Honeysuckle Vine: The Complete Guide to Tennessee Gardening
Honeysuckle vine (Lonicera spp․) is a relatively fast-growing‚ fragrant flowering vine suitable for use in any Tennessee garden (and those of other regions of the Southeast U․S․‚ USDA Zones 4-9 depending on species)․ As a climate zone‚ Tennessee offers almost perfect growing conditions for honeysuckle‚ with its hot‚ muggy summers and mild winters․ Most varieties will flower in the first year after planting․
But here's something that is often overlooked at many nursery sites: not all honeysuckle vines are created equal‚ and the wrong variety can cause you real headaches․
Select the Right Honeysuckle for Your Yard
You could also plant Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens): this native vine produces clusters of tube-shaped flowers in red-orange that hummingbirds absolutely mob in late spring and summer․ This honeysuckle is not intrusive‚ and is one of the best plants you can add to your yard to attract hummingbirds and other native pollinators․ Many cultivars have been bred from this species‚ one of the most common of which is 'Major Wheeler'‚ which has similar virtues of long flowering period‚ which often reblooms in flushes right up until frost‚ and mildew resistance․
The second contender‚ Japanese Honeysuckle (or Lonicera japonica)‚ is a native of Asia‚ but is found along fence rows and at the edge of woods throughout Tennessee․ It has a sweet scent and grows aggressively‚ and is classified as an intrusive plant in Tennessee and much of the Southeast․ It'll climb trees‚ smother shrubs‚ and spread well beyond where you planted it․ We'd steer you away from this one for home gardens․ Select native types or cultivated varieties that behave․
TN Nursery has Native Coral Honeysuckle Vines available for purchase, and they are one of our favorites because you get all the scent and attractiveness for the hummingbirds without the intrusive habits‚ and they do better in our soil and humidity than some of the ornamentals․
Planting and Soil Requirements
The honeysuckle vine will tolerate a variety of conditions when it comes to soil drainage․ It will grow well in clay‚ loam‚ and rocky soil‚ but prefers reasonably well-drained soil․ The dense red clay soil found in Tennessee should be cultivated with compost to create aeration and prevent water from pooling around the roots․
They may be planted any time from early spring‚ when the frost is over‚ to autumn‚ when temperatures are starting to turn cool before winter․ Early spring‚ when they start becoming active and have time to make roots before hot summer‚ is the most common․ Plant beds are best prepared in autumn‚ so roots have time to settle in before winter․ Holes should be twice wider than the root ball‚ and level with the ground․ Firm in․ Water well when planting․ Water the root zone‚ keeping it evenly moist but not soggy‚ for six to eight weeks until the vine establishes․
Sun‚ Water‚ and Support
They're best in full sun for maximum flowering‚ ideally with at least six hours of sun a day‚ although honeysuckles tolerate partial shade and will still flower‚ just not so profusely‚ and the plant will tend to become spindly in its search for more light․
Water the plant deeply once or twice a week during its first growing season․ More water may be needed in the case of hot‚ dry August months in Tennessee․ When the honeysuckle vine has become established in the ground‚ it is drought-tolerant within two years under ideal conditions‚ and may only require watering during prolonged drought periods․
Instead of growing tendrils or adhesive pads‚ honeysuckles are twining vines․ Give honeysuckle something to twine/climb on‚ such as a trellis‚ arbor‚ mailbox post‚ or chain link fence․ The ideal support is a lattice or wire with a diameter of at least one inch or two‚ as thicker poles and flat walls offer no opportunity for the vine to twine around․
Growth Rate and Size
First year growth of Coral Honeysuckle vines is noteworthy․ With adequate moisture‚ most grow to about 3 to 6 feet․ In three years‚ a good location vine can grow to 10 to 15 feet tall․ If not pruned back‚ some varieties can grow over 20 feet along a fence line at full maturity․ It is not a slow grower‚ so if space is limited‚ it will need to be trimmed back regularly․
Pruning Honeysuckle Vine
Prune the plant immediately following the main blooming period‚ typically late June or early July in most Tennessee gardens․ Pruning at this time allows the vine to develop new growth on which next year's blooms will appear while at the same time not sacrificing blooms that occur late in the growing season․
When the woody and leggy growth of old growth begins to appear‚ a hard pruning to 30 cm (12 in) or so above the soil should be done to force new growth from the crown․ Honeysuckle generally tolerates this type of pruning well‚ and most honeysuckles will produce new growth within the same growing season․ General maintenance involves thinning crossing branches and removing dead wood in the late winter before new growth begins․
Wildlife Value
Coral Honeysuckle is truly one of the best hummingbird plants to grow in this area․ Hanging and tubular red-orange flowers have a shape that seems made-to-order for a hummingbird bill․ Ruby-throated hummingbirds‚ passing through on migration‚ who nest in Tennessee all summer‚ visit this bloom again and again․ Swallowtail butterflies and many other species of moths use it for a nectar source․ In the late summer to fall‚ songbirds eat the little red berries formed from its flowers․
Where to Plant It
The honeysuckle vine climbs beautifully up a split-rail fence․
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