Pruning common honeysuckle

Lonicera periclymenum - the common honeysuckle is a real treat in early summer with its fragrant showy flowers. Once flowering is over, the display does rapidly downhill with straggly growth often covered in aphids (greenfly) and foliage attacked by powdery mildew.

In order that the plant remains an asset rater than a liability, I recommend pruning the plant reasonably hard (removing a third to as half of all growth). The plant will rapidly forgive this brutality and produce vigorous young shoots that will provide the flowers for next year.

The plant produces red berries that are relished by wildlife but are poisonous to humans. If young children use the garden, I suggest pruning before the berries appear and if you want the berries for the birds, leave pruning a little later so the birds can have their feast. 

Badly neglected plants can be hard pruned cutting all stems back close to ground level but this drastic treatment should not be carried out annually. 

Common honeysuckle needs pruning after flowering to keep in shape.