How to Grow and Care for Japanese Honeysuckle

Lonicera japonica

Few plants announce summer quite like Japanese honeysuckle.

In some parts of the world, the honeysuckle vine is considered the definitive scent of summer.

The fragrant blooms appear from late spring and last until fall, beckoning to pollinators with the intoxicating, vanilla-like aroma drifting on the warm breeze.

My first encounter with this vine was on a warm spring afternoon in Maryland, where I came across an abandoned farm while hiking.

A vine had overtaken the entire length of a wooden perimeter fence, heavy with white blooms and buzzing with life.

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Also known as gold-and-silver honeysuckle, this vine is a cousin of the North American native L. sempervirens.

Japanese honeysuckle was introduced to the continent before naturalizing across much of it, with the exception of the southwestern US.

In many parts of the country it is classified as an invasive species, capable of sprawling as a ground cover or climbing vine and reaching lengths of more than 30 feet in ideal conditions.

So where and how can you plant it without risking negative environmental impact? Let’s talk about that – and how to keep the olfactory delight going strong, all summer long!

There are approximately 180 species of honeysuckle, or Lonicera, and several of these are native to North America.

Flowers can range in color from bright white to pink or red. Leaves are waxy and, in areas with mild winter conditions, remain evergreen.

Japanese honeysuckle is native to eastern continental Asia and Japan.

In traditional Chinese medicine, parts of the plant have been used for centuries to treat various health conditions, such as fever and dehydration.

Compounds found in the white flowers and red-hued stems have also been found to have antifungal and antiviral benefits, as evidenced in Western medicine.

In the early 1800s, vines of this species were introduced to North America from Asia.

Unfortunately the vines spread quickly beyond control, sending out runners that form bulbous roots and sprouting from seed.

In the fall, the fragrant, pollinated blooms develop into deep blue-black berries that resemble blueberries.

Various wildlife readily consume the berries, though these are toxic to humans and pets, and they can transfer the seed miles away from the original forage source.

In ideal conditions, the stems can reach more than 30 feet in length and it’s known to aggressively climb adjacent structures and plants.

The Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants at the University of Florida classifies this vine as invasive because of their “fast growth rate and ability to displace native species.”

It’s been found in more than half of the states within the continental United States, and Hawaii, and is considered an invasive plant in most states between the east and west coast.

Some states have enacted laws banning it altogether.

The vine also produces allelopathic compounds in the soil that can inhibit the growth of other plants in close proximity.

This deciduous vine grows best in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 9, with scattered occurrences even further north and south.

While it’s a lovely addition to the summer landscape, it should be planted with a note of caution.

Once control is lost, the vine will spread vigorously, both above and below ground. If it’s allowed to cross the line into invasiveness, you’ll have quite the fight on your hands to eradicate it.

If you’re considering planting Japanese honeysuckle, be prepared to keep a close watch on it so you don’t contribute to potential environmental destruction.

How to Grow

This vine makes an excellent privacy screen, as it grows vigorously and densely in a short period of time.

As long as you manage its growth, you can easily train it along a chain link fence.

If your property is part of a flood plain or is known to have erosion issues, you can create a kind of natural reinforcement, as the roots spread through the soil and hold it firmly in place, while putting excess water to use.

A patch of land where nothing grows could be the perfect place to create a flowering carpet of vines.

As long as water is adequate, you’ll have a wonderfully fragrant ground cover in a short period of time.

The blossoms not only smell incredible and taste sweet, but they can be pinched off in a quantity sufficient for steeping to make a tasty tea.

Bees, butterflies, beneficial wasps, and hummingbirds are just some of the beneficial pollinators that would love to hop from bloom to bloom on a sunny day.

Light

The planting site you choose should not have strong sun exposure, as partial shade can help to slow growth.

It can be found growing in full sun to full shade settings, although it grows fastest when exposed to full sun.

Soil

When growing in the wild, this species of honeysuckle crops up from disturbed ground in both the forest and field, and will tolerate soil that would cause other plants to wither and die.

Dry, compacted, salty, prone to flooding, nutrient-deficient – this vine can handle it.

Loamy soil is preferred, but can also promote overgrowth, so soil that has some available organic nutrients and adequate moisture is best.

The soil should have a neutral pH, and low clay, as heavy clay soils are less nutritive and can negatively impact plant roots.

