Honeysuckle: Description of 19 Popular Varieties (35 Photos) + Reviews

Characteristic

Blue honeysuckle is a low, perennial shrub. His height is 60 cm and above. In Russia it grows in the Central part, Eastern Siberia and the Far East, and is also found in other areas. There are wild and cultivated plant species.

In nature, it can be found in places such as:

floodplain forests
tundra
marshy areas
river valleys

Many plant varieties tolerate frost easily and are unpretentious. For successful growth, regular watering and loosening of the soil under the bush is necessary. It should be noted that the root system is close to the surface of the earth.

The procedure must be carried out carefully so as not to damage it:

When individual branches dry out, they must be removed with pruning shears.
Experienced gardeners advise planting different varieties.
This will ensure a fruit harvest.
This happens due to mutual pollination.

The berries are oblong, deep blue in color. They have a sweet and sour taste. Some species have a bitter taste. When choosing a variety, you need to know that there are edible and poisonous fruits.

Agricultural technology

Honeysuckle is a picky plant, but good fruiting and active growth can only be achieved by following agricultural cultivation techniques, the features of which should be considered in more detail.

Important! The variety does not adapt well to growing in open ground if you order a plant from another region, so it is better to buy seedlings from local nurseries.

Choosing a location (taking into account humidity and lighting)

Honeysuckle bushes prefer to grow in well-warmed, moist and fertile soil. It is better to choose a place for planting that is sufficiently illuminated, with light shading of the lower branches, which is ensured by planting flowers or other low plants with a superficial root system that will not interfere with the normal development of the fruit bush. Shading at the base of the bush allows you to maintain a high level of soil moisture for normal growth of the bushes.

Honeysuckle plantings should be protected on the north side from strong cold winds by shrubs or buildings.

The soil for honeysuckle can be any, with the exception of sandy soil, which does not provide the root system with sufficient moisture and quickly loses its supply of nutrients. Slow growth and sickness of plants can be caused by acidic soils; the optimal acidity level for growing honeysuckle is within the pH range of 5.5–6.5. High groundwater levels are also detrimental to honeysuckle; choose elevated areas or create artificial embankments when planting bushes in areas where groundwater approaches the soil surface closer than 1 m.

Pay attention to the information about why young honeysuckle does not take root well.

Planting and care (watering + fertilizing)

The period for planting honeysuckle in open ground depends on the type of root system of the plant being purchased. If the bush has a closed root system, honeysuckle can be planted throughout the growing season. Provided that a seedling that has an open root system is planted, the procedure should be performed in the autumn, when the plant stops growing and enters the dormant stage - from late September to early October.

Let's consider the procedure for planting honeysuckle in open ground:

A week before the planned date of planting the bush, holes should be prepared with dimensions of 40 cm in depth, 40 cm in diameter. The distance between planting holes should be at least 2.5 m, between rows 3–3.5 m.
The planting pit is filled with drainage (expanded clay, crushed stone, broken brick). The height of the drainage layer must be at least 30 cm.
Immediately before planting the seedlings, the hole is filled 1/3 with fertile soil, mixed with 2 buckets of compost, 50 g of superphosphate and 1 kg of ash. On sandy loam soil, the amount of compost should be increased to 3 buckets with the addition of 4 kg of clay per 1 m².
The pits are watered generously with clean water at room temperature, in the amount of 2-3 buckets.
In the center of the hole, make an elevation of soil, install a seedling, straighten the roots, and sprinkle with soil.
While filling the planting hole with soil, it is lightly compacted to secure the seedling.
The hole should be filled in such a way that the root collar rises 3–4 cm above the soil surface.
The soil is watered again with 2 buckets of water, if necessary, soil is added around the tree trunk circle (if it sank after watering).
The soil surface is mulched with sawdust or straw (a layer of approximately 6–8 cm) to avoid moisture evaporation and overgrowth of the tree trunk with weeds.

In the first 3-4 years after planting the plant, the bush does not require special care; it should only be watered in a timely manner and the area of the site should be weeded from weeds.
At this time, the above-ground part of the bush grows very slowly, since all its strength is spent on the formation of a strong root system. It is necessary to water honeysuckle bushes abundantly and regularly, since the plant is moisture-loving and does not tolerate drought well. A total of 4 waterings are required per season. The amount of water used for 1 bush should be 10 liters.

Important! If you neglect the advice on watering, honeysuckle berries acquire an unpleasant bitterness in hot, dry summers.

Plants need to be fed every 3 years, 2 times a season - in spring and autumn. Spring feeding consists of 10 kg of humus, which is applied under the bush while digging the tree trunk circle. In autumn, the tree trunk circle is fertilized with wood ash in the amount of 150 g per bush.

