Pruning Honeysuckle The Right Way – Complete How-To Guide

Honeysuckle vines are gorgeous, aromatic vines that grow rapidly. Their fragrant blooms attract pollinators, especially hummingbirds. Because they grow so quickly, they can become a bit invasive which is when pruning honeysuckle vine becomes a necessity. How do you go about trimming honeysuckle? Keep reading to learn when and how to prune 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 home. They took over a sunny corner of the garden and had to be drastically pruned.

When to Prune Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle vines are of two ilks; those that bloom early in the summer and those that bloom late. If your vine blooms early in the summer, you should prune it after it has flowered. If it blooms later in the summer, it should be pruned sparingly in the spring.

If you have a honeysuckle bush, prune it between April and June.

Overgrown honeysuckle that will need severe pruning should be cut back in the winter when the plant is dormant.

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 but 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; 2 feet (61 cm) might have been safer. You will need sharp loppers and likely a hand saw. 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.

Do not remove more than a third of the vine. Use disinfected shears to prevent the spreading of disease or pests.

Frequently Asked Questions