Curly red honeysuckle. Curly honeysuckle is a decorative vine for your garden. Curly honeysuckle and its varieties
Curly honeysuckle attracts gardeners with its plasticity. By making timely pruning and garter bushes, you can decorate a fence, gazebo, pergola or other garden structure with these vines.
Curly decorative honeysuckle will allow you to disguise an unsightly wall of a structure: a barn, a bathhouse, or hide a country toilet under liana-like bushes. In general, the use of these vines in the garden is limited only by the imagination of its owner.
You won’t immediately understand which side the vine has roots on, and where the top is. This property of these plants is widely used in landscape design.
Species diversity
Currently, there are more than two hundred and fifty varieties and forms of climbing honeysuckle. In order to cover this variety, a thick illustrated reference book is required. We will try to talk about some of the most popular representatives of this extensive line of plants.
honeysuckle
Fragrant honeysuckle, or honeysuckle, lat. Lonicera caprifolium is a perennial deciduous vine that, with proper care, can grow up to six meters in length. This type of plant is the most popular in our gardens, it was with him that many gardeners began to be fond of ornamental varieties of honeysuckle.
During the season, this vine is able to give a two-meter increase and calmly wrap around a pergola or climb high up the wall of a gazebo or country house. Honeysuckle is frost-resistant, only the very tips of the shoots are subject to freezing.
Oddly enough, a warm winter can harm this honeysuckle more than a cold one. Frequent thaws cause swelling of the kidneys, which can die after the onset of frost. But even honeysuckle that has frozen under such conditions is able to be reborn from root buds that give offspring.
Honeysuckle blooms in early summer with bright flowers for 15-20 days. The outer part of the buds is colored orange-red tones and white-yellow inside.
But even after flowering, the curly honeysuckle of the honeysuckle species continues to delight with its decorative effect. Greenish at first, the berries gradually turn red, and a rather picturesque picture appears before our eyes.
honeysuckle german
Honeysuckle German, lat. Lonicera periclymenum, similar to the previous species, but differs in the color variety of buds: from white to purple. Flowering in this species is longer and sometimes lasts until September. The fruits of German honeysuckle are dark red.
Attention! Berries of decorative curly honeysuckle are inedible!
German honeysuckle flowers Brown
Honeysuckle Brown, lat. Lonicera brownie, is distinguished by the carrot color of its buds, which appear twice a season: first in June-July, again in August. Preferring sunny areas without drafts, this variety tolerates winters well, and if it freezes a little, it quickly recovers.
Henry
This honeysuckle, lat. Lonicera henryi, refers to semi-evergreen species, that is, it does not completely shed its leaves for the winter, but some of them remain on the bush. In growth, it is significantly inferior to other forms, barely reaching two and a half meters. She has brown-red tubular buds that emit an amazing aroma in mid-July. Decorative and black berries, ripening by September.
Curly honeysuckle Henry hekrotta
This hybrid of American and evergreen honeysuckle, lat. Lonicera heckrottii, almost does not bear fruit. But Hekrotta can bloom for almost four months - from mid-June to October. Bud colors: yellow, cream, orange-pink. The length of the vine grows up to four meters.
Primorskaya
Honeysuckle seaside or Serotina, lat. Lonicera serotina, practically repeats the popular honeysuckle in everything, only its flowers are brighter, and the vine itself looks more compact, although it stretches almost five meters in length.
Maritime honeysuckle - Serotina Gerald
Honeysuckle Gerald, lat. Lonicera giraldii, unlike other species, is evergreen. Its leaves remain on the vine all winter. In the most severe frosts, they curl into a tube, but continue to hang on the branches, decorating your garden with greenery.
In spring, old leaves fall off under the pressure of fresh buds. Flowering aroma is comparable to the smell of mock orange jasmine, and the color of the buds changes from white to lemon yellow.
Belgica select
Curly Belgica Select blooms twice during the season. The first line of buds begins to bloom in May on last year's shoots, the second - from the beginning of July on this year's growth. Liana reaches a length of three meters with an annual meter growth. Flowers have purple hues.
Honeysuckle varieties Belgica Select Agricultural technology
reproduction
Reproduction of decorative curly honeysuckle is carried out mainly in two vegetative ways:
layering;
cuttings.
In order to get a seedling in the first way, in early spring, after the snow melts and the soil thaws, a well-developed branch is selected at the bottom of the plant and bent to the ground, after which it is pinned with a wire clip or simply pressed with a piece of board or stone. During the season, roots form at the point of contact between the branch and the soil, after which the seedling can be separated and transplanted to a permanent place in the fall or spring of next year.
Honeysuckle cuttings are carried out in mid-July. At the same time, cuttings are cut with two or three internodes, leaving only a couple of upper leaves on them. The chibouks prepared in this way are planted in a greenhouse or stalk.
Advice! The simplest stalk is easy to make from everyone's favorite plastic bottle by cutting off its bottom. When covering the stalk with a “one and a half” without a bottom, do not forget to unscrew the plug to let air in.
