Reed was editor of the "Grand Ledge Independent" weekly newspaper and a Capitol Hill reporter for the national newsletter "Corporate & Foundation Grants Alert." A honeysuckle that doesn't bloom may just not have bloomed yet. If you prune those, you will eliminate next season’s flowers. Pruning. BCLiving: Why is My Honeysuckle not Flowering? Sunlight doesn't need to be constant over that time, but it should add up to a minimum of six hours -- the more the better for honeysuckles. Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervivens), suitable for USDA zones 4 through 9, doesn't bloom until late summer through fall, while Cape honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis) blooms from fall into winter in zones 9 through 11 in scarlet, orange, apricot or yellow, depending on species. -- considered invasive in some states -- exist, as well as other plants with the common name honeysuckle that add color and fragrance to your yard as a fast-growing vine or shrub. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Juvenility: Plants may flower the first season but could require up to three seasons to settle before putting on adequate growth. Copyright © Canada Wide Media Limited. I’d say your problem is the immaturity of the plant and excessive feeding, which encourages vigorous shoots but a lack of flowers. Winter damage: Growing less winter-hardy cultivars other than Dropmore Scarlet. You can grow it in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 8, but be aware that Virginia and Tennessee consider it invasive. Common honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) blooms on side shoots that grew the previous season in USDA zones 5 through 9. Excessive fertilizer: Honeysuckle requires average soil fertility with adequate moisture during growing season. Honeysuckle species don't all bloom at the same time. She has a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Michigan State University, is an avid gardener and volunteers at her local botanical garden. Another reason why honeysuckle sometimes fails to bloom is because it has been overfertilized. Aside from knowing the bloom time of your species, the age of individual plants is also important. Excessive pruning. Prune it in late winter to early spring. Apply a product such as a low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus 5-10-5 fertilizer at a rate of 1 cup per plant around the root zone of the honeysuckle and water in well. My honeysuckle did not flower for 7 years, since when it has flowered profusely. Honeysuckle grows so well that little or no fertilizer is necessary in most cases. Answer: I am assuming that you are growing the most winter-hardy honeysuckle, Lonicera x brownii Dropmore Scarlet. What's up with that? The small, trumpet-shaped flowers may be white, yellow, pink, red or orange depending on species. Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) is an early summer bloomer, with purple-tinged white flowers that fade to yellow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 10. A honeysuckle that is less than 3 years old may not be mature enough to produce flowers. Cutting your honeysuckle back at the wrong time or extensively can inhibit blooming as well. That color and fragrance are only possible though, if your honeysuckle blooms. Improper pruning: Dropmore Scarlet honeysuckle usually flowers on laterals produced from previous season's growth. From the editors of BCLiving, a seasonal subscription box of beauty products & decor treasures, Question: I have a honeysuckle vine that has been in the ground for over three years, gets moderate sun, grows to about 10 feet, its base is sheltered, and it has never produced one flower. Patricia Hamilton Reed has written professionally since 1987. All Rights Reserved. Honeysuckles are generally listed as being suitable for areas in full sun to partial … Pruning this variety in the spring would eliminate flowers. Honeysuckles are generally listed as being suitable for areas in full sun to partial shade. There are several possible reasons for honeysuckle not flowering: Inadequate light: Full sun is generally suggested for most honeysuckle vines. Honeysuckle flowers in spring and summer. Most plants like a little trim now and then, and honeysuckle is no exception – but … You may also want to shear off faded flowers to prevent self seeding to mitigate its invasive tendencies. Some sources recommend fertilizing honeysuckle lightly in early spring and again in the middle of its blooming season if plants show poor overall growth. (I live in zone 3.). While relatively little affects the production of the evergreen foliage of these rampant growers, honeysuckles planted in full sun have the most flowers. This is especially true of fertilizers with a high proportion of nitrogen. Let the Sun Shine. This selection is a Canadian introduction by Dr. Frank Skinner from the research station at Dropmore, Manitoba. Plant of the Week: Tecomaria Capensis - Cape Honeysuckle, University of California Placer County Master Gardeners: Ask a Master Gardener - Definitions of Light Requirements, Flowering Vines: Beautiful Climbers, Issue 158; Karan Davis Cutler, University of Missouri Extension: Selecting Landscape Plants: Ornamental Vines, New Mexico State University Extension: Pruning Honeysuckle Vine, Royal Horticultural Society: Honeysuckle (Lonicera). Prune right after blooming, as flowering wood … Honeysuckles that have been renovated -- cut back hard to renew growth from the base up -- may not flower for a few seasons as they recover. How to Prune a Pink Pandorea Jasminoides Rosea Plant, Fine Gardening: Genus Lonicera (Honeysuckle). One hundred eighty different species of honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.) Early-blooming fragrant honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima), a deciduous, bushy shrub, grows from 6 to 10 feet tall and yields aromatic white blossoms from March to April. Excess nitrogen leads to lush foliage, and few or no flowers. Honeysuckle rarely requires fertilization to stay healthy. There are several possible reasons for honeysuckle not flowering: BCLiving keeps you in the know on everything West Coast, highlighting local trends, eats, entertainment and travel ideas. Wait until after it blooms, then cut back one-third of the plant. "Full sun" is considered to be six or more hours of sun per day. Too much nitrogen causes lush, luxuriant vegetative growth but inhibits flowering. This aggressive grower is usually relatively problem-free, but a few things can impede flowering. Japanese honeysuckle blooms on the current season's growth, but usually only needs pruning if it has outgrown its bounds or has become leggy at the bottom. Inadequate light: Full sun is generally suggested for most honeysuckle vines. I left it where it was as it was a pleasant looking plant and covered a bit of fence that was even more boring without it - now it has been stunning for 3 years or so.