Japanese Honeysuckle a Summertime Favorite

 Long-lived and somewhat invasive Japanese honeysuckle is a summertime favorite flowering vine.

This vigorous climbing vine is easy to grow in sun or part shade and is not fussy about the soil.  Grow next to a fence, a rock wall, or a trellis.  The fragrant tubular-shaped yellow or white flowers will bloom in late spring and will continue to bloom throughout the summer months then in fall, the fruit will appear. This fruit is eaten by birds.

The honeysuckle will become invasive if you do not prune it when needed.  In the full sun, this vine will grow very fast and put out many runners that will smother and kill any flowers or shrubs that are growing in the path of the vine.  So it's best to control the honeysuckle by pruning by hand to keep it from taking over.

Know that my neighbor grows honeysuckle on the backside of her fence. The vines are very thick and in the winter this semi-evergreen vine does provide shelter for warblers, finches, and other birds. So if you enjoy watching birds and butterflies you should grow a Japanese Honeysuckle vine on a trellis or fence.

Here are my photographs of the Japanese Honeysuckle

Camouflage Fence with Flowering Vines

Talk about an eyesore, the chain link fence needs to be camouflaged. If you are like me and want to hide your ugly chain-link fence then do so by growing a flowering vine.

A few years ago a garden friend of mine gave me some “Grandpa Ott” morning glory seeds. She told me that the morning glory would cover up my six-foot chain link fence and that the long blooming flowers would attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

I really liked the garden tips for hiding the fence, with pretty flowers that attracted hummingbirds. So I planted the seeds indoors and then transplanted them outdoors after the threat of spring frost had past.

What I like about this vine is the foliage; both heart-shaped leaves and petunia-like flowers are attractive. Plus the “Grandpa ott” flower is so pretty; dark purple with magenta pink and yes the vine fills in quickly and does camouflage the ugly link fence.


This vine looks beautiful when grown over a wooden privacy fence.  

Tips:

Growing from seed is easy provided you soak the seeds overnight before planting. Morning glory is a vigorous vine that fills in quickly forming a dense mat. Flowers will start to bloom in June and will continue to bloom in fall as long as the weather is warm.

Growing Tips for Morning Glory Vine

Grandpa Ott morning glory

Add some vertical interest to your garden by growing a morning glory vine.   

Morning Glory is an annual vine with heart-shaped leaves that are easy to train to grow up a trellis or they will cover a chain link fence with green leaves and a flower that is similar to a petunia.

There are a variety of flower colors; white purple, blue, pink, or red, and all trumpet-shaped flowers bloom in the early morning from early summer to frost. 

You can start this vine from seed and then plant it outdoors after the threat of spring frost has passed or you can grow it from a nursery-grown plant.  

I am new to growing the morning glory vine.  I was given “Grandpa Ott” heirloom seeds a few years ago and started them indoors and then transplanted them outdoors.  I used them to hide a six-foot chain link fence.  

You do not need to be an expert gardener to grow the morning glory vine.  It is very easy to grow.  Plant next to a trellis or next to your fence and wrap the vine around the link of the fence and it will quickly attach itself.

Planting tips:

You can start seeds indoors or you can sow the seeds directly into an outdoor garden.  Before you plant the seed it is best to soak them in a shallow pan of tepid water overnight.  The water soaking will help in germination.  

If you intend on sowing the seeds outdoors then plant them in full sun in an area with well-drained soil the back garden border is good as they make a nice background vine if they grow up a trellis or fence.  Plant the seeds 1/2 inch deep.

Another way to grow morning glory is to plant in a container that has a supportive trellis.  Then set it close to your outdoor living place so you can admire this pretty flower. 

For a container, I like to plant with miracle grow.  When planting directly in the soil I will get the garden site ready by removing the grass and then work the topsoil with my shovel by turning over the soil.  I then will break up the clumps so that the soil is loose.  Work compost or manure into the soil as this nutritious soil will be good for the overall health of the plant. 

When planting at the base of a trellis or fence dig a trench that is the same depth as the nursery-grown container and plant the vines eight inches apart. 

Caring for Morning Glory

Mix a weak strength of water-soluble fertilizer for flowers and water the newly planted morning glories well.  

Water daily to keep the soil evenly moist but not wet.

Apply organic mulch around the morning glory vines; pine needles, leaf much, or tree bark.

Feed with a water-soluble fertilizer that is formulated for flowers twice a month throughout the growing season.

Morning Glory plants like it hot and humid.  

Growing Honeysuckle in Missouri: What I’ve Learned From Planting It in My Own Yard

If you’ve ever walked outside on a warm June evening and caught that sweet, nostalgic honeysuckle scent drifting through the air, you already know why so many of us in Southwest Missouri plant it. Honeysuckle is one of those old‑fashioned vines that feels like childhood  fragrant, forgiving, and full of hummingbirds. And once you grow it, you’ll wonder why you didn’t plant it sooner.

Trumpet Honeysuckle attracts hummingbirds

I’ve grown honeysuckle on fences, trellises, and even a stubborn little slope that refused to grow anything else. It’s one of the easiest vines I’ve ever worked with, and it rewards you with blooms from spring straight through summer. If you love wildlife, this plant practically turns your yard into a tiny nature preserve.

Let me walk you through what I’ve learned the good, the practical, and the “keep an eye on this before it takes over your neighbor’s mailbox.”

🌿 Why I Always Recommend Honeysuckle to New Gardeners

There are a lot of vines out there, but honeysuckle is one of the few that checks every box:

• It grows fast (sometimes very fast).
• It smells incredible the kind of fragrance that stops you mid‑walk.
• Hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees treat it like a buffet.
• It handles Missouri heat better than most people I know.
• Once it’s established, it’s surprisingly drought tolerant.
• Deer usually leave it alone, which is a blessing if you live outside town.

And with more than 150 varieties, you can pick your personality: white, pink, yellow, coral, or deep red.

Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)

🌿 Choosing the Right Honeysuckle (Because Not All Are Created Equal)

Here’s something I wish someone had told me early on: some honeysuckles behave beautifully, and others behave like they’re trying to take over the county.

My favorite well‑behaved varieties:

• Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens): Coral or red blooms, hummingbird magnet, not invasive.
• Late Dutch Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum ‘Serotina’): Purple‑pink blooms with cream centers and wonderful fragrance.

The one to be careful with:

• Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica): The wild one you see in ditches. Beautiful, but it spreads aggressively if you don’t keep it in check.

If you want fragrance without the fight, stick with trumpet honeysuckle.

🌿 Where Honeysuckle Grows Best

Honeysuckle isn’t picky, but it does have preferences:

• Full sun for the most blooms.
• Well‑drained soil to keep the roots happy.
• Something to climb: trellises, chain‑link fences, arbors, mailboxes, or rock walls.

If you’ve got an ugly fence you want to hide, honeysuckle will do the job faster than anything else I’ve planted.

Late Dutch Honeysuckle

🌿 How I Prepare the Planting Area

I treat honeysuckle like I treat tomatoes: give it a good start, and it will take care of itself later.

• Clear out grass, weeds, and rocks.
• Loosen the soil with a shovel.
• Mix in compost