative honeysuckle can be divided into 2 types:

• shrub;
• curly (vines).

Each of these groups includes quite a few different varieties, so the landscape designer always has a choice.

Shrub ornamental honeysuckle

This group includes varieties of honeysuckle that have the shape of a bush. Dwarf forms of this type are used to decorate alpine slides, low borders, larger plants are used to create hedges, they are planted as independent elements in group and single plantings.

Alpine

Alpine honeysuckle is a low (up to 1 m) rounded shrub with a spreading crown. The leaves are small, dense, bright green. Flowering is abundant, begins in May and lasts about 3 weeks. The flowers are yellow, devoid of fragrance.

Abundant flowering is replaced by no less intense fruiting

By September, the bush is covered with dark red berries the size of cherries. Alpine honeysuckle is extremely unpretentious in cultivation and resistant to diseases and pests.

Golden

Golden honeysuckle grows much higher, the bush of this plant can reach 4 m in height. It is spreading, consists of many strong shoots of light brown color. The leaves are large, dense, oval-elongated, with a pointed tip, can grow up to 12 cm in length.

Golden honeysuckle flowers have a delicate pleasant aroma

At the end of May, many large yellow flowers with a delicate pleasant aroma appear on the shrub. Flowering lasts about 2 weeks. At the end of August, instead of flowers, rounded red berries ripen.

Maaka

This type of ornamental honeysuckle grows as a sprawling bush up to 5 m tall. This shrub looks very impressive because of the dense foliage of the shoots. This gives the crown a significant density. Maak’s honeysuckle is especially beautiful during flowering, when a large number of snow-white large flowers appear on it, which have a wonderful aroma.

Maaka is more suitable for warmer regions

At the end of summer, a large number of purple-red berries ripen on the shrub, which hold on for a long time and do not fall off even with the arrival of frost.

Maksymovich

Maksimovich’s honeysuckle is considered one of the best shrubs for creating hedges. This species grows in dense, highly leafy bushes up to 2 m high. In early June, many purple-lilac flowers appear on them, and by autumn bright red large egg-shaped berries ripen in their place, fused at the base and slightly resembling a heart.

The fused fruits resemble a heart

Maksimovich’s honeysuckle tolerates a haircut well, it is unpretentious, undemanding in care and resistant to diseases and pests.

coverlet

The bushes of this type of ornamental honeysuckle grow up to 3 m in height. The shoots of this shrub are densely covered with dark blue foliage, on which numerous bright yellow flowers with a lemon tint stand out brightly during flowering. They subsequently acquire a rich purple color.

Shiny black berries against a background of red flowers look very impressive.

After flowering inside the bracts, black shiny berries ripen in pairs, giving the bushes a special decorative effect.

Tatarskaya

This is a type of bush ornamental honeysuckle, which includes such varieties as Large-flowered, Siberian, Alba and others. All of them are sprawling shrubs with a lush crown, they can grow up to 4 m in height. They bloom in early summer with very beautiful white-pink paired flowers, in place of which red or orange berries appear at the end of summer.

Two-color flowers of the Tatar variety give the bush a special appeal.

Tatar honeysuckle flowers have a delicate pleasant aroma. The flowering period of this shrub can last about 3 weeks.

Curly ornamental honeysuckle

A climbing variety of ornamental honeysuckle is used in landscape design as an intertwining plant for vertical gardening of various architectural objects. Here are a few species of this perennial, often found in home gardens.

CapryPhil

This plant forms thin lianas of red-brown color, the length of which can reach up to 6 m. Due to this, honeysuckle perfectly braids any support, arch or trellis. Single leaves of this plant have the ability to grow together, so that the shoot looks like it is passing through the leaf plate.

Honeysuckle – a common type of curly ornamental honeysuckle

Honeysuckle flowers are formed at the tips of the shoots. They have different colors: red, white, pink, yellow, orange. Each flower lives for about 3 days, the full flowering cycle of this ornamental honeysuckle takes about 3 weeks.

Brown

Brown’s honeysuckle is one of the most beautiful climbing species of this plant. In length, its creepers grow up to 3 m, which is less than that of honeysuckle. The leaves of the plant are dense, at the end of the shoot grow together in pairs. Flowering at Brown’s honeysuckle begins in the second half of June and lasts about 2 weeks.

The long tubular corolla distinguishes Brown from other varieties.

Bell-shaped flowers of red-orange color with a long tubular corolla are the hallmark of this shrub.