An adult plant can be additionally fertilized with mineral mixtures. Nitrogen fertilizing is applied in the spring on melting snow in the amount of 1 tbsp. l. for 1 bucket of water for each bush. Before honeysuckle begins to bloom (in the bud formation phase), you can apply foliar feeding with Master and Aquarin preparations according to the instructions.

Also find out how honeysuckle can tolerate spring frosts.

Features of pollination

All varieties of edible honeysuckle are self-sterile, that is, they cannot bear fruit without the help of pollinating plants, which are usually planted in one area. One variety cannot pollinate itself, but if you plant several varieties of honeysuckle nearby, the yield will increase significantly. The best neighbors for the Giant's Daughter variety are Bakcharsky Giant, Vostorg, Strezhevchanka. In addition to pollinating plants, insects - bees and bumblebees - can help pollinate flowers.

Disease and pest control

Honeysuckle is highly resistant to diseases and pests, so problems with the plant usually do not arise. It is worth noting that only in rare cases, under conditions of improper care, does honeysuckle suffer from powdery mildew. For treatment, the plant is treated with “Fitosporin” according to the instructions.

Among the pests that can sometimes infect bushes are:

leafroller, honeysuckle fingerwing, scale insect and honeysuckle mite. All of these pests are insects that suck plant juices, so they are controlled with identical systemic drugs, such as Confidor or Actellik, according to the instructions;
aphids - a pest most often affects bushes during the fruiting period, when it is impossible to use chemicals to kill insects, so as not to spoil the harvest. To preserve the berries and slow down the spread of aphids throughout the bush, a folk method is used: prepare a solution (100 ml of vodka is diluted in 1 liter of water), spray the affected bushes 2-3 times a day until the entire harvest is harvested. After picking the berries, the bush is treated with Calypso and Aktara according to the instructions.

Pruning and crown formation

Considering that honeysuckle grows slowly, during the first 3 years after planting, formative pruning of the bush is not required, but the sanitary removal of dry and diseased branches is carried out.

Important! After pruning the bushes, they are immediately watered abundantly so that the plants quickly recover from the procedure and become stronger for winter.

During the period of active branching, in the 4th year of growing honeysuckle, it is necessary to take measures to form the crown of the bush for abundant fruiting. On each bush, 5 of the strongest branches are left, which extend from the center of the bush at the maximum angle so that each of them is well lit. All other branches must be removed at the root, preventing the crown from thickening.

Regular autumn pruning is carried out at the end of September, during which shoots, shoots growing inside the bush, and old dry stems are removed. Excess parts should only be trimmed with a clean and sharp tool.

Wintering

The Giant's Daughter variety has high resistance to low temperatures, so it winters well. There is no need to make any additional preparation for winter, since the bush can withstand temperature changes down to -50°C, and fruit buds are preserved in frosts down to -40°C. Monitoring the reviews of gardeners who have been growing honeysuckle in different regions for many years, it can be noted that there have been no cases of plant branches freezing.

Did you know? Only one of all types of honeysuckle is grown indoors; it is called Japanese and is often used in the art of bonsai.

Farms specializing in breeding honeysuckle varieties

The Bakcharskoye horticultural enterprise is located in the Tomsk region. For 84 years, varieties of fruit and berry crops have been bred there. Unique, frost-resistant species are grown here. At the moment, honeysuckle is the main crop of this farm.

Her plantation covers an area of 50 hectares. Many of its varieties were created here: Bakcharsky Velikan, Tomichka, Bakcharskaya, Bakcharskaya Yubileynaya, Daughter of the Giant, Yugan and many others. Below we will consider each type in detail.

In 1926, the Pavlovsk Experimental Station of the All-Russian Research Institute of Plant Growing named after Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov was opened near St. Petersburg. There are 4 plant research laboratories here. Employees study, grow plants, cross them and develop new species.

M. N. Plekhanova specializes in honeysuckle varieties.

She and her students own the following varieties:

Moraine
Nymph
Amphora
Violet
Yoke
Vlad and many others.

In addition to Russian breeders and biologists, this crop is propagated in other countries, for example, Canada and China.

'Moraine'

Variety selected by the experimental station VIR named after. N.I. Vavilova (St. Petersburg). Included in the State Register for all regions of the Russian Federation in 1995.

Honeysuckle fruit variety 'Morena'. Photo from the site sortoved.ru

The bushes are medium-sized (1.5-1.7 m), with a neat oval crown, the shoots are thin, slightly curved, brown (young ones are green); the leaves are large, bright green. The variety is early ripening and has low shedding: ripe berries are well preserved on the branches (they do not wither). The fruits are large (up to 3 cm in length), pitcher-shaped, slightly tuberous; the skin is blue-blue, with a strong waxy coating. The taste is soft dessert, without bitterness, with a weak aroma. Productivity (depending on weather conditions) ranges from 1.2-2.5 kg per bush. Equally good for fresh consumption and processed products. Winter hardiness is high, little damage is caused by pests and diseases. The best pollinators for honeysuckle variety 'Morena':

'Blue Spindle';
'Viola'.