Landing
Planting curly honeysuckle and caring for it begin with the preparation of holes in a place determined by the plan. Depending on the type of plant, you need to choose a sunny or shaded place. In addition, you need to immediately decide what the vine will rely on during its growing season.
The distance between plants depends on the varietal characteristics and location in the garden: for a solid fence, planting is done tightly, for individual structures - more freely.
Cultivation of curly honeysuckle is more convenient to carry out immediately with some kind of support, this makes it easier to care for it and pruning. Pits are made measuring 50 by 50 centimeters in plan and the same size in depth. They are half filled with drainage and nutrient mixture, after which the seedlings are lowered into them and the remaining nutrient soil is filled up to the edge of the pit and watering is carried out.
Advice! After planting, be sure to mulch the root circle and tie the young vine to the support!
Care
Curly honeysuckle care comes down to several agrotechnical measures:
top dressing;
mulching.
Pruning curly honeysuckle is carried out regularly. In the earliest spring, sanitary cutting of vines is carried out with the removal of frozen and broken branches. During the entire summer season, with the help of secateurs and garden shears, the plant is formed according to the garden design plan. Together with pruning, the curly honeysuckle is tied to the supports.
During the dry period, honeysuckle is rarely, but plentifully watered with obligatory mulching. A layer of nutritious mulch made from manure, humus or compost will, among other things, provide the plants with all the necessary nutrients and prevent the development of weeds.
For a better recovery of plants after the endured winter, a charging spring top dressing is carried out with herbal tea mixed with chicken manure and ash.
And here is also a video about the flowering of Serotina's curly ornamental honeysuckle:
Among ornamental shrubs, honeysuckle capricole, a fragrant liana, draws special attention to itself. A fast growing liana can decorate the area that separates the site from the road. With the installation of guide supports, the plant can rush up to 4-5 meters. At the same time, the lash is strewn with large and fragrant inflorescences for a month.
Basic information about the plant
Curly honeysuckle is a creeper that climbs on a support, following the designer's intent. In nature, this plant is found in the southern and middle parts of Europe and the Caucasus. The name of the species "Caprifolet" is translated as "goat leaf".
It is possible to determine that honeysuckle honeysuckle is in front of us by the following signs:
- shoots are light green, pink-red from the sun;
- leaves are collected in plates in the form of an ellipse;
- flowers on long tubes are collected in a bouquet;
- aroma of flowers spicy;
- orange berries are inedible.
A naked young shoot may use a skeletal branch of a bush in search of support, and then a sloppy green lump is formed. Therefore, it is so important to form a plant from the first days of its development. Very dense leaves have an elliptical shape. Pairs coalesce into a disk, and a flower panicle develops in the middle of it.
Towering above the ellipse on high tubules, flowers with protruding stamens and pistils emit a strong pleasant aroma. The flowers themselves are very unusual and decorative. During the period of abundant flowering, decorative honeysuckle honeysuckle is an excellent honey plant. Flowering lasts about a month, as a result, inedible orange berries are tied.
Currently, this type of liana is not cultivated only in northern regions with a sharply continental climate. The reason is that the southern plant freezes over the winter.
Agrotechnics of decorative climbing honeysuckle
To get a fast growing shoot with abundant flowering, it is necessary to create optimal conditions for the bush to develop. To do this, the vine must be planted in a sunny place, with a low standing groundwater. The soil should be light on the basis of humus, garden soddy soil and sand. The reaction should be neutral or slightly alkaline.
Honeysuckle loves moderate, responds well to spring top dressing with humus. During the summer, it will gratefully accept irrigating watering on greenery during a drought and 2-3 top dressings with complete mineral fertilizer or mullein infusion until mid-July, you should not feed later so as not to disturb winter hardiness. The soil under the bush should be loosened and mulched.
Decorative honeysuckle honeysuckle responds well to crown-forming pruning, which is carried out in the spring before the first live buds. Dry branches should also be cut. And a little peeling bark on an old vine is a generic sign.
Diseases and pests of decorative honeysuckle honeysuckle destroy the beauty of the green fence, therefore, in order to prevent pests and diseases from entering your green fence, you must follow some rules that apply to other plants:
- The predominance of phosphorus and potassium in the diet makes the plant sap unattractive to aphids and other leaf-eating insects and larvae. To do this, ash, lime are scattered in the trunk circle.
- Wintering pests can be destroyed if the bushes are sprayed with a 5% urea solution before leaf fall.
- Use Bitoxibacillin, Lepocid and the like for spraying, the bacteria from which infect insects and destroy them from the inside.
Prevention is always better than pest control.
Ornamental plants are attractive only when the crown is well formed and the leaves are not damaged by diseases and pests.
Cultivation of honeysuckle honeysuckle
Anyone who has seen honeysuckle grow will inevitably want to have this vine in their possession. Reproduction of honeysuckle honeysuckle is possible in several ways:
- seeds;
- layering;
- cuttings.