Henry

Henry’s honeysuckle is a semi-evergreen climbing shrub. In good conditions, with support, creepers of this species can grow up to 8 m. The leaves are large, dense, oblong-ovate. Flowering begins in mid-summer.

Henry is grown with shelter for the winter

Flowers small, yellow-red. The fruits are black shiny berries.

Hekrot

Honeysuckle Hekrot is a climbing shrub with vines up to 6 m. The leaves are large, opposite, elongated-pointed, bright green with a bluish tinge. This species blooms from June to September.

Large inflorescences of Hekrot are very spectacular

The flowers of this type of decorative honeysuckle are large, up to 4 cm, with a tubular corolla, it is red or purple on the outside, yellow-orange inside. Flowers grow in a group, racemose inflorescence of 20-30 pcs.

Telman

Telman’s honeysuckle is an evergreen climbing shrub up to 6 m long, with oblong leaves, often fused at the top of the shoots. Flowering of this species begins in June and lasts about 2 weeks.

Telman’s honeysuckle is distinguished by friendly and abundant flowering

The flowers of this decorative honeysuckle are large, yellow-orange, collected in whorl inflorescences at the ends of the shoots. Flowering is friendly, very plentiful.

Decorative honeysuckle in landscape design

In landscape design, decorative honeysuckle can be used for a variety of purposes. Its main purpose is borders, hedges, mixborders. Bush varieties are planted singly and in groups, combining them with each other, as well as with coniferous plants.

A solid wall of blooming honeysuckle will brighten up any garden.

Climbing species are used as braiding plants for decorating vertical sections, walls, fences, various arched structures and other architectural elements of the garden.

Winter hardiness of decorative honeysuckle

Most types of ornamental honeysuckle have good frost resistance and can be grown without shelter for the winter. Shrub species are especially well adapted to frost. Curly ornamental honeysuckle tolerates severe frosts worse, therefore, without shelter, it is grown only in the southern regions. In the northern regions, creepers can freeze slightly, so for the winter they are removed from the support and covered.

Planting and caring for decorative honeysuckle

Ornamental honeysuckle is one of the most unpretentious garden plants. It grows well in almost all climatic zones, is undemanding to care, and rarely gets sick. The agrotechnics of growing this shrub is not difficult, so it is loved by both landscape design professionals and beginners.

Selection and preparation of the landing site

The planting site for decorative honeysuckle is most often chosen for purely practical purposes, based on the direct purpose of these perennial shrubs. Therefore, bushes are usually planted not where they will be better, but where a gardener or landscape designer needs it. Honeysuckle is quite calm about this, however, in order for the shrub to feel good, it is better to adhere to the following recommendations in choosing a place for planting it:

1. The place should be well lit or partial shade, it is better if the site is protected from the north side.
2. The soil is preferably loose and breathable, fertile, with a neutral level of acidity.
3. The groundwater level is not higher than 1 m. Honeysuckle should not be planted in flooded areas or in places where water stagnates after rains or snow melt.

The landing site must be dug up in advance

Before planting, it is better to dig the site in advance, at the same time introducing rotted manure. If the soil is poor, then it is advisable to add a complex potassium-phosphorus fertilizer. Excessive acidity of the soil can be reduced by adding lime or dolomite flour.

Rules of landing

The algorithm for planting a seedling of decorative honeysuckle is quite simple:

1. A planting pit is prepared, in which an earthen clod from a container with a seedling should be placed.
2. The earth taken out of the pit is mixed with humus and peat, if the soil is clayey, sand can be added. Additionally, potash-phosphorus fertilizer is added, it is also desirable to add a little wood ash.
3. A drainage layer of small pebbles, pebbles or crushed stone is laid at the bottom of the landing pit.
4. The seedling is removed from the container and placed in the center of the planting hole. In this case, the root neck of the plant should remain at the same level with the soil surface. If necessary, soil can be poured into the pit.
5. The pit is gradually completely filled with soil with periodic compaction.

After planting, the root zone is mulched to retain moisture in the soil.

After planting is completed, intensive watering of the seedling is carried out, and its root zone is mulched with peat or humus.

Watering and top dressing

Many varieties of ornamental honeysuckle are sensitive to lack of moisture, so watering should be regular, especially in hot weather. At such a time, you need to water the bushes daily, pouring at least 10 liters of water under each plant. In cloudy weather, the frequency of watering should be reduced. Decorative honeysuckle is good for sprinkling, but this procedure should be carried out in the evening.

