I have this vine growing up a trellis by our deck. It was being badly choked out by morning glory when we moved in a couple of weeks ago, I did rescue it from that right away, but it looks sad and dying. What is it and are the berries from the same plant. and while Im asking what can I do to bring it back sad looking vine ( photo / image / picture from chloe3789's Garden ) Pretty unidentified flower ( photo / image / picture from chloe3789's Garden )
Would you be able to get a close up of the berries and leaves on your bush? And is the flower on that bush, or is that a separate bush.
Your plant is a Lonicera/Honeysuckle Chloe. A wonderful plant that attracts lots of bees and butterflies to its flowers. They have a delicate but heady scent which, I for one, love. The berries are toxic so shouldn't be eaten by anything but the birds. If you cut it down to near ground level it should grow well for you next year.
This article has lots of information, more than you might want to know, on honeysuckles. One question, when would you cut this back in the cold weather areas? This article said to cut it back in March, which is when I would cut back my lavendar, roses, fuchsias, hydrangeas,etc. Would you cut it back now or in early spring? http://www.druidry.org/obod/trees/honeysuckle.html
Thanks Eileen! I'm not sure though if I should cut it to the ground. It's about 8 feet tall growing up the trellis. I looks like it has taken many years to grow that tall! Maybe I'll chop off all the dead bits, to the top of the trellis? --Karma, yet the berries are on the same plant as the flowers
Chloe I cut mine right back (around 6 inches from the ground) every year once the frosts have passed and you'd be amazed at just how quickly it grows again. The decision is yours however but the new growth tends to be much fuller than the old and you get more flowers and berries too on the new tendrils. :-D
Hi Chloe, looking at your Honeysuckle i would certainly reduce it in size,..or cut it in shape,..i also have it growing in my garden as you can see below,..cutting it will improve foliage and blooms. ( photo / image / picture from Philip Nulty's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Philip Nulty's Garden )
Well, I cut it back to the top of the trellis, but then I saw that you do yours after the frost... whoops. I think maybe I should have let it until spring? I'll see how it does next spring if it's not great, I will cut it right back the following year.
Not to worry Chloe, you can actually prune in winter,..this will delay the flowering,..you will notice the blooms will first appear on short spurs on the older stems first,..then on the tips of the newer stems later in the season.