Capricole honeysuckle can be propagated only with fresh seeds of the second year. The collected fruits should be freed from the pulp, washed and dried. Before spring sowing, seeds must be stratified. Seeds for seedlings are sown in the spring, and in the summer the grown seedlings are placed in a permanent place.
Planting material for cuttings is harvested in August. Cuttings with three internodes are rooted in autumn in a special nursery with a sand-peat mixture. In the spring, the rooted plant is planted in a permanent place.
The easiest way to propagate honeysuckle honeysuckle is by rooting a layer, which is incised and dug into the ground on a vine that continues to grow. In the place of the incision, roots are formed, the twig is separated from the vine and landed in a permanent place.
Honeysuckle honeysuckle does not tolerate multiple transplants. When the first roots appear, it is necessary to provide the plant with a permanent place of residence.
Planting and caring for curly honeysuckle
In advance, at a place determined for the composition, single pits 60 cm deep or a trench are dug, which is filled with fertile soil with a large amount of compost or last year's manure. Mandatory application of mineral fertilizers. Do not forget about the ash so that mineral fertilizers do not deoxidize the soil.
The best time for planting and caring for curly is April - May. In a year, the plant will rise by 2 meters. But in the first two years, the vines need to be removed from the supports for the winter and covered from freezing. During the entire period of growth, the vine needs caring pruning and crown formation.
Honeysuckle is known to many gardeners as a fruit and berry crop for growing in the garden. However, in this genus of plants there are also decorative varieties, for example, climbing honeysuckle. It is suitable for landscaping the walls of buildings, arches and various supports. Even with minimal care, this vine grows quickly and is able to bloom profusely for a long time. In the article I will tell you the basic rules for planting and growing climbing honeysuckle in the open field.
Curly (German) honeysuckle is a liana-like shrub of the Honeysuckle family. In its natural environment, it is found in the forests of Western and Central Europe, some varieties grow in Africa and Asia. It does not form edible berries, it is grown for decorating the territory.
Externally, the plant is represented by a deciduous shrub up to 6 m high. Petiolate leaves can grow up to 10 cm in length, arranged in opposite order. Depending on the variety, they may have a lanceolate or oval shape. The upper side of the plates is painted in a dark green color, and the lower side is gray-gray. The petals are yellow-red in color, can reach 5 cm in length. During the entire flowering period from May to June, they exude a pleasant aroma. The fruit is an inedible red berry.
Kinds
Curly honeysuckle is a separate type of this culture. It is often confused with other vine-like forms of the genus. For landscaping vertical surfaces, the following varieties are suitable:
- honeysuckle. Outwardly, it resembles curly honeysuckle. Translated from Latin, the name means "goat leaf", as these animals love to eat parts of the plant. Shoots can reach 6 m in height, the shrub is unpretentious in care and tolerates shaping well;
- Honeysuckle Brown. Garden hybrid, represented by a deciduous vine with bright orange-colored flowers. The maximum length of the shoots is 5 m. The plant is sensitive to external conditions, requires painstaking care;
- Serotina. Deciduous liana-like shrub growing 4-5 m in height. Flowering earlier and longer. The flowers are collected in capitate inflorescences of 25-30 pieces. Pruning required.
Over the years of cultivation of decorative honeysuckle, many varieties and hybrids have been bred. When choosing a particular variety of crop, climate and disease resistance, appearance, and care requirements should be taken into account.
Application in landscape design
Curly honeysuckle is grown as an ornamental plant. Due to the ability to grow in height, it is planted for landscaping walls and arches. Liana rises to a height of at least 3 meters, regular pruning is required to maintain a beautiful appearance.
The flower is also planted in a group single-species planting, since the plant has a short growing season, it is difficult to combine it with other vines. To increase the volume of green mass, some gardeners grow honeysuckle next to other climbing crops, such as hops or girlish grapes.
Site selection
For landing, it is desirable to choose a well-lit place with protection from the wind. With regular dimming, the growth and development of the shrub slows down, the flowers form small and inconspicuous. Honeysuckle prefers drained and fertile soil with moderate moisture. The substrate should be neutral or slightly acidic in the range of 5.5 to 6.5 pH.
To maintain moisture and heat in the soil, it is recommended to carry out abundant mulching or plant undersized ornamental plants (geucher, hosta, geranium or cuff). To achieve the growth of the vine in height, it is necessary to have a support. It can be a wall of a building, a gazebo, an arch or any other vertically located surface.
Landing Rules
Decorative varieties of honeysuckle are planted with grown seedlings. They should be purchased in specialized stores or nurseries. It is desirable that the root system of the planting material is in a closed container. Landing is carried out from the second half of April in warm regions, in the northern regions it is advisable to wait until mid-May. It is desirable that the air and soil warm up to 10-14 ° C by this time, there should be no threat of night frosts.
Soil preparation and seedlings
To enhance the growth of the plant and achieve abundant flowering, in early spring the planting site should be dug up to the depth of a shovel bayonet. Fertilize it with complex mineral fertilizer, for example, nitroammophos at the rate of 30 g / m 2. It is recommended to add wood ash to the soil to prevent fungal infections.
