Honeysuckle fails to blossom if the plant’s pruned severely. Honeysuckle also fails to blossom if it doesn’t get adequate sunlight. Honeysuckle doesn’t flower when it’s given too much fertilizer. Honeysuckle also doesn’t flower if the soil goes bone dry. Do remember that Honeysuckle only flowers after 2-3 years of establishing.
Honeysuckle is grown for its beautiful blossoms. The plant is grown in the gardens and can also be grown indoors.
Parts of the Honeysuckle vine have medicinal value. The plant seems quite similar to the Woodbine plants. More than 180 species are found in the Honeysuckle genus.
What month does Honeysuckle bloom?
Honeysuckle starts flowering in June and the flowers last till September/the beginning of October. Most varieties blossom in spring.
Most varieties show flowers only in the spring while others keep flowering through summer into early fall.
If you live in a warm area, your Honeysuckle will flower throughout the year. The warmer conditions favor flowering in this plant.
Also read: When does Honeysuckle flower?
Honeysuckle not flowering properly
Honeysuckle doesn’t flower if it doesn’t get adequate sunlight. Honeysuckle also fails to flower if the plant is pruned severely. Honeysuckle also fails to flower if the soil gets bone dry.
Below are the reasons why Honeysuckle doesn’t flower. We shall also discuss the ways to fix those problems.
Improper/Untimely Pruning
Honeysuckle won’t blossom if you prune the plant at the wrong time. Honeysuckle also won’t blossom if you prune it severely.
Don’t prune your Honeysuckle in winter/early spring. If you do this, the plant will lose the parts on which the flowers are supposed to grow.
Honeysuckle also fails to flower if you prune the plant severely. Severe pruning encourages the growth of leaves and the vines will just grow longer.
So, prune your Honeysuckle at the right time, and don’t prune the plant harshly if you want to see blossoms on it.
Not enough sunlight
Honeysuckle doesn’t flower if it doesn’t get adequate sunlight. The plant only flowers if it gets bright sunlight at least for a few hours.
In the wild, the plant climbs up large trees just to get enough sunlight. Honeysuckle blossoms only when given adequate sunlight.
If the plant isn’t flowering, see if it’s in shade. If Honeysuckle is in too much shade, the leaves fall off and the plant dies back.
Place your Honeysuckle vine so that the vine gets sunlight and the soil remains in the shade. Honeysuckle grows the best in dappled sunlight conditions.
Too much fertilizer
Adding a lot of fertilizer to your Honeysuckle also hinders flowering. Too much Nitrogen fertilizer encourages leaf growth at the expense of flowers.
Honeysuckle thrives in healthy soil but that doesn’t mean that you can add a lot of fertilizer to the soil.
You just need to apply an all-purpose fertilizer once in the early spring. Make sure you use a slow-release fertilizer.
If you apply too much fertilizer to the soil, your Honeysuckle vines grow long and give out lush, green foliage.
This condition is also seen when lawn fertilizer is washed onto the soil near your Honeysuckle. So, you need to observe if this is the issue.
You can’t do much to fix the issue once the plant gets overfertilized. Just wait it out and your plant will flower in the next season.
Honeysuckle not established
Honeysuckle only flowers once the plant is at least 2-3 years old. Honeysuckle doesn’t flower until it’s well-established.
Honeysuckle flowers after 2 years only if all the conditions are favorable for growth.
The Honeysuckle plant doesn’t flower on new growth. This is the reason why you shouldn’t prune severely. Budding stems won’t give out flowers.
Wait for a year or two before you expect flowers on your Honeysuckle. The wait will be worth it.
Dry soil
If your Honeysuckle is in dry soil for prolonged periods, it fails to flower. Honeysuckle needs an ample amount of water to thrive.
Check if the garden soil is sandy. Sandy soil doesn’t retain water efficiently. If the soil is sandy, add some compost to it.
Also, check if any other plant/tree is competing with your Honeysuckle for resources. Move your Honeysuckle away if this is the issue.
Check the soil with your bare fingers often and water when it feels dry up to 2 inches. By doing this you’ll water your plant only when it’s thirsty.
This also happens when the soil lacks adequate moisture.
Know when your plant blooms!
Sometimes it’s just the cultivar/species. Some species blossom when certain external conditions are met.
So, it becomes crucial to know when your Honeysuckle will flower. Most varieties bloom in the spring. Some varieties continue blooming till early fall.
For example, Coral Honeysuckle won’t bloom until late summer. This species blooms through fall. Japanese Honeysuckle blooms in early summer.
Cape Honeysuckle starts flowering in the fall and into the winter. This is usually seen in USDA Zones 9-11, thanks to their warmth.
Also remember, Honeysuckle won’t blossom if it didn’t establish for 3 years or more. It needs to age in before it flowers.
Honeysuckle flowers falling off
Honeysuckle buds form but drop off if the plant is experiencing drought conditions. This happens when the soil is directly exposed to sunlight.
Lack of moisture at the roots is the main reason why Honeysuckle buds drop off. This could also happen due to sandy soil.
Check if the soil gets direct sunlight. Sunlight evaporates the much-needed water from the soil.
So, it’s worth it to water the Honeysuckle properly, at the right time. Check the soil with your fingers and water when it’s dried up to 2 inches.
Aphid infestation
Honeysuckle flower buds also drop off when there’s a severe aphid infestation. Check for signs of an aphid infestation.
Aphid infestation causes distorted leaves with yellow spots. Aphids hide in the distorted/curled leaves.
Wipe off the pests using a cotton bud dipped in rubbing alcohol. You can spray Neem oil on the affected plant’s leaves to get rid of these pesky pests.
How do I get my Honeysuckle to bloom?
Honeysuckle only flowers after 2-3 years of establishing only if all the conditions are met. Fertilize your Honeysuckle properly to help it blossom.
- Make sure to fertilize your Honeysuckle once a year in the spring. Using a 16-16-16 fertilizer would work wonders.
- You may also fertilize the Honeysuckle in the mid-summer to help it thrive.
- Provide your Honeysuckle with enough water to support the new growth. Dry soil hinders flowering in Honeysuckle.
- Know the type of Honeysuckle you grow because each has its own characteristics.
Happy Growing 🙂