By Mike Raley
If you want a plant with a scientific name that really rings, then winter honeysuckle is for you. The botanical name for this aromatic specimen is Lonicera fragrantissima. Catchy, huh? Known around here as “Sweet Breath of Spring,” I planted one decades ago, and like some of the flowering plants in my yard, more sun would have nurtured a more complete specimen. I never really have enough blooms on this plant—and that’s why you plant winter honeysuckle!
Winter honeysuckle doesn’t possess many other desirable characteristics. It’s generally handsome enough to be part of any landscape, but nothing stands out other than its wonderful scent in the coldest season. The fragrance from the small white flowers is lemony, unlike the wild vine that blooms in May. The winter honeysuckle produces tiny red berries in the spring, though I’ve never noticed them on mine. The plant is a bit out of the way in my landscape, so I rarely see it. That’s another mistake: You should choose a location where you can smell the fragrance on a warm winter day. The birds seem to like the berries and spread the seeds, and the plant is considered invasive in some southern states, including North Carolina. Therefore, you may not find it in your local nursery. If you want one, ask them to locate a specimen for you. It does root easily, so some of your friends may be able to share it with you.
If you like low-maintenance plants, add the winter honeysuckle to your list. Native to China—like many of the plants in our landscape—plant it in a sunny area where it can spread out, because it can grow 6 to 10 feet tall and equally as wide. This vigorous grower benefits from a heavy pruning every few years, especially if you find you don’t have enough room. If you only prune lightly, do so after it blooms. Winter honeysuckle likes good drainage, as most plants do, but doesn’t mind dry conditions once its root system is established. It will grow in most soils, and pH means little. It’s hardy to Zone 3 and may bloom in December on the coast and in March in the mountains. It is semi-evergreen in the Triangle area.
As usual, dig a hole as deep as the root ball and twice its circumference. Add some water to the hole before you cover the root ball, especially if planting during a dry period, along with some type of aggregate material to aid in drainage. Then fill the hole with plenty of organic matter and native soil. Tony Avent is a strong advocate for breaking up the root ball or pulling the roots apart to spread them and promote root growth.
I rarely fertilize anything in my landscape, and that seems to work well with most plants. Blooming plants seem to need a bit of stress to prompt that special hormone to survive. If you give a plant too much nitrogen, it might burn the root system or generate a lot of green leaves. Diseases and insect pests can affect winter honeysuckle in theory, but it seems very resilient, and I have never noticed any problems with mine.
So who doesn’t love honeysuckle? This old-fashioned plant gives you a citrusy fragrance in winter and is less aggressive than its viney cousin—if you can find a specimen to plant.