A honeysuckle question

[goosey]

I have just bought two honeysuckles a early summer bloomer and a late summer bloomer for my moths (I hope they appreciate me ). I am planning on putting one against a brick wall and the other on a painted brick wall. Will I be best to use a trellis or will their tendrils adhere the plant sufficiently to the walls? There will be no other plants or structue for then to latch on to.
Thanks

[The Woodman]

Hi Goosey
You'll need a trellis, they have no mechanism for adhering to walls. Dependant on variety, some are vigorous, you'll have to eventually clip or otherwise trim the top heavy growth. Enjoy the moths and the birds, my Mum gets Hummingbird Hawk Moths every summer amongst others and blackcaps in the winter for the berries.

[galanthus]

Yep agree wholeheartedly. They have little tendrils but cant penetrate and grip onto walls, only wrap themselves around trellis, wire etc. I love honeysuckle.

[Paul mabbott]

Lonicera don't have suckers or whatever to attach themselves - they are twiners! So something for them to wind around will be useful although their stems do eventually get quite woody and self-supporting. So, yes, best to get something for them to wind around although it doesn't need to be a complex trellis - perhaps a few horizontal lines of wire? They will tend, ventually, unless you prune them strongly, to become stems with a few out-shoots but with most foliage and flowers at the top of the plant.

Originally Posted by goosey

I have just bought two honeysuckles a early summer bloomer and a late summer bloomer for my moths (I hope they appreciate me ). I am planning on putting one against a brick wall and the other on a painted brick wall. Will I be best to use a trellis or will their tendrils adhere the plant sufficiently to the walls? There will be no other plants or structue for then to latch on to.
Thanks

[goosey]

Thank you all - and you all agree! So I'm in no doubt a couple of trellises, or the like it is then .

Nice Avatar Woodman ( I hope you have a licence )

[The Woodman]

No licence required for that species Goosey. A pint if you can guess what it is!

[big bill]

Yes best to use a trellis or some sort of wire support as like paul said they dont have suckers or tendrils and the new growth entwines itself through the wires and trellis for support its quite a prolific grower and will need pruned back after the growing season I normally do mine at the last chance of frosts to stimulate new growth and stop ut getting spindely which can happen if left to its own devices

[goosey]

Originally Posted by The Woodman

No licence required for that species Goosey. A pint if you can guess what it is!

Oh dear - looks like I am buying! I haven't a clue - put me out of my misery .

Originally Posted by big bill

Yes best to use a trellis or some sort of wire support as like paul said they dont have suckers or tendrils and the new growth entwines itself through the wires and trellis for support its quite a prolific grower and will need pruned back after the growing season I normally do mine at the last chance of frosts to stimulate new growth and stop ut getting spindely which can happen if left to its own devices

Thanks Bill, I haven't much experience with honeysuckle ( I expect you guessed) so its handy to know when to prune as well! I hope it will be quite prolific - one has an ugly wall to hide and the other won't have much space on the horizontal but can grow tall. They both have new foliage growth now, I will get them in the ground in the next day or two .
I swapped them for my Christmas tree, I took it back to the nursery to be replanted and got vouchers !

[naturelover]

glad i found this post, i bought a honeysuckle two years ago when it was about three feet tall in a pot,i replanted it in a very large patio pot,with a metal climbing trellis for it to climb up,first year it bloomed second year very poor but very long and stragely,so at the end of the season i cut it all down to about six inches high,cutting it to a strong outward pointing bud,looked this week new shoots,thing is i dont know a thing about honeysuckle,can anyone give me some advise please thankyou.

[The Woodman]

It's one of those well known British Hairy Legged Vampires, Diphylla ecaudata, Goosey!