Good pollinators:

'Amphora';
'In memory of Kuminov';
'Blue bird';
'Kamchadalka';
'Start';
'Malvina'.

Varieties for the Moscow region

Varieties with low bushes are suitable for the Moscow region

Honeysuckle is not afraid of cold and wet climates.
It tolerates frost well, even during the flowering period.
Almost all regions of Russia are suitable for it, except for the southern regions.
When choosing a variety, it is important to take into account the characteristics of each of them and weather conditions.

Moscow breeders have bred a number of species specifically for this area:

Gzhelka - produces up to 2 kg of berries per bush. It tastes sweet. The shrub itself is decorative and can be used for hedges.
Titmouse – taste with a complete absence of bitterness. Exudes a refreshing aroma. The bushes have a very dense crown.
Moskovskaya 23 is a variety with very high yield. You can collect up to 3 kg of fruit from a bush. It has a disadvantage - it crumbles, the berries need to be picked often as they ripen.

This is a characteristic of some varieties. More than 20 of them have been released:

Eternal Call, Ramenskaya, Viliga, Kingfisher, Soska, Princess, Lakomka, etc. In addition to special species, those bred for other areas take root well: Morena, Cinderella, Berel, Blue Bird. Amphora.

Height classification

Low-growing varieties, 1-1.5 m in height: Nizhny Novgorod early, Gzhel late, Lyulia, Lakomka, Fialka, Gerda, Ramenskaya, Yulya, Souvenir, Kamchadalka.
Medium height (1.5-2): Early Gzhel, Gzhelka, Kubyshka, Kingfisher, Kuminovka, Korchaga, Princess Diana, Heap is small, My Joy, Ulyana, Shahinya, Cinderella, Bakcharskaya, Tomichka, Lazurnaya.
High varieties: Kingfisher, Nymph, Violet, My Joy, Lakomka, Gzhelskaya late, Moskovskaya-23, Ramenskaya.

Decorative varieties

Honeysuckle with red and orange berries is poisonous

It is grown for decorative purposes. They are plants that grow in all regions, even in the south.
The most famous varieties: Tatarskaya and Caprifol. However, there are many more of them, there are large and small shrubs and vines.

Let's consider several types:

Brown's honeysuckle is a climbing plant. Brightly colored flowers with a long tube in the middle are attractive. Its homeland is in North America. Loves the sun very much and does not tolerate drafts at all. For the winter it needs to be covered so that it does not freeze.
Lebedura is another North American. It is a one and a half meter bush. It has attractive black berries framed by cherry-colored bracts.
Maak honeysuckle has white flowers. They grow along the shoots. Birds feast on its red fruits with pleasure in the fall.

The inedible varieties are very beautiful.
They are decorated with bright fruits and dense foliage.
They do not lose their beauty with the onset of autumn.

'Cinderella'

Variety Research Institute of Horticulture of Siberia named after. M.A. Lisavenko, included in the State Register of all regions of the Russian Federation.

Honeysuckle fruits variety 'Cinderella'. Photo from the site sortoved.ru

The bushes are very beautiful: low (up to 1 m), compact, with a dense crown; thin shoots are light green, straight or slightly curved, with large elongated-oval light green leaves. Ripening is mid-early, extended (approximately from June 10 to June 20). The berries are spindle-shaped (elongated-cylindrical), weighing from 0.5-1.3 g, 1.2-1.7 cm long, rich dark blue color, with a light blue bloom. The taste is very high (sweet and sour, soft, with a subtle hint of strawberry aroma). Productivity (during full fruiting) reaches 5.5 kg per bush. The variety is universal: good both fresh and prepared for future use. Honeysuckle 'Cinderella' is characterized by high winter hardiness, survives sudden temperature changes without damage, and is practically not damaged by pests. Another plus is the low fruit shedding. The best pollinators for honeysuckle variety 'Cinderella':

'Azure';
'Gerda'.

Good pollinators:

'Amphora';
'Leningrad Giant';
'In memory of Gidzyuk';
'Kamchadalka';
'Tomichka';
'Parabelskaya'.

Not suitable for pollination:

'Blue Spindle';
'Berel';
'Firework'.

Benefits and harms

The benefits of edible berries are obvious. They contain a large amount of vitamins. Honeysuckle is considered a medicinal plant; it does not lose its properties when heated.