Landing technology
The day before the procedure, the seedling container should be removed, the roots should be soaked in clean water or a growth stimulant solution for 6-8 hours. Step by step landing algorithm:
- Dig individual holes with a depth of 30 to 45 cm. The interval between plants is 1.5-2 m. When growing a shrub as a hedge, the distance is reduced to 1 m.
- Lay drainage at the bottom (broken brick, expanded clay or pebbles), as well as humus up to 5 cm thick.
- Place the seedling in the center of the hole, straighten the adventitious roots. Cover with a layer of fertile soil. The root neck should be flush with the surface.
- Tamp the soil in the near-stem area. Water the plant abundantly and mulch the soil with sawdust, straw, peat or wood chips.
After planting, you need to install a support next to the plant, so that already young shoots begin to wrap around, grow in a vertical direction. The first feeding is carried out a month after planting.
Features of care
Decorative honeysuckle quickly adapts to external conditions and demonstrates active growth. Flowering is possible only in the second year after planting. The plant is undemanding to care, it is enough to follow a number of simple procedures:
- watering should be regular and moderate, prolonged drying of the soil and stagnant water should not be allowed. In dry weather, it is additionally recommended to spray the leaves to preserve their decorative effect;
- during the first year of growth, it is important to regularly loosen the area around the trunk circle, combining the procedure with weeding. This allows you to accelerate the development of the root system, which favorably affects the appearance of the shrub;
- decorative shaping should be carried out throughout the summer. In spring and autumn, all old and damaged shoots are cut off, as well as parts of the bush with signs of the disease;
- for the winter, the shrub should be abundantly mulched with peat, humus or sawdust with a layer of 8 cm or more. In cold regions, it is recommended to additionally cover the lower young branches with spruce branches or straw.
Curly honeysuckle can grow in one place for more than 10 years. Transplantation is required to rejuvenate the bush, as well as slowing growth or lack of flowering. It is advisable to carry out the procedure only in the fall, so that in the spring the plant enters the growing season. To do this, complete pruning is carried out, leaving 10-15 cm above the soil surface. Then the honeysuckle is carefully dug up and transferred to a permanent place.
Reproduction methods
In practice, only vegetative propagation methods are used. Planting honeysuckle with seeds is practiced only to obtain new varieties, as this is a long and laborious process that does not always lead to a positive result. Basic breeding methods:
- layering. The mother plant is a shrub over 2 years old. Work should be carried out in the spring or early June. To do this, choose a powerful annual shoot, which is placed in the ground in a previously dug furrow with a depth of 3 to 5 cm. After that, it must be firmly fixed and covered with earth. The rooting process takes up to 2 months, but it is advisable to transfer the layering only closer to autumn;
- cuttings. The most popular way to obtain daughter plants. As planting material, annual shoots 15-20 cm long and 6 mm thick are used. Rooting is recommended to be carried out in water or a moist nutrient substrate, young roots appear in a month. Propagation by cuttings can be carried out throughout the summer.
The choice of breeding method depends on the skills and characteristics of the mother shrub. For beginner gardeners, it is recommended to use cuttings only.
Diseases and pests
All cultivars of climbing honeysuckle have strong immunity, are rarely infected with diseases and pests. A young plant is especially susceptible to damage, so in the first year you need to monitor the appearance of the stem and leaves.
Fungal infections, such as powdery mildew, cause the greatest harm to honeysuckle. The provoking factor is hot and humid weather, as well as non-compliance with the rules of care. The main symptom of the disease is the appearance of white spots on the vegetative parts of the bush, which gradually grow and acquire a brownish tint. For treatment, only chemical preparations with a high copper content are used.
conclusions
- Curly honeysuckle is an ornamental deciduous shrub in the form of a liana. Shoots can grow up to 6 m in length.
- For growing, you should choose a place next to a vertical support so that the plant can cling to the shoots.
- Planting seedlings is carried out in the spring after the end of frost. The distance between plants is 1-2 m.
- The shrub is unpretentious in care. It is enough to carry out moderate care, loosening, and also cut the shoots at least twice a summer.
Every gardener wants to see his site beautiful, so many plant climbing honeysuckle, which gives the garden real beauty and unique charm. It grows quite quickly and decorates a wall, fence or arch. The plant creates comfort, fills the area with colors and a magical aroma.
general description
Honeysuckle belongs to the ornamental shrubs of the Honeysuckle family. The culture owes its name to the world-famous botanist Carl Linnaeus, and the first most complete description of the plant appeared in the works of the Russian explorer of the 18th century Stepan Krasheninnikov.
In the natural environment of the Central strip of Russia, wild culture is found everywhere in groves and forest edges. These plants are well known as wolfberry, it has yellowish inflorescences and bright red berries, and the leaves are pubescent below. In the southern territories, it is an exclusively horticultural crop and does not grow wild.
