The Honeysuckle plant goes woody in a couple of years, this is natural and inevitable. In some cases, Honeysuckle could go woody due to fungal infections. The lower parts of Honeysuckle go woody if the upper parts of the vine overshadow them.
Honeysuckle plants are arching shrubs or twining vines with beautiful flowers. They are a great addition to any garden.
This beautiful plant gives out an almost lemony fragrance from the beautiful white flowers. This scent will stand out in the garden.
Note: Here’s an article that explains why sometimes Honeysuckle fails to flower.
Honeysuckle also has great medicinal properties. It’s used in the treatment of various ailments ranging from digestive disorders to respiratory ailments.
Many times people who grow it face issues. They complain to me in emails that their Honeysuckle has gone woody. In this article, we shall discuss why it turns woody and how to fix it.
Why does my Honeysuckle look dead?
Did your Honeysuckle go woody? Do you think part of your vine has become old? Does the stem look brown and woody?
This is a common issue with Honeysuckle. These plants look good and healthy for a while, then suddenly they become woody and gnarled.
Honeysuckle is a twining vine and it does this when growing and spreading. It leaves back old, woody parts of the stem.
Why has my Honeysuckle gone woody?
Honeysuckle plants go woody usually in a couple of years. This is inevitable. It may become brown due to a fungal infection too.
Honeysuckle faces infestations from various insect pests too. Aphids and Scale insects may cause diseases in this plant.
Will my Honeysuckle come back?
Yes, you can definitely fix a woody Honeysuckle. You just need to follow good cultural techniques. You can make your Honeysuckle better in no time!
If you are asking if it grows back after pruning, it does. The plant will grow foliage vigorously the next season but doesn’t blossom.
Related: Why Honeysuckle turning yellow?
How do you prune woody Honeysuckle?
Gardeners can fix their woody Honeysuckle by pruning it hard. This can be done once in two years to keep the plant in good shape and health.
You can use a saw to do this. If the Honeysuckle grows over a fence, you may want to look at other ways of pruning.
- You can prune the entire vine to the bottom. Trimming the plant down to a few inches above ground has its benefits. If you follow this technique you’ll risk blossom failure the next season.
- Instead, you can cut a few of the stems back each year. This way you can make sure your plant will blossom. The plant will be in good shape if you do this promptly.
Note: You can plant some vine that is evergreen to go along with your Honeysuckle. This is to make sure that your woody Honeysuckle doesn’t stand out in your garden. Lavender and Small-leaved ivy grow well together with Honeysuckle. Clematis can be grown with it too.
Pruning these old, woody stems is necessary to promote new growth and rejuvenate the plant as a whole. Prune it back hard and keep about 6 inches of stems.
Sometimes you see that the lower parts of the twining vine go woody. This happens when the top part of the vine overshadows the lower parts.
Additional tips
Correct the stems that are growing in undesired directions. You can prune the plant back hard, it will bounce back in spring.
Whenever you see a dead, damaged, or diseased branch of your Honeysuckle, cut it off immediately. It is ideal to have only healthy branches.
Don’t be afraid to cut the plant hard. If the plant is dying, it will rejuvenate if you cut it to a height of 1 foot from the ground.
After pruning the plant do not forget to clear mulch and grass around the base of the tree. This helps prevent weed growth.
If you cut the whole plant hard to the ground, it requires nutrients to bounce back and grow healthier.
You may add fertilizer if you can. Finished compost will work fine too if it is added below a layer of organic mulch.
Happy Growing 🙂