It should also be well-draining, as allowing the soil to dry out between watering can keep the vine in check.

Water

Rainwater can provide adequate moisture without the need for additional watering, unless your area is experiencing drought conditions.

In this case, plan to offer about one inch of water per week.

The same needs apply to both a container-grown plant and those growing in-ground: allow the  soil to dry out between watering, keep it in a shaded location, and be sure to prune back new growth.

Fertilizer

While it’s not entirely necessary to fertilize a honeysuckle vine to improve growth, you may want to feed it to improve blooming.

Nelson Nutri Star Plant Food

A granular fertilizer that is formulated for flowering vines, such as Nelson Nutri Star plant food, available from the Nelson Plant Food Store via Amazon, can be sprinkled on top of the soil above the roots of the plant and raked in gently.

Apply according to the package instructions, with the first application in early spring, and once every thirty days throughout the blooming season.

If your vine is growing vigorously and blooming well, there is no need to add fertilizer.

Where to Buy

There is only one cultivar of Japanese honeysuckle sold in North America, and that is L. japonica ‘Halliana,’ aka ‘Hall’s Prolific.’

You can find this or the species plant at some nurseries and garden centers in regions where it is not banned.

Maintenance

Japanese honeysuckle requires consistent pruning to stay manageable. Vines can reach up to 30 feet long and should be pruned back as neeeded.

Stems thicken and become heavy over the years, so make sure any supporting structure is sturdy enough to bear the weight of a mature vine.

A strong trellis is suitable; however, be sure that the vine is not growing in close proximity to other plants or structures, like the siding on your house, or plan to prune continuously throughout the growing season.

In spring, avoid pruning blooming stems but trim back any vines straying outside their intended area, prioritizing stems with fewer blooms to direct energy toward established growth.

In midsummer through early fall, remove dead or dying growth and open up any areas that have become very dense, as tightly packed foliage can harbor pests and fungal disease.

Avoid cutting back the primary trunks unless absolutely necessary.

In areas with harsh winters, the vine may drop its leaves and dormant stems can be cut back at that point to encourage fresh growth in spring.

Winter cold protection is not typically necessary in Zones 4 through 9.

When grown as a ground cover, cut back several inches every few weeks from spring through fall, and shear to ground level in winter to clear dead material.

Any shoots escaping their intended area should be dug out completely, removing as many rhizomes as possible and watching for regrowth.

Propagation

Japanese honeysuckle is exceedingly easy to propagate, so easy that you may find yourself dealing with an unplanned overabundance of the vine.

When planting a potentially invasive species, be mindful of local regulations and take steps to prevent unwanted spread.

Planting in a container rather than in the ground can help with this, though keep a close eye on trailing vines, as this plant is capable of rooting wherever they make contact with the ground.

From Seed

In late fall, when berries have developed their deep blue-black tone, the seeds inside are mature and ready to collect.

Press the seeds out of the berries and rinse away any fleshy material. Note that the berries are mildly toxic, so wear gloves and avoid touching your eyes or mouth while handling them.

Place the cleaned seeds in a zip-top bag with dampened peat moss, keeping them covered and moist, and refrigerate for at least 60 days to cold-stratify.

After stratification, sow seeds about one-eighth of an inch deep in a mix of equal parts peat moss and potting soil.

Keep the soil consistently moist, and place pots in a warm location with five to seven hours of indirect sunlight daily.

Seedlings should sprout within one to two weeks. Harden off before transplanting to a permanent location after the last frost.

Alternatively, direct sow outdoors after all risk of frost has passed.

From Cuttings

Take four-inch cuttings from healthy vines in late spring through summer, each with several leaves.

Remove the lower leaves, dip the cut end in powdered rooting hormone if desired.

Then press each cutting into moistened equal-parts potting soil and peat moss, deep enough to cover the first set of leaf nodes.

Keep cuttings in a warm, humid environment. A lidded plastic tote or individual plastic bags work well, at a consistent 65 to 70°F with six to eight hours of indirect sunlight daily.

Roots should develop within two to four weeks, with new growth following shortly after.

Harden off before transplanting.

From Rhizomes

Japanese honeysuckle spreads via rhizomes that can develop more than 10 feet from the parent plant and reach depths of 12 inches or more.