BENEFIT:

Used to treat and prevent scurvy
Boosts immunity
Reduces high blood pressure
Helps with migraines
Strengthens the cardiovascular system
Removes salts from the body
Honeysuckle is recommended for gastritis, ulcers
Treats sore throat

HARM:

Excessive consumption can cause allergic reactions and intestinal upset. As in any other case.
When consuming the product, you need to know when to stop and not overeat.

Reproduction

Kamchatka honeysuckle can be propagated by seed or vegetative methods. In the first case, the parental characteristics are not preserved, so it is not a fact that the same fruitful and sweet variety will grow from the seedling. For practical gardening, methods of vegetative propagation such as cuttings or dividing a bush are more applicable.

Green cuttings of Kamchatka honeysuckle take root well

Cuttings are a simple and affordable way to propagate the desired honeysuckle variety. You can root cuttings several times during the season:

Late March or early April. Cuttings 15-17 cm long are cut from branches at least 7-8 mm thick. The lower cut is treated with a root formation stimulator and planted obliquely in the ground to a depth of about 10 cm so that 2 or more buds remain on top.
After flowering. At this time, annual shoots with fresh growth can be used as cuttings. Cut branches are planted to a depth of 5-7 cm.
End of June. At this time, green cuttings are used - the current year's growth. They are cut off with the apical bud and planted to a depth of about 10 cm. It is very important that the soil at the planting site is constantly moist.

Another way of vegetative propagation of honeysuckle is by dividing the bush. This operation can only be performed on honeysuckle over 8 years old. A bush dug out of the ground is cut into several parts so that each section contains at least 3 shoots and a part of the rhizome at least 0.4 m long.

Dividing a bush is a quick and effective way to propagate your favorite honeysuckle variety.

The seedlings obtained in this way should be immediately planted in a new location.

Interesting Facts

English, Honeysuckle

There are about 250 varieties of honeysuckle on planet Earth. Wild species are more often found in Siberia, the Himalayas and East Asia, on the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, Kamchatka, and Sakhalin. There are 14 wild varieties growing on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Honeysuckle was nicknamed “shameless.” This nickname was given due to the fact that the bark of some varieties peels off and flies off, exposing the branches.

You definitely need to know that honeysuckle can be poisonous. One of these varieties is Wolf Berry. Dark colored berries are suitable for consumption: black, blue, purple. Red and orange fruits grow on poisonous bushes.

Honeysuckle ripens earlier than other berries. It will give you the vitamin boost you need after the long cold months.

Morphological characteristics

Honeysuckle Chulymskaya is an erect perennial shrub that is part of the large Honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae). This variety is characterized by medium ripening times, and the berries do not ripen immediately, but gradually over several weeks. The plant is valued by gardeners for its low fruit shedding when hand picked. The height of the skeletal, brownish-brown branches of Chulymskaya honeysuckle, slightly curved at the tops, rarely exceeds 1.2-1.4 m. In early April, many dark green, slightly pubescent young shoots are formed on the shrub, becoming lignified as they grow. The botanical literature provides the following description of honeysuckle variety Chulymskaya:

medium-sized light yellow flowers;
underdeveloped calyx;
tubular corolla, divided at the end into five lobes;
quintuple plan for constructing irregular colors;
uneven development and fusion of the three anterior petals;
two-lipped corolla with five stamens and a long style of pistil;
pairwise arrangement of flowers in the corners of leaves at the end of each branch;
capitate inflorescences.

The shrub does not need frequent pruning, as it initially forms a rounded, medium-spreading crown. Unlike other varieties, the shoots of Chulymskaya honeysuckle do not have anthocyanin stripes in places exposed to sunlight. In mid-spring, the plant develops a large number of green, wide, matte leaves, sometimes merging into one blade.

Note: Every year from one Chulymskaya honeysuckle bush you can collect 3-4 kg of juicy large berries, and with quality care (regular watering and frequent feeding), this amount doubles.

The average weight of one fruit is about 1.2 g, and when planted in loamy soils enriched with minerals - 1.6 g. The berries are smooth, purple, broadly fusiform with a narrow depression on the elongated top, often merging in pairs. Sometimes the fruits appear bluish due to a thick whitish coating that forms over the entire surface. The thin-skinned berries have a sweet, refreshing taste with a slightly noticeable sourness. The fruits of Chulymskaya honeysuckle are consumed not only fresh, but also frozen, used for making jams, preserves, compotes, homemade tinctures and liqueurs. They contain a huge amount of biologically active substances - sugars, organic acids, vitamins, microelements, flavonoids, phytoncides, tannins. Honeysuckle berries are used as a prophylactic against viral and bacterial respiratory pathologies (bronchitis, influenza, sore throat, sinusitis, tracheitis).

Tip: Including fruits in your diet allows you to relatively quickly reduce the level of bad cholesterol in the systemic circulation and at the same time increase the level of beneficial triglycerides.