Honeysuckle Bush Shoots

By Lynda (Guest Post)

I'm about to cut down a 40 yr. old old-fashioned Honeysuckle bush because my Bradford Pear got so tall that the Honeysuckle gets no sun and is too scraggly with few leaves, (but has NEVER had a sign
of any sort of pest, much less aphids. Perhaps the older varieties just aren't affected?) I had the bushes
turn wild on me at another home and took over the cyclone fence and anything else they could reach. I
vowed I'd never have another one for that reason, but since this one came with the new home, was easy to keep in place and trim back to a 4' bush, blooming it's heart out until the Bradford Pear did it's maturing, I kept it until now. It's just time to let it go, since it requires sun to bloom/leaf, offers NOTHING of beauty and value, is too old to move or dig from among roots of a 10 yr. old Crepe Myrtle near it, and from the roots of the Bradford Pear. It's just too common looking, sort of like my Japanese Privit Tree farther away. Across the driveway from it is a magnificent stand of healthy white blooming fragrant Jasmine, which withstands the toughest of conditions where it's planted next to a family of 20 yr. old Century Plant Agave-like specimen, and all of it grows without added water since I've Zeriscaped for so many years. It was one of the best things I ever did because of the water-savings and weed elimination!

My bush never had side shoots, only new growth
from last year's growth. Now, it's about over for it. I
will plant nothing in it's place because there is enough there now, with a Red Cactus in front which
also requires NO care and sends out lovely red flowers on long spikes faithfully all year long. The combination of these things was hardly planned, but really works well for less care and interesting blooms
together. Hope your's gets well and has lots of sun.

By

mholm

Possibly something called witches brooms...many small clumps of leaves. They are the result of aphids feeding on new growth and stimulating the plant to grow in this manner. Too many and the bush may ultimately die. It is best to prune them out as soon as they are observed.