To relocate a rhizome, carefully dig it out of the soil, keeping as many fibrous roots intact as possible, and place it immediately in a sealed bag with damp paper towels to prevent drying out.

Pests and Disease

Japanese honeysuckle is extremely resilient and rarely troubled by pests or disease.

That said, infestations are worth treating promptly, as pests can spread readily to other garden and landscape plants.

Deer and rabbits may browse the foliage occasionally, but neither is likely to cause lasting damage, and the vine compensates readily by pushing new growth after moderate nibbling.

If either becomes a persistent problem, fencing off the area or moving container-grown plants out of reach are both effective options.

Insects

Pest insects are unlikely to cause serious harm to Japanese honeysuckle, but it’s worth acting quickly when signs of infestation appear to prevent spread to neighboring plants.

Aphids

Aphids are tiny, pear-shaped insects ranging in color from nearly transparent white to bright red.

Check under leaves and along stems for their presence, and watch for curling, yellowing, or wilting foliage.

Treat with neem oil applied according to package instructions, a strong blast from the garden hose, or by manually removing them with gloved hands.

Learn more about identifying and treating aphids here.

Caterpillars

Caterpillars can cause significant defoliation, and their presence is usually apparent through discolored leaves, holes chewed along leaf edges, and frass on leaf surfaces.

Honeysuckle attracts more than a dozen species of Lepidoptera, many of which are important pollinators as adults, so relocation is preferable to extermination where possible.

Move larvae by hand to another area where they can continue to forage.

Scale

Scale insects appear as small, dome-shaped shells ranging from tan-brown to shimmering gold, and include armored, soft-bodied, and mealybug types.

Signs of infestation include curling or wilting leaves, cotton-like white deposits, and black sooty mold on foliage.

Treat with neem oil or insecticidal soap applied according to package instructions, and be prepared to repeat applications for a large infestation.

Our guide to dealing with scale has more information.

Vine Weevils

Of the insects on this list, vine weevils have the greatest potential to damage Japanese honeysuckle, and can cause plant death relatively quickly on young vines.

Adults are shiny, black, and less than half an inch long, feeding at night and leaving half-moon-shaped notches with brown, dead borders along leaf margins.

More damaging are the larvae, which hatch from eggs laid in the soil at the base of the plant and feed on roots while girdling stems and cutting off the flow of nutrients.

Affected plants will wilt and decline, with foliage turning brown or rust-colored.

To treat a larval infestation, drench the soil with beneficial nematodes (Steinernema carpocapsae, Heterorhabditis heliothidis, or Steinernema kraussei in cooler conditions) when soil temperature permits, and apply a pesticide formulated for adult weevils to reduce egg-laying.

NemaSeek Beneficial Nematodes

If you need to introduce nematodes in cooler temperatures, consider the Steinernema kraussei species, available from Arbico Organics.

Disease

There are a few diseases worth watching for, along with one physiological condition not caused by a biological pathogen.

Canker

Canker, caused by the fungus Insolabadsidium deformans, spreads through standing water and tends to target plants already weakened by damage or pest activity.

Symptoms include yellow or brown leaves and dark spots on the undersides of leaves or stems.

Remove affected foliage early with sterilized pruning shears, dispose of infected material in a sealed trash bag, and ensure no standing water remains near the plant.

Chlorosis

Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew appears as white, powdery patches on leaves and stems caused by a fungal pathogen.

Signs typically appear in late spring or early summer in warm, dry conditions, with new growth most susceptible.

Prune back the vine to improve airflow, remove and dispose of affected plant material. In severe cases you can treat with fungicide.

Learn more about treating powdery mildew here.

Bring the Scent of Summer to Your Garden

Are you willing to provide a little extra care to keep Japanese honeysuckle contained in exchange for the warm, heady fragrance of vanilla-scented blooms and the sight of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds foraging in your garden?

Nothing says lazy summer days like a trellis full of fragrant blossoms providing shade overhead.

What creative methods have you found for growing this vine at home? Let us know – and share some pictures with us – in the comments below!

And to learn about growing other types of honeysuckle, check out these articles next:

• How to Grow Colorful, Fragrant Honeysuckle
• How to Grow and Care for Himalayan Honeysuckle
• How to Grow and Care for Mexican Honeysuckle