The garden culture most familiar to us is erect, as well as curly or creeping bushes that look great in planting groups, alleys and arbors.
The flowers of honeysuckle of all varieties are large, but their colors can be varied - pink, red, yellow, orange or white. A tubular corolla emerges from the calyx, divided into 5 equal parts. The pistil is quite long, each flower has several stamens. The fruits can be yellow, blue, black or red, arranged in pairs on a branch.
Honeysuckle is cultivated in almost all countries of the northern hemisphere, while there are about 200 plant species. Only on the territory of our country you can find at least 50 varieties, and only 10-15 of them are edible.
All species and varieties can be divided into three categories depending on their appearance:
- varieties that resemble small trees;
- bush honeysuckle;
- climbing vines (they are also called climbing or weaving).
It is the latter category that is most often found in gardens and household plots - it attracts attention with its luxurious inflorescences of all colors of the rainbow. Even the most nondescript area is transformed before our eyes and acquires a special romance and piquancy if you decorate it with honeysuckle plantings.
Gardeners often combine several varieties of this plant, due to which, at the time of flowering, the site is filled with the brightest colors - from light pink to deep purple. No less exotic are the ripe fruits of honeysuckle, which, depending on the variety, can appear both in summer and in the first weeks of autumn.
Honeysuckle exudes a rich aroma, which is why it is used to decorate family recreation areas. The plant is often used by landscape designers - it is used to form chic pergolas, arbors and stylish slopes.
Varietal diversity allows you to use the plant to decorate interesting compositions and even alpine slides.
Species and varieties
In nature, there are approximately 200 types of honeysuckle. Consumers around the world cultivate Himalayan, Primorskaya and others.
"Caprifall"- this is the most common variety of honeysuckle in our country, it is a perennial deciduous vine, which, with proper care, often grows up to 6 m in length. Starting from mid-May, the plant is literally strewn with flowers. Flowering lasts 16-20 days. However, even after its completion, the plant does not lose its exoticism, since green berries appear on it, which gradually turn red as they ripen and change into bright beads before our eyes by the end of summer.
Climbing liana grows quite quickly - in one season it can grow a couple of meters and wrap around a pergola or climb the wall of a summer house.
"Kaprifol" is a fairly frost-resistant plant. In severe and prolonged cold weather, only the young tips of the shoots are subject to freezing.
It may seem strange, but a warm, long winter does much more harm to this variety than cold, since regular thaws lead to swelling of the buds, which die when frost returns. However, even under these unfavorable conditions, "Kaprifol" is reborn from root buds, which, with the onset of spring, give new shoots.
A very interesting variety of "Caprifolia" is considered to be "German Honeycomb" - it is similar to the main plant, but is characterized by a longer flowering, which sometimes lasts until the onset of autumn.
Honeysuckle "Kaprifol" does not leave anyone indifferent - it is no coincidence that it was with her that the passion for this plant began among the owners of their own plots in Russia and Europe.
Honeysuckle "Brown"- Another interesting variety that blooms twice per season: the first time - in late June - early July, and the second time - in August. The buds have a characteristic carrot color.
Honeysuckle "Brown" prefers open lit areas, reacts negatively to drafts. The culture does not tolerate harsh long winters, and therefore it should be planted in the southern and central territories of Russia.
Honeysuckle "Henry"- This is a semi-evergreen variety that does not completely shed its leaves for the winter and they remain partially on the shrub. In height, this plant is significantly inferior to its "brothers" - its length does not exceed 2.5 meters. Flowering usually begins in mid-July, its flowers are scarlet in color with an amazing rich aroma. Fruiting begins in September. Matte black berries have a very interesting shade.
In addition, the following varieties are common in our country:
- "Tatar"- one of the most hardy varieties of honeysuckle with pink and white inflorescences;
- honeysuckle "Korolkov" is characterized by abundant flowering, lilac or pale pink inflorescences;
- "Geralda"- a plant with large yellow flowers, does not throw off leaves for the winter, while it tolerates frost well;
- "Hekrota" differs in flowers of a pinkish-yellow hue, blooms for a long time, grows in length by 4-5 meters;
- "Maaka"- a liana with large white inflorescences that exude a piquant aroma, reaches 3-3.5 meters, is quite resistant to frost;
- honeysuckle "Serotina" - one of the most attractive, which pleases with flowering throughout the summer with small flowers of a burgundy-brown hue, their aroma is similar to the smell of linden flowers;
- "Japanese" differs in the decorative color of the leaf plates - they are distinguished by a light green hue with pronounced yellow veins, but this plant does not tolerate frost well, therefore it can be grown only in the southern regions.
- "Georgian" honeysuckle is common in the Caucasus, has large purple flowers, which are replaced by red and black fruits by the end of summer;
- "Evergreen"- this is the most resistant to cold winters variety, its creepers bloom at the end of May with unusual flowers: raspberry on the outside and bright yellow on the inside.
Separately, it is worth dwelling on edible types of honeysuckle.
