Even when you just say the name Honeysuckle it makes you think of its sweet scent in the summer evenings and hummingbirds flitting between the flowers. I’ve grown honeysuckle for many years and while they’re absolutely gorgeous they can be very territorial in the garden.
So I’m going to give you the plants and flowers that don’t work well with honeysuckle and why so you don’t make any mistakes that ruin your garden.
Understanding Honeysuckle
Most honeysuckle varieties are grow aggressively having roots that fight over for nutrients, water and space. They’re also notorious for blocking the sun getting to plants growing near to them. Some varieties, particularly the invasive Japanese honeysuckle, can quickly take over entire gardens if you leave them.
The problem isn’t just about competition though. Some honeysuckle species actually release chemical substances into the soil that stop plants nearby from growing. Just nature’s way of eliminating the competition, I suppose.
So when you’re planning your garden with honeysuckle you need to think about what grows with it. Get it wrong and you’ll find yourself with honeysuckle that grows well but everything else struggling.
Plants to Avoid Planting with Honeysuckle
1. Other Climbing Vines
Unfortunately vines that compete with others create absolute mayhem in hardens. Climbing roses, clematis, wisteria – they all want the same thing: to grow up towards the sky and use the same support structure to do so
Last summer I watched my honeysuckle and clematis fight for which would get to use the trellis. The honeysuckle won, of course, leaving the clematis strangled and struggling. The honeysuckle’s very fast growth rate was just too much for the slower growing clematis and it ended up blocking the light getting to it and stopping it from growing.
Why it doesn’t work:
- Fight for the same space
- They get entangled which makes it harder to look after them both
- As they both get bigger and heavier they can damage the trellis they’re growing up
- Its hard to control pests and diseases when the vines become intertwined
2. Small Delicate Perennials
Little bleeding hearts and columbines don’t stand a chance against honeysuckle’s aggressive roots. I planted a big collection of woodland perennials under my honeysuckle trellis thinking they’d like the partial shade it would give. But it only took a season before they were struggling with yellow leaves and poor growth.
Honeysuckle roots are fight hard for what they want, taking all the available water and nutrients. The perennials just can’t win, especially during dry spells when resources are limited.
Vulnerable perennials to keep away:
- Bleeding Hearts (Dicentra)
- Columbine (Aquilegia)
- Coral Bells (Heuchera)
- Astilbe
- Lily of the Valley
3. Shallow-Rooted Plants
Anything with shallow roots is going to have problems near honeysuckle. Try growing something like lettuce or spinach near honeysuckle and they won’t stand a chance. They’ll end up wilted even when you give them lots of water.
Honeysuckle’s roots takes water from the top layers of the soil, exactly where plants with shallow roots need it most. So when it’s hotter they right even harder
Examples to avoid:
- Most annual vegetables
- Lettuce and salad greens
- Strawberries
- Annual flowers
- Newly planted perennials with undeveloped root systems
4. Sun-Loving Plants
This one might seem obvious but I’ve made this mistake more times than I’d like to admit. Honeysuckle makes a lot of shade especially as it grows older. So the plants underneath it that need lots of sun will stretch toward what little light they can find, resulting in leggy growth.
Sun-lovers to keep separate:
- Lavender
- Roses
- Coneflowers (Echinacea)
- Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia)
- Most herbs
- Vegetables like tomatoes and peppers
