Jooni

An exemplary photo of a Honeysuckle bonsai

Honeysuckle

2 Species

Species

Lonicera nitida Lonicera pileata

Honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.; for bonsai mostly the box-leaf honeysuckle L. nitida and the Japanese honeysuckle L. japonica) is a fast-growing, hardy shrub or climber. A honeysuckle bonsai is an outdoor tree that needs a cool winter rest; L. nitida is evergreen, while L. japonica keeps its leaves only in mild winters.

It is a very forgiving choice for beginners, as it tolerates hard pruning, buds back from old wood and develops a thick trunk quickly. Tiny leaves and shaggy, peeling bark suit small sizes, and L. japonica adds fragrant white-to-yellow flowers in late spring and summer.

At a glance Lonicera spp.

Difficulty
Beginner
Placement
Outdoors
Light
Sun to partial shade
Watering
High
Min. temperature
-10°C (14°F)
Foliage
Semi-evergreen

Fertilizing

Feed from spring to late summer with a balanced solid fertilizer once a month or a liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks. A slightly higher nitrogen content in spring supports leaf growth; for flowering species, switch to a balanced or more phosphorus-rich feed from early summer.

  • Stop feeding in autumn and during winter dormancy.
  • Wait about 4 weeks after repotting before feeding.

Placement

Keep the tree outdoors all year in full sun to partial shade, ideally with at least 5–6 hours of sun. In hot summers, give afternoon shade to prevent leaf scorch and drying out.

Honeysuckle is hardy, but roots in a pot are more sensitive than the plant. Protect the pot once frosts drop below about -10°C (14°F) by placing it in a sheltered spot, a cold frame or an unheated greenhouse; do not bring it into a heated home.

Pruning

Honeysuckle grows vigorously and needs regular trimming. Let new shoots grow 4–6 leaf pairs, then cut them back to 1–2 leaf pairs. It buds back even from old wood, so hard structural pruning in early spring is safe.

For flowers on L. japonica, which bloom on the current year's shoots, let some shoots grow freely in spring and trim them after flowering.

  • Remove dead, weak and inward-growing shoots to keep the crown airy.
  • Wire young shoots during the growing season; they set quickly, so check the wire often.

Repotting

Repot every 2–3 years in early spring, just before the buds open. Remove up to about a third of the roots; honeysuckle recovers quickly.

  • Use a free-draining bonsai mix such as akadama, pumice and lava rock.
  • After repotting, keep the tree out of strong sun and wind for a few weeks while it roots in.

Watering

Water thoroughly as soon as the top of the soil starts to dry, so the soil stays evenly moist but never waterlogged. In summer, vigorous trees in small pots may need water daily or more.

  • Water gently until it runs out of the drainage holes.
  • In winter, water less, but do not let the root ball dry out.

Seasonal care

  • Spring: Repot every 2–3 years just before bud break, prune hard if needed and start feeding when growth begins. Watch for aphids on the soft new shoots.
  • Summer: Water generously, give afternoon shade in heat and trim shoots back to 1–2 leaf pairs; on flowering species, trim after flowering. Wire young shoots if needed.
  • Autumn: Stop feeding and let the growth harden off. L. japonica may drop some leaves.
  • Winter: Keep the tree outdoors and dormant, and protect the pot from frosts below about -10°C (14°F). Water sparingly and do structural pruning at the end of winter.

Common problems

Honeysuckle is robust, but a few pests and diseases are common.

  • Aphids: Colonies on shoot tips and curled, sticky young leaves, especially in spring. Rinse them off with water and treat heavy infestations with insecticidal soap.
  • Powdery mildew: A white, powdery coating on the leaves in warm, humid weather with poor air flow. Thin the crown, water the soil rather than the leaves and remove badly affected leaves.
  • Leaf drop and dieback in summer: Usually caused by a dried-out root ball or scorching afternoon sun. Water consistently and provide shade in hot weather.
  • Toxic berries: The berries of most honeysuckles are mildly toxic. Remove them if children or pets have access to the tree.