"Bakchar Giant"- a vigorous plant up to 2 m long, the crown is spreading, and the leaves are dark and very beautiful. The berries are very large - 4-5 cm, the weight of each reaches 2.5 grams. With good care, up to 4.5 kg of crop can be removed from one bush.
Varieties also have a good taste of fruits. "Cinderella", "Blue Bird", "Morena", "Amphora" and "Long-fruited". These berries are distinguished by exceptional taste properties and can be used both for eating raw and for preservation for the winter.
Landing
Honeysuckle can be planted with seeds, but this process is very complex and time-consuming, so not every gardener decides to breed a crop using this method. Most often, the plant is planted with seedlings, but it is important to choose the right planting material.
You should purchase a seedling strictly in specialized plant nurseries or from trusted private traders who breed the necessary plant on their site, otherwise you run the risk of not getting the variety you expect, because even the most experienced gardeners sometimes get confused in all varietal features and characteristics.
When choosing a bush, it is advisable to give preference to seedlings at the age of 2-3 years, since in this case it will not be necessary to wait very long for flowering.
Carefully inspect the roots and shoots - they should not show any damage, they should be plastic, bend well, and not have dry parts. However, peeling of the bark is allowed - this is the standard condition for honeysuckle of all varieties.
The root system of a healthy plant should be strong and powerful; buds should be located on the shoots. You should not buy a bush if it seemed stunted to you. Even if the seller assures that he will rise after transplanting and watering, it is better to purchase another plant.
For simultaneous cultivation, it is recommended to take at least three varieties so that later it will be possible to propagate them independently. Keep in mind that honeysuckle is a cross-pollinated crop and not all varieties pollinate each other well, so when buying, you should give preference to paired varieties.
It is very important to choose the right place for planting honeysuckle.
Probably, there is not a single garden plant that has such an impressive and rich smell as honeysuckle. It is he who is considered the main factor that affects the choice of a place for growing. Most often, the plant is planted in the place where households spend the most time and gather with friends and relatives. For abundant flowering, the plant is best placed in a sunny place, although shady areas are more suitable for forest varieties - they will grow best under the crown of sprawling trees.
If you prefer curly varieties, then you should first take care of the construction of an arch or a special support.
Desirably, the acid-base reaction is in the range of 5.5 to 6.5. If the earth is acidified, a little lime should be added to it and dug up. Then the land should be completely freed from weeds and organic and mineral fertilizers should be applied.
Purchase a seedling in plastic containers with a fertilized earthen clod - in this case, when transplanting, the risk of damage to the root system will be minimized. However, if you are planting honeysuckle in early spring after the snow has melted or in autumn, then it is optimal for the root to be bare.
The time suitable for planting honeysuckle is the end of April - the first decade of May. It is during these periods that nature awakens and the plant has a good chance to settle in a new place. However, bushes can also be planted before winter - in this case, planting work should be carried out in the second half of September.
In order to increase the survival rate of seedlings, the distance between the bushes should be observed: for tall varieties it should be 2.5 meters, and for short ones - 1 m.
The landing sequence is standard:
- 3-4 days before planting, prepare the holes and lay out their bottom with crushed stone, expanded clay or any other drainage.
- Put fertile soil on top of it. You can make the mixture yourself, for this, two buckets of compost are mixed with 1 kg of wood ash and 50 g of superphosphate are added there. If the site is sandy, then it makes sense to add a little clay to the prepared substrate.
- A few hours before planting, the hole is watered abundantly.
- Planting material is placed in the center of the hole and covered with prepared soil so as not to deepen the root collar. The earth is watered several times, and then, as it shrinks, a new one is added and watered again.
- It is advisable to cover the area near the young bush with mulch. A good result is shown by needles, sawdust or peat. This will maintain the required level of humidity and protect the plant from frost if planted before winter.
If necessary, all types of honeysuckle can be transplanted to a new place, but this can only be done during the period when the plant does not bloom - optimally in late autumn or immediately after the snow melts. Transplantation should be carried out together with an earthen clod.
How to care?
At all stages of its growth and development, decorative garden honeysuckle sprouts a lot of shoots, while some of them begin to creep and, accordingly, take root. In this regard, you should constantly monitor the growth of the seedling and get rid of excess shoots in a timely manner.
Some varieties, for example, Caprifol, are quite resistant to winter cold. However, most other varieties retain their viability in the cold season, and even if some parts of the plant die, they quickly recover with the onset of heat.
It is very important to maintain a competent mode of moisturizing. Usually the plant is watered twice a week in hot weather, and if the heat has not yet come, then one irrigation in 7 days will be quite enough. Do not let the earth dry out - in this case, the fruits will be small, dried, and in addition, bitter in taste. At the same time, an excess of moisture should not be allowed - stagnant water causes the development of varietal diseases, and also leads to rotting of the roots, so it is advisable to equip effective drainage.
Like any other horticultural crop, honeysuckle requires fertilization. The plant is in need of minerals. They need a particularly large amount of top dressing shortly before flowering, because a large number of large inflorescences require a lot of energy from the plant in order to please the owners of the site for as long as possible.
