How to Prune a Mandarin Honeysuckle Vine

Mandarin honeysuckle's flowers are deep red-orange with lighter orange edges.

A hybrid vine developed by Dr. Wilf Nicholls in British Columbia, Canada, Mandarin honeysuckle (Lonicera 'Mandarin') quickly grows 18 to 25 feet tall. Its tubular coral-red and orange flowers are alluring to hummingbirds and are produced all summer long, but its largest and showiest display is in late spring to early summer. Train this climbing deciduous vine on a tall trellis, sturdy fence or arbor. Optimal growing conditions are at least 8 hours of direct sunlight daily in a fertile, moist but well-drained soil that is not alkaline in pH. Grow it in USDA hardiness zones 3b through 9.

Things You'll Need

• Hand pruners (secateurs)

Instructions

1. Prune back the twining bare stems of Mandarin honeysuckle vine in late winter to the desired height. Use a hand pruners and make cuts 1/4 to 1/2 inch above a dormant pair of buds on the stems. Reduce the overall plant height to any level, but no shorter than 12 to 18 inches above the ground. According to the British Columbia Botanical Garden, expect at least 6 feet of regrowth from the plant.

2. Snip off broken, dead or diseased branches or vines during the growing season when encountered. Always make the pruning cut 1/4 to 1/2 inch above a lower pair of leaves or dormant buds.

3. Lightly prune the plant again immediately after the robust flowering display in late spring to early summer if desired. This gives you the chance to limit the growth of the youngest vines since the winter pruning. Don't do a harsh pruning, but snip off growing tips to limit height or to promote branching. Mandarin honeysuckle vines continue to sporadically flower across the rest of summer and early autumn up until a hard frost.

Tips & Warnings

• If you live in a region with a long growing season and your honeysuckle vine readily grows like a weed, consider a harsh reduction pruning in early summer after the big blooming display ends. There is ample time left in the growing season for the vine to rejuvenate again even if trimmed back to a height of 2 to 3 feet.

• If you are in a drought, a harsh summertime pruning after the flowering display may not result in robust regrowth. Make sure to water during dry periods after pruning to keep the Mandarin honeysuckle healthy. Mulch over the root zone to help conserve moisture and shade the soil, keeping it cooler.

References

• University of British Columbia Botanical Garden: Lonicera 'Mandarin'
• "A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants;" Christopher Brickell and H. Marc Cathey, Eds.; 2004
• Monrovia Nurseries: Mandarin Honeysuckle

Resources

• National Gardening Association: USDA Hardiness Zone Finder