Honeysuckle Vines. Acquaintance

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Many are accustomed to taking the name "honeysuckle" in the form of a small bush with edible purple berries. It turns out that in nature there are other forms of this plant - decorative. They are very different from food crops. What are the characteristics of beautiful flowers?

Structural features

The roots of liana-like honeysuckle are located in the surface layer of the soil. Leaves are opposite, elliptical or rounded, dark green, slightly bluish on the back. The stems are fast-growing, reaching a length of 3-5 m. They are able to wrap themselves around the support.

A pleasant aroma fills the garden during flowering. The buds are densely planted in groups in the axils of the apical fused leaves. The color varies depending on the variety (species): yellow, white, pinkish, cream, crimson. The petals grow together at the base, forming an elongated tube, the ends are bent outward. Blossom in June-July.

At the end of August, orange-red or black-purple juicy berries with small seeds appear. Sometimes paired inedible fruits grow together, forming a compound fruit.

Preferences

Vines develop better in sunny places or in openwork penumbra. Strong shading negatively affects flowering, elongation of shoots, and preparation for wintering. Weakened plants do not have time to accumulate the necessary nutrients. The maturation of annual increments is delayed.

It has lower requirements for soils. Grows in any areas, except for acidic, waterlogged, areas. It develops better on loose soils with a sufficient amount of humus, the acidity of the environment is 7, 5-8, 5 pH.

It is moisture-loving, but firmly tolerates dry periods, being content with occasional watering. To create a better microclimate for the roots, in the lower part, shade is organized from the average growth of crops (aquilegia, chamomile, Gaillardia).

Wintering

Most varieties (species) in the Middle Lane winter well without shelter, right on the trellis. In cold winters with little snow, the young ends of the branches can freeze up to last year's brown wood, but they are easily renewed in the next season. In this case, the timing of flowering is shifted to later dates.

The exception is the Japanese version with a net-yellow leaf. This species requires protection similar to clematis.

In autumn, the root zone is mulched with a thick layer (20-25 cm) with sawdust or peat, protecting the base of the bush from freezing during the snowless period. The branches are lowered from the support, covered with non-woven material, the ends are pressed with bricks. In the spring, the fabric is removed on a cloudy day, in the late afternoon, when the soil is completely free of snow.

Species forms

The most common in amateur gardens are:

1. Honeysuckle Honeysuckle. A large liana reaches a height of 5 m. In June, against the background of dark green foliage, pinkish-cream buds appear, similar to miniature butterflies. At night, the delicate aroma, similar to vanilla, intensifies, attracting nightly "winged fairies", which pollinate the inflorescences when collecting nectar. Over time, the color of the petals changes first to a pure pink, then to a brownish-yellow tint. This sign serves as an indicator for insects - food has run out. Lianas are decorative all season long. In autumn, they are elegant due to orange-reddish fruits, collected in pairs at the top of the shoots.

2. Japanese golden honeysuckle "Aureoreticulata". New achievement of breeders. The originality of the plant is given by the leaves, painted near the veins in a golden hue, forming a mesh on a dark green background. Hence the name of the variety. The brightest color appears in sunny places; in the shade, the leaf turns green. White buds with purple strokes with a pleasant aroma bloom in the first half of summer. By the end of the season, small black berries ripen. Maximum length 3 m, increment 0.5 m per year.

We will consider the methods of growing climbing honeysuckle in the next article.