Honeysuckle lonicera tatarica Anyone ever tried one???

[themug]

Around here, New England, they grow like weeds and are considered an invasive but I've found a couple of promising prospects that I think might be worth digging up and at least giving it the old college try. Anyone have any experience with these they would care to share?? Thanks! Not the best pictures in the world but I think you get the idea.

 

[defra]

Looking good worth a try i think !
I heard they wont heal cuts tough so when make a big cut make sure its only seen from the back

 

[Underdog]

I've got one growing around the pond looks the same. Crazy roots on mine. Japanese are invasive in US. Hollow stem is the difference.
Ohio DNR wants you to burn them. LOL No permit required.

 

[rodeolthr]

It's been my experience that lonicera tartarica continues to grow like a weed even when containerized. That being said, they seem to make wonderful subjects that take all manner of abuse and have a beautiful rough "bark". I have to repot mine quite often, as the roots quickly colonize any size container and then continue to make the "great escape" out of any drainage holes.......they will quickly root into the soil below them if they are sitting on the ground. They will easily root from almost any size cutting as well......even quite large old trunks. Also, I've had them sitting in containers in zone 4 winter weather without a scratch.....so that's saying something.

 

[CasAH]

I've got one growing around the pond looks the same. Crazy roots on mine. Japanese are invasive in US. Hollow stem is the difference.
Ohio DNR wants you to burn them. LOL No permit required.

I do native woodland restoration in the Chicago area. I have been trying to kill these things for over 25 years. If pulled out by the roots and not all of the roots are removed they will resprout from the remaining roots. If the pulled plants roots touch the dirt they will continue to grow.

The cut stumps will resprout if the stumps are not properly herbicided.

Bottom line they are difficult to kill and bounce back from any abuse you can inflect on them. We do controlled burns and the larger shrubs can survive the fires. Leaving the thicker and taller stems alive.

 

[Tycoss]

I have a couple. They grow like crazy and fill containers fast with roots. I'm not sure how easy they are to refine, but are easy to collect and backbud readily. Good luck with them.

 

[Tieball]

I do native woodland restoration in the Chicago area.

Now that sounds quite interesting. Just a comment...way off topic I know.

 

[CasAH]

Now that sounds quite interesting. Just a comment...way off topic I know.

If you are interested go to Chicagowilderness.org it is the umbrella organization for over 300 organization from US forest service, state agencies, county, park districts, colleges, Brookfield Zoo, and volunteer organazations that colaberate on preserving and restoring native oakwoodlands, prairies, and wetlands.

 

[Waltron]

I've been thinking about diggin this thing up... be more axe chopping and sawing than digging though I reckon. @crust is the guy for these haha he has a cameo in "the book".

 

[wsteinhoff]

These honeysuckles seem pretty tough. Last year I yanked one out of the ground (no digging just pulled it up so it had some heavy root damage) to get rid of it and instead decided to throw it into a container with some dirt and see if it lived. This was also in the middle of the hot summer. It didn't take long to be full of new growth. I overwintered it with the rest of the plants before I knew enough to realize it had zero potential and as they started waking up a few weeks ago I discovered that the honeysuckle had been waterlogged all winter. I had thrown it into an old plastic tub and without thinking I didn't drill any drainage holes. The tub was filled to the brim with water (it was a rainy winter) but the honeysuckle was still alive and well with no rot, dieback, the container was filled with roots, and it had green buds all over. I've now gone and collected a large one and have no doubt it will be just as strong.

 

[Steve Kudela]

I've been thinking about diggin this thing up... be more axe chopping and sawing than digging though I reckon. @crust is the guy for these haha he has a cameo in "the book".

Snag that puppy!!!

 

[crust]

Finding large interesting stumpage is not the problem. Long term Honeysuckle management is the issue. I cant say I have figured it completely out but attaining and then retaining fine rootage and fine top growth is necessary otherwise you will have a sticky unmanageable high maintenance monster the never refines and frequently sheds structure and falls in and out of funks. Shifting to finer soils, constant repotting, energizing procedures and possibly protection from freezing help. My advice always is: don't bother digging HS unless they are stupendous, pot them in appropriately sized container right away(they can take it), grow them strongly, RP annually aggressively, wire sprigs immediately, remove any stump sprouting immediately, spray them for everything. I have currently lost interest in the battle and just maintain a few. I suspect that a lot of the wild HS tend to grow crappily due to genetic crappiness--my oldest one seems to be of a purer horticultural strain.

 

[Waltron]

thanks for chiming in crust! great info there, it all does make sense. I remember seeing an amazingly tapered large specimen on ibc one time that impressed me.

 

[painter]

 

[sorce]

Testing testing....

This has a pretty wicked flare under the soil.

The only feeder roots it had were....
Buckthorn roots!
So they all came off with the kid!

Less feeder roots than I got fingers.
Or hands for that matter!

Sorce

 

[wsteinhoff]

Here's a honeysuckle that was posted recently if you didn't see it:
http://bonsaibark.com/2017/03/15/honeysuckle-bonsai-before-after-one-small-bonus/
Does anyone else see a face in the deadwood? Kinda creepy looking. It had to have been carved there the way it looks.

 

[Tycoss]

Nick Lenz had a hand in that one. Creepy carved faces are totally his style.

 

[Stormwater]

I too pulled one from the ground and planted it as a root over rock. 2 months later had roots growing out the bottom of the pot.

 

[William N. Valavanis]

Here is a Honeysuckle bonsai I trained.

I found this species easy to develop, especially from drastic pruning and training new shoots. Once fine branches are created and refined they tend to die back and you must start all over again.

Here is a Honeysuckle bonsai I trained. Found the species easy to develop, especially from drastic pruning and training new shoots. Once fine branches are created and refined they tend to die back and you must start all over again.