Growing Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle Bush Shoots

Question:

Hardiness Zone: 5a

Buttercup from Michigan

Answer:

These broom-like shoots are the result of damage caused by the feeding of wooly honeysuckle aphids. The feeding aphids injure new growth, causing it to become discolored and curl. The honeysuckle bush responds by sending out new side shoots and tufts of leaves at the ends of the damaged branches. These branches typically see only a few inches of growth during the season and are also likely to succumb to similar injuries. As the side shoots die off during the winter, the "witches broom" effect they create becomes more noticeable. Plant scientists are still uncertain as to whether the damage is actually caused by the aphids themselves or by a plant pathogen the aphids carry. Damage is usually only aesthetic and is limited to the honeysuckle bush (the honeysuckle bush serves as the only host to this particular type of aphid). To control minor infestations, tufts can be removed by clipping them off as they appear. For heavy or reoccurring infestations, periodically spray the bush with water to remove the aphids or apply an insecticidal soap in the early spring.

Ellen

By Ellen Brown

Caring for a Honeysuckle

Question:

Hardiness Zone: 7a

Dana from Newkensington, PA

Answer:

This is an interesting question-one that I have often pondered myself. Why is it that the flowers of our youth seemed to be laden with a sweeter fragrance than those we sniff today? Scientific studies indicate that children have a better sense of smell than their parents or grandparents, so initially, I simply chalked it up to a gap in my olfactory memory. I guessed that my nose had simply become dulled and desensitized by age. I've since come to realize that there may be a better explanation. Fragrance, you see, is all in the genes. When you think about it, the flowers of our youth were more fragrant, but they also tended to be blander in color. They most certainly lacked the hybridization (and the resulting vibrant and sometimes downright zany color patterns) that we see in flowers today. This is especially true of roses, which have been endlessly tinkered with over time in order to develop stronger colors, straighter stems and bigger blooms-mostly at the expense of their fragrance. This could be what you're seeing with your honeysuckle tree. Extensive hybridization. Either that, or you may have inadvertently purchased one of several varieties that happen to produce less fragrant blooms. Keep your fingers crossed that as time marches on and your tree continues to mature, you'll see an increase in fragrant flowers. In the meantime, we can all sleep peacefully knowing that plant breeders around the world are collectively devising ways to bring back the "fragrant genes" so often missing in today's flowers.

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Ellen

By Ellen Brown

Growing: Honeysuckle

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By Ellen Brown