Honeysuckle turns yellow when the plant doesn’t get the necessary nutrients. Honeysuckle also turns yellow when there’s a severe aphid infestation. Canker diseases also turn the foliage yellow in the Honeysuckle plant.
There are many species of Honeysuckle that are either shrubs or vines. Flowers, leaves, and berries of this plant have medicinal properties.
The flowers are quite fragrant. Growing this plant isn’t an easy task. If you wanna know why Honeysuckle is turning yellow, you’re at the right place!
Honeysuckle leaves turning yellow and falling off
Honeysuckle leaves turn yellow and fall off when the soil lacks the essential nutrients. Drought also causes foliage yellowing and leaf drop in Honeysuckle.
Nutritional deficiency in Honeysuckle
If you don’t feed the soil with an adequate amount of fertilizer, Honeysuckle faces this condition. Leaves turn yellow and drop off the plant.
Nitrogen deficiency is quite common in Honeysuckle plants. It arises when you don’t feed the plant adequately.
Lack of Nitrogen in Honeysuckle leads to chlorosis of leaf tissue.
Leaves become faded first/lose their green color. Such leaves turn yellow eventually. Get the soil tested in the nearest lab.
Honeysuckle gets stunted and you’ll notice dieback if the plant sits in nutrient-deficient soil for too long.
Here’s how you fix the nutritional deficiency in Honeysuckle.
- Feed your Honeysuckle with appropriate fertilizer.
- Water your Honeysuckle plant adequately, so it can absorb the necessary nutrients.
- Use organic, slow-release fertilizers for the best results.
Note: If Honeysuckle shows these symptoms even after getting adequate water, it is most probably because of Drought.
What is the best fertilizer for Honeysuckle?
I advise you to use a slow-release fertilizer as it enriches the soil without harming the plant at all. An all-purpose fertilizer like 16-16-16 would do fine.
Fertilization at the right time is necessary if you want to see abundant blossoms on your Honeysuckle.
Underwatered Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle vine turns yellow if it doesn’t get enough water. Honeysuckle is drought-tolerant but that doesn’t mean it could go without water.
The plant needs a lot of water in the beginning. Honeysuckle needs an inch of water every week to establish itself.
Check the soil with your bare fingers. Water only when the top inch of the soil goes dry. This way you will avoid waterlogged conditions. Mulch around Honeysuckle if the weather is too warm.
How often should you water Honeysuckle?
If you just planted your Honeysuckle, water an inch of water per week. Check the soil with fingers/soil moisture meter and water accordingly.
Note: Here’s an article on why Honeysuckle goes woody.
Honeysuckle Leaf Blight
The Honeysuckle plant also turns yellow in the case of Leaf Blight disease. Yellowing of the leaf tissue is the first symptom of Leaf blight.
This disease attacks the new leaf growth in the Honeysuckle plant. The affected leaves get distorted and turn yellow.
As the disease progresses, the leaves turn brown/black and fall off prematurely. Cut off the infected plant parts as soon as you see them.
Spraying copper-based fungicides is an efficient way to control the disease. Start spraying the vine as the new buds emerge.
Spray once a week till the vine blossoms to efficiently prevent an infection.
Can Honeysuckle get Powdery Mildew?
Yes, Honeysuckle can suffer from powdery mildew disease. Powdery mildew is caused by fungal pathogens.
Powdery mildew growth is favored by the wet leaves. As its name suggests, the affected leaves get covered in a white, powdery layer.
White coating is also seen on the stems, buds and branch tips of the Honeysuckle. The leaves turn yellow and fall off eventually.
How to prevent powdery mildew in Honeysuckle
- Do not wet the Honeysuckle leaves when watering the plant. You may wanna use drip irrigation to avoid this.
- Make sure there’s good air circulation around the Honeysuckle. Space the plants away from each other accordingly.
- Disinfect the tools as soon as you use them on infected plants.
- Mix a tablespoon of Baking soda and 1/2 tsp. of detergent soap in a gallon of water. Spray this on the plant before the usual periods of infection to prevent the disease successfully.
How do you treat powdery mildew on Honeysuckle?
Below are few instructions on how you can treat your Honeysuckle that’s infected by powdery mildew.
- Prune off the infected leaves as soon as you see them with a pair of pruning shears. Disinfect the tools after you use them. Dispose of the leaves carefully.
- Sulfur containing organic fungicides can be used to treat powdery mildew in Honeysuckle.
- Mix a tablespoon of Potassium bicarbonate and 1/2 tsp. of detergent soap in a gallon of water and spray on the infected parts of your Honeysuckle.
Note: Read why Honeysuckle doesn’t flower.
Canker on Honeysuckle
Yellowing or browning of the foliage is seen on Honeysuckle when the plant’s infected by canker diseases.
Cankers are caused by a variety of fungal pathogens. Leaves become wilted and drop off the vine.
You’ll notice black spots on the undersides of the leaves. These are the fruiting bodies of the fungal pathogens.
If you don’t respond as soon as you notice the symptoms, the disease spreads to the other parts of the vine.
Prune off the infected leaves/stems of the Honeysuckle as soon as you see ’em. Disinfect the tools after working on an infected plant.
This disease is common in warm conditions. Brown cankers with grey centers appear on the stems. Cut off the infected stems using a pruner.
If the infection is too severe, destroy the infected Honeysuckle plant.
Black Aphids on Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle leaves also turn yellow and distorted when there’s a severe aphid infestation. Aphids are tiny insects that multiply rapidly.
Aphids are carried onto the Honeysuckle by the ants. They do this in exchange for the sweet honeydew that the aphids produce.
Honeydew produced by the aphids paves way for fungal inhabitation on the plant. Such black, fungal outgrowth is called ‘Sooty mold’.
What do Honeysuckle Aphids look like?
Honeysuckle aphids are tiny and grey-green in color. They are seen in groups around the flower buds or on the leaves.
Aphids’ presence is often characterized by sticky honeydew that is seen on the victim plant.
How do I get rid of Aphids on my Honeysuckle?
Below are some instructions to get rid of aphids on our Honeysuckle plant.
- Hang yellow, sticky cards around your Honeysuckle to detect an aphid infestation early.
- Dislodge aphids by spraying water on them using a high-pressure garden hose.
- You can wipe aphids of an affected branch using a cotton swab/cotton ball that’s dipped in rubbing alcohol.
- Spray Neem oil on the affected parts of your Honeysuckle to get rid of the pesky aphids.
- If the infestation is severe, spray Insecticidal soap on your Honeysuckle plant.
Honeysuckle resistant to aphids
Below are the Honeysuckle varieties that are somewhat resistant to aphid infestation.
- Arnold’s Red
- Clavey’s Dwarf
- Emerald Mound
Pet Urination
Pets peeing on the plant also cause foliage yellowing in Honeysuckle. Cats urinating on plants is not uncommon.
I’ve seen this happen with my Honeysuckle. I went out for a few days and I came back to yellow leaves on my Honeysuckle, thanks to my cat Dojo.
You may wanna protect your Honeysuckle by installing a chicken wire fence or other plant cages.
Happy Gardening 🙂