Popular varieties of honeysuckle and their features
Honeysuckle Is an edible and at the same time an ornamental plant, the berries of which are very useful. With its help, you can not only cure some diseases, but also beautifully decorate your garden. Today there are a huge number of varieties of honeysuckle that you can plant on your site. With its help, gazebos or arches are beautifully decorated, hedges are created, etc. For this, you can choose the decorative forms of this plant. Most of the varieties do not require special conditions and complex care. They are not whimsical and get along well with other plants in the neighborhood. It is quite possible to plant several varieties on your site at once, each of which will differ in shape, height, method of reproduction and flowering.
Decorative honeysuckle
There are over 200 types of decorative honeysuckle. Of all the variety, several varieties can be distinguished, which are most often found among amateur gardeners. These include: Caprifol, Brown, Gerald, Henry, Albert and more. etc. All these varieties are curly and in a few years they can braid a rather large area. They differ in shape, color of flowers, leaves and fruits.
Curly honeysuckle can reach 5 meters in height. Decorative varieties are resistant to various conditions. They can thrive in shade and sun exposure. With the help of a haircut of vines, you can easily give them the desired decorative shape or let the vines through the necessary support. This kind of honeysuckle is often used when landscaping gazebos. Decorative varieties are propagated by cuttings or seeds.
Honeysuckle Honeysuckle
One of the popular varieties is considered honeysuckle honeysuckle photoplanting and caring for which is very easy. It grows in lianas and quickly reaches a length of 5 - 6 meters. This is the perfect variety to decorate the gazebo or a simple fence. Her lashes turn light green and bloom in abundant inflorescences. In order for the vines to grow up, they need to be given support. The higher it is, the higher the plant will rise. When the vine reaches the desired height, it must be cut off so that lateral shoots grow on it.
It is better to plant Caprifol in the spring immediately to a permanent place. The soil must be well moistened. Honeysuckle can be fed organic fertilizers... Despite the fact that this variety is considered winter-hardy, the first two years it is better to cover the bushes for the winter with dry leaves. In the spring it is necessary to remove frozen shoots. Each year, the vines need to be pruned so that they do not get confused, but give new shoots. Then they will grow better. Honeysuckle can grow Honeysuckle both in the sun and in partial shade. However, in the sun it will bloom more and more abundantly. This variety of honeysuckle blooms for about 3-4 weeks, after which small fruits appear. They ripen in early August and decorate the bush until late autumn.
Honeysuckle Blue Spindle
Blue Spindle Honeysuckle is a Siberian variety that is more edible than decorative. It is noted for its great fertility. From the fruits of this variety, you can make jam, compote, juice and even wine.The berries of such honeysuckle have an elongated fusiform shape. That is why this variety has such a name. The size of the fruit is usually up to 3 cm long. Their color is blue, almost black with a bluish bloom. The bushes of this variety are considered medium-sized. On average, they reach a height of 2.5 meters. The fruits ripen early enough.
When ripening, the fruits of the Blue Spindle honeysuckle can crumble, so you need to monitor the bush and harvest from it in time.
Caring for this variety of honeysuckle is no different from other plants. From time to time it needs to be fed with organic fertilizers and watered 1 - 2 times a week. You can also feed nitrogen... Edible honeysuckle bushes are resistant to winter, so you can not be afraid to leave them in the soil. This plant is perennial and will be beneficial for more than one year.
Honeysuckle nymph
Honeysuckle Nymph is an edible variety with an average ripening period. This plant is a weakly spreading bush with dense branches. The bush itself usually reaches a height of 1.8 meters. The fruits are bluish-blue in color and covered with a waxy coating. If the plant is properly looked after and not started, the berries will be large enough - up to 3 cm long.
Nymph honeysuckle berries are quite hardy. They crumble little and have a sweet taste without bitterness. Many gardeners love this plant due to the aromatic scent that comes from the ripe fruit. On average, you can collect up to 2 kg of berries from one bush.
The edible varieties of honeysuckle have many benefits. These include:
- long "life", because honeysuckle bushes can grow for 40-50 years and at the same time bear fruit every year;
- berries do not ripen evenly, which makes it possible to pick them for 3 - 6 weeks;
- honeysuckle fruits are very useful and do not lose their healing properties during processing;
- honeysuckle bushes are resistant to pests and diseases, so they do not need to be treated with chemicals;
- hardy to various growing conditions, soil and temperature;
- thanks to the beautiful flowering in spring, even such an edible honeysuckle variety as Nymph can be used for decorative purposes.
All these advantages can influence the choice of just this kind. It should be borne in mind that the first berries can appear only after a year of planting the bush. You can grow this variety by cuttings. At the same time, it is better to cut the cuttings and plant them in the evening.
Honeysuckle Cinderella
Honeysuckle Cinderella, like the Nymph, is an edible variety. It ripens very early. The bush has a large crown, but grows in height only up to 0.6 meters. The berries are usually large and dark blue with a smooth surface and oval shape. The taste of the fruit is sweetish-sour, and the smell is reminiscent of strawberry aroma. The berries are usually 1.7 cm long.
The Cinderella variety is highly winter-resistant and has high resistance to various pests and diseases. It does not require special care. It is enough to water it periodically.
The Cinderella variety is self-fertile. There will be no berries without pollination. Next to it, you need to plant varieties of selected forms of honeysuckle, which will pollinate themselves, and pollinate the bushes of Cinderella. These species include Kamchadalka and Tomichka.
If you want to plant honeysuckle on your site, first of all you should decide on what purpose it will serve. If you just need to decorate a plot or gazebo with weaving plants and vines, you can choose decorative honeysuckle. In case you want to harvest a large harvest, make jam and use the fruit for medicinal purposes, you should choose from edible varieties. Each of them has its own characteristics and different fruits. In any case, they are rich in vitamins, which are very beneficial for the body.