The plant likes regular watering.

During the first 2-3 years after planting, the bush is not fed. For this period, the plant has enough of those fertilizers that were applied during planting. Subsequently, decorative honeysuckle is fed every season according to the following scheme:

1. Early spring – urea or nitroammophoska, granular fertilizer is scattered in the trunk circle. Nitrogen stimulates a set of green mass and promotes the growth of shoots.
2. Summer, the end of flowering – organic matter, humus or rotted manure is introduced into the root zone.
3. Autumn, after fruit ripening – potash and phosphorus fertilizers to prepare for winter and lay flower buds.

How to form decorative honeysuckle

Bush ornamental honeysuckle is practically not pruned in the first years, allowing the bush to grow and gain density. Cut out only broken and dried branches. Then the bushes are formed depending on their purpose, periodically cutting the shoots that go beyond the size. Old bushes need rejuvenation from time to time; for this, part of the age shoots are removed, replacing them with young ones.

Dried shoots must be cut

Curly decorative honeysuckle is formed in a similar way. A few years after planting the lash, the plants are not pruned, this continues until the vines reach the required length. Only damaged and dry shoots are removed. Subsequently, the vines are bred along the supports, cutting off the extra lashes. Periodically, old shoots are cut out and replaced with younger ones.

Shelter of decorative honeysuckle for the winter

Adult bushes of decorative honeysuckle do not need shelter for the winter, but young seedlings may suffer, especially during the first wintering. To save them, the bushes are covered with a layer of fallen leaves and spruce branches. Curly and creeping varieties, as a rule, tolerate frosts worse, so for the winter they are removed from their supports, laid on the ground or on a pillow of fallen leaves and covered with straw or spruce branches, and then additionally covered with snow. If the winter is mild, and there are no severe frosts in the region, then it is enough to insulate the root zone with a thick layer of peat or humus mulch, additionally covering it with a layer of fallen leaves.

Reproduction

You can independently propagate decorative honeysuckle both by seed and vegetative methods. Seeds are harvested in autumn from fully ripened berries, stratified, keeping for several months in the snow or in the refrigerator, and planted in special mini-greenhouses in early spring.

The plant can be propagated by seeds, but it takes a long time.

Often, seeds are planted immediately in open ground, but at the same time shoots appear much later. Up to 2-3 years, seedlings are grown in greenhouse conditions, and then the seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place in open ground.

Of the vegetative propagation methods, cuttings are most often used. It is possible to propagate decorative honeysuckle both by lignified cuttings and annual, green ones. They are pre-rooted in water or in a nutrient substrate, and then planted in greenhouses for growing.

Cuttings root well in water.

Age-grown bushes can be divided, this is also one of the methods of reproduction. In autumn or spring, the bush is completely dug out of the ground and divided into several parts so that each division contains several shoots with its own root system. They should immediately be planted in a new place.

Diseases and pests

Honeysuckle has excellent immunity to diseases, so for a long time it was believed that it did not get sick at all. However, it is not. Due to various violations in the care of the shrub, various fungal infections can develop, such as septoria, brown spot, powdery mildew. These diseases manifest themselves in the form of various spots on leaves and shoots, foci of rot.

Spots on honeysuckle leaves are a sign of a fungal disease.

To prevent fungal diseases, honeysuckle is treated with a solution of Bordeaux mixture in early spring. When foci of the disease appear during the season, the affected areas of the plant are cut out and burned, and the plantings are sprayed with fungicides.

Of the pests on decorative honeysuckle, aphids most often appear – a microscopic sucking insect. Small populations are not dangerous. However, due to rapid reproduction, aphid colonies can reach large sizes very soon. The pest feeds on the juice of young leaves and shoots and in large numbers poses a real threat.

Aphids are a common garden pest.

If insects are found on the leaves, the shrub can be treated with an ordinary solution of laundry soap, and then washed off with a stream of water. If the colony has reached a significant size, then it is better to use special preparations: Inta-Vir, Iskra, Decis, etc.

Conclusion

Decorative honeysuckle is perhaps one of the most suitable plants for landscaping a personal plot. A variety of varieties, a magnificent appearance, combined with undemanding care, unpretentiousness and frost resistance, make this perennial shrub a real find for gardeners in many regions of Our Country. Even in an unfavorable climate, decorative honeysuckle grows well and does not lose its attractiveness for many years.

Reviews of decorative honeysuckle