Plants respond well to ready-made complex preparations that are sold in any store for summer residents, in addition, before winter, crushed wood ash can be poured under each bush. Mature plants love humus, and in the summer, experienced summer residents make mullein infusion or mineral supplements. It is best to do this before mid-July.
You can fight pests using insecticides, but with fungal and viral diseases, as a rule, treatment is not possible - the plant dies, so it should be dug up and burned.
As a preventive measure, in order to prevent the appearance of larvae and adult aphids, it is recommended to sprinkle granular superphosphate or lime around the trunk, and for the winter it is advised to treat the branches with a 5% urea solution. In addition, spraying with Lepocid or Bitoxibacillin preparations can be carried out.
Since honeysuckle is an ornamental plant, it must be trimmed regularly to give the bush an aesthetic shape. Usually they just cut off the top. This stimulates the growth of young branches on the sides, which increase the bushiness of the vine as a whole. By the way, Caprifoli has one characteristic feature - it is tightly attached to the support and literally braids it counterclockwise, so pruning allows you not only to shape, but also significantly rejuvenate the bush. However, if you are growing edible types of honeysuckle, then molding can significantly slow down the ripening time of the berries.
Honeysuckle belongs to covering crops, so for the winter it should be tied with agrofibre.
reproduction
Most often, honeysuckle is propagated in one of two ways: layering or cuttings.
If you chose the first method, that is, propagation of the crop by layering, you should at the very beginning of spring, immediately after the snow melts and the soil warms up, choose a strong branch and bend it to the ground. The layer is pinned with a special bracket or you can press it with a simple stone. During the spring-summer period, the branch will give roots at the points of contact with the ground, after which the resulting seedling can be separated and transplanted to a permanent place. As a rule, this is done in the fall or spring of the following year.
Propagation by cuttings is carried out in July. In this case, cuttings with a pair of good internodes are cut from the main plant so that a pair of leaves remains on top. After that, the cooked chibouks are placed in a greenhouse or an ordinary cutting. It can be made with your own hands from improvised means. To do this, take an ordinary plastic bottle, cut off the bottom of it and cover the young stalk with this design. The lid must be kept open to allow air to enter.
About the variety of decorative honeysuckle "Kaprifol", see the video below.
Each gardener tries to decorate his backyard in a special way, to bring his own zest and personality. Today, climbing plants imitating a hedge are very popular. Honeysuckle decorative curly due to the flexibility and elasticity of its shoots perfectly copes with the task. This climbing plant in the shortest possible time is able to wrap around a fence, gazebo, arch and other elements, creating an alley, alpine slide or green hedge, thereby transforming the site. To date, there are more than 100 varieties of climbing honeysuckle. This plant is quite unpretentious in care, grows quickly, exudes a pleasant aroma when flowering and looks very beautiful.
Breeding history
Curly honeysuckle has been studied for a long time. Back in the 18th century, the well-known Russian scientist Stepan Krashennikov mentioned it. In his writings, he described it as a climbing, erect, creeping shrub belonging to the Honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae). But it got its Latin name, thanks to the Swedish botanist and zoologist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), who named it honeysuckle in honor of the 16th-century German mathematician, physicist and botanist Adam Lonitzeri (Adamus Lonicerus 1528-1586) in 1753. Carl Linnaeus originally planned to call the curly honeysuckle Caprifolium, since in European countries the honeysuckle variety Caprifol was most often found.
Interesting. In Russia, various types of curly honeysuckle began to spread massively at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Features of honeysuckle varieties
Today, according to The Plant List database, there are 103 types of curly honeysuckle.
Conventionally, they can be divided into several groups, depending on the appearance:
- A number of varieties visually resemble small dwarf trees, reaching a height of up to 2 meters. Their branches are quite strong and flexible, sprawling, which allows children to climb freely on them;
- Another variety of climbing honeysuckle is a climbing shrub grown for ornamental purposes. The branches of the shrub are flexible, elastic, durable, and can reach up to 4-5 meters in length. Shrub shoots can be both creeping and high;
- Honeysuckle in the form of climbing vines, the length of which can reach 6-7 meters, or even more.
All types of curly honeysuckle have strong, flexible branches, whether it is climbing or growing in the form of a tree. The leaves are bright, green, often grow together with each other.
Honeysuckle flowers are rather unusual: large, arranged in pairs at the ends of branches, they can have a variety of shades (cream, white, raspberry, gold, purple, pink). A rim comes out of the cup, presented in the form of a tube, divided into 5 parts. All varieties have one thing in common: an attractive appearance and a pleasant aroma during the flowering period. The Korolkov variety is considered the longest flowering species. Its flowering lasts from May to August, then fruits appear in place of the flowers, acting for decorative purposes.
In Russia, the flowering period of ornamental honeysuckle begins in May and continues until June-July, depending on the variety.
