Pruning Honeysuckle The Right Way – Complete How-To Guide
Honeysuckle is enticing but aggressive. Here's how to prune it to avoid a sweet-smelling takeover.
Amy Grant
Honeysuckle is a bit of a mixed bag. Pollinators love it, especially hummingbirds, and it smells absolutely heavenly. But it's also a vigorous grower, and the non-native Asian ones are downright invasive.
It's best to stick to native varieties and not plant Asian honeysuckle at all. But if you're looking to prune any variety, whether to keep it in check or just gently train it, you'll need to know how. Let's dive into this important aspect of growing honeysuckle vines.
Do You Need to Prune Honeysuckle?
If you don’t want a sweet-smelling, not-so-hostile takeover by the vine, yes, you should definitely prune honeysuckle back each year. A previous home of mine had two honeysuckle vines that hadn’t seen the glint of pruning shears when we purchased the house. They had taken over a sunny corner of the garden and had to be drastically pruned.
When to Prune Honeysuckle
There are two kinds of honeysuckle vines: those that bloom in the spring and those that bloom in the summer. Spring bloomers should be pruned just after flowers have faded. They can be cut back generously without it affecting next year's flowers.
Summer bloomers are a little trickier, because they bloom on the current season's growth. They should be trimmed sparingly in spring, so as not to lose too many flower buds.
If your honeysuckle is overgrown and in need of some serious renovation pruning, do it in late winter when the plant is still dormant. You can cut it down to just two feet (60 cm) above the ground. It will spring back with vigorous new growth in the spring.
No matter when you're pruning, this set of Felco F6 Pruning Shears (Amazon) would be perfect for the job.
How to Prune Honeysuckle
How to tackle pruning your honeysuckle depends on what shape it's in. If the plant is overgrown, plan to prune it in the early winter. Aggressive pruning in the winter will increase flowering in successive years, though it may not bloom that first year. Avoid severely pruning more than once every 2-3 winters, which can kill the plant.
The honeysuckle mentioned above was so overgrown, I was brutal and cut the vines to within a foot (30 cm) of the soil, though 2 feet (61 cm) might have been safer. You will need sharp loppers (like these Fiskars 32in PowerGear 2 loppers on Amazon) and likely a hand saw (like this Corona 13in RazorTOOTH Pruning saw on Amazon). This is an excellent way to rejuvenate honeysuckle that’s become tangled and overly compact yet bare at the base.
The better goal is maintenance pruning. Prune lightly to maintain the shape of the vine and to remove any dead, diseased or damaged branches. Remove branches from crowded areas to open the plant up to more light and air.
Cutting backside shoots will encourage spurs of 2-3 buds, maximizing flowering.
Unless you're cutting back severely, do not remove more than a third of the vine. Use disinfected shears to prevent the spreading of disease or pests.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Prune Overgrown Honeysuckle Vines?
Overgrown honeysuckle should be pruned in the winter when the plant is dormant. Use sterile pruning shears and a handsaw to aggressively cut the vine to about 2 feet (60 cm) from the soil’s surface.
How Do You Keep Honeysuckle From Coming Back After Pruning?
To keep your honeysuckle in check, maintenance pruning is key. Lightly prune any diseased, damaged or dead branches, then tackle any areas of congestion to open the plant to light and air. Never prune back more than a third of the vine.
