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Honeysuckle #887120

Asked October 04, 2024, 7:57 AM EDT

My honeysuckle is producing fewer leaves and flowers. It is over 30 years old. Is there a way to revive it?

Howard County Maryland

Expert Response

Is the plant growing in a container or planted in the ground? (We can't tell from the photo.) If its roots are healthy, it might just need a "rejuvenation" prune, which is when you trim all stems down to within a foot or less of the ground to force new growth. This might interrupt flowering for a year or two because it removes mature wood, but since the plant is already flowering poorly, that won't be a major loss. This type of trimming is best done around late winter or early spring (February-March or so).

Is the plant getting as much sun as it did years ago? Trumpet Honeysuckle grows and flowers best if it receives full sun (6-8 or more hours of unobstructed summer sun). If it's getting more shade, it might not bloom as heavily, even if rejuvenation pruning helps to freshen its appearance.

If the plant is growing in a container, it might have run out of root space and either needs repotting into a larger container, a refresh of the potting mix (removing as much of the old material as possible to replace it with new mix), or some root trimming to help it fit back into the current container (while also refreshing the mix). Old potting mix compresses over time as it degrades, holding more moisture and less oxygen in the soil pores, which can stress roots and cause dieback. Potting mix can also run low on nutrients over time if occasional fertilization isn't provided. Root dieback can in turn cause branch/stem dieback and general decline. If the plant is in the ground, perhaps something is stressing the roots, like digging in the area (if you plant other things around its base) or an influx of too much water (is a roof downspout nearby?) or conditions that get too dry during drought. In-ground plants don't usually need routine fertilization, though it's hard to tell without having a soil test performed if any key nutrients are low for some reason. Even so, that condition might hamper growth or flowering a bit, but would not be responsible by itself for the degree of stem dieback or thinning-out that is evident in the photo.

Miri
Yes, it’s in the ground. I will give it a try.
Thank you, Marilynn
Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 4, 2024, at 10:47 AM, Ask Extension wrote:


The Question Asker Replied October 04, 2024, 1:15 PM EDT

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