The fruits of curly honeysuckle are most often not edible, they resemble berries in shape, are arranged in pairs, often grow together. The color of the fruit can also be varied, for example, common honeysuckle is characterized by fruits of a bright scarlet color, blue honeysuckle - by fruits of a purple hue (its fruit is edible). Fruiting is not distinguished by a good harvest. During the season, edible fruits can be harvested, depending on the variety, up to 2-4 kg per bush. When fully ripe, the berries usually fall off.
In the wild, honeysuckle with poisonous berries can be found. For example, in central Russia, on the edges of forests, real honeysuckle grows (popularly residential). On it, after the flowering of yellow-white flowers, small poisonous red berries appear, popularly called "wolf berries".
It is possible to single out the most common types of honeysuckle grown for decorative purposes in various regions of Russia:
- Curly honeysuckle Serotina is characterized by crimson-colored flowers, with dark green foliage, conditionally refers to a liana species. The flowering period lasts from June to August. Non-edible fruits appear from July to October;
- Graham Thomas honeysuckle retains green foliage throughout the year, even in winter. She has excellent winter hardiness. It blooms with yellow or red flowers from June to September. Fruiting occurs in summer and autumn from July to October. Eating fruits is dangerous to health;
- Telman honeysuckle is a liana of a bright green hue, the length of which reaches 7 meters. It blooms from June to July with golden flowers with a red tint, fruiting begins in July and lasts until September. Requires timely fertilization and watering;
- Type of honeysuckle curly Hector is a green decorative vine, about 4 meters long. Its feature is large flowers, pleasing to the eye from June to the first frost. The fruits are bright red, ripens from August to October. Not resistant to frost, requires additional shelter when winter comes.
Depending on the variety, some climbing honeysuckles have good winter hardiness, while some species require additional shelter with the arrival of the first frost.
Planting and caring for curly honeysuckle
Curly honeysuckle requires care, then the reproduction and growth of the shrub will not take long.
Depending on the variety, some types of decorative honeysuckle grow well in the shade, but, according to experienced gardeners, it is better to give preference to sunny areas protected from drafts by fences or house walls. Most often, honeysuckle is unpretentious to the type of soil.
On a note. For better survival, honeysuckle is recommended to be purchased from specialized companies in plastic containers that guarantee no damage to the roots.
Preparation for planting includes fertilization. The soil is fertilized in a standard way: with the help of manure, wood resin, humus, which are scattered over the surface of the soil and dug up to the entire depth of the bayonet with a shovel. This procedure is performed a couple of weeks before planting. Planting seedlings takes place in open ground, both in late autumn and early spring.
Landing is carried out in separate pits with a depth and diameter of about 50 cm, the distance between them should be several meters. The soil can be mixed with organic fertilizers, for example, fertilizer for ornamental shrubs of the Pure Leaf trademark (300 gr. 50-60 rubles RF *). When planting, mix 90 gr. with 2-3 kg of soil.
Subsequently, this drug can be used as a monthly plant nutrition, dissolving 2-3 teaspoons in 5-7 liters of water per 1 bush. You can repeat the procedure every 20 days.
Important! It is better to plant seedlings in the early morning. For watering only planted seedlings, use warm water.
Pour crushed stone (about 0.5 kg) into the prepared pit at the bottom, which will act as a drainage layer, pour a bucket of water at room temperature, place the seedling, evenly distributing the roots over the hole. Sprinkle with prepared soil, without covering the root collar. Lightly trample the ground with your hands. Again pour a bucket of water.
Important! It is necessary to plant a seedling in such a way that the root neck is not covered with earth, otherwise it may rot, and the plant will not be accepted.
Curly honeysuckle does not require special care, moderate watering, weed removal as needed. When forming arches or hedges, supports are prepared in advance, shoots are distributed on them, thereby forming the desired shape. At the same time, honeysuckle requires regular pruning. The first pruning is carried out in early spring, when the affected after wintering and damaged branches are cut. During the summer season, the plant is also cut and tied to form the desired shape.
Advantages and disadvantages of curly honeysuckle
When considering the main characteristics of decorative honeysuckle, its important advantage is the possibility of forming a unique landscape design without visible financial costs, since all plant care work can be done independently. In addition, it is possible to plant different varieties of plants next to each other, creating beautiful flower arrangements in the form of hedges and arches. In the warm season, curly honeysuckle will delight the eye with bright flowers, and in autumn it will attract attention with colored berries of various shapes.
The disadvantages of decorative honeysuckle include regular care. In addition to the standard procedures for watering, fertilizing the soil, preparing individual varieties for the winter period, curly honeysuckle constantly needs pruning and garter to maintain the desired shape. It is this factor that a number of gardeners repels from growing this plant on their site.
Many people mistakenly believe that growing honeysuckle is a complex process that requires a lot of time and effort. Of course, at first, to give the desired shape to the plant, it requires increased attention and care. But after a few years, it will take much less time to care for it. As a reward, the personal plot will please the eye with beautiful landscape design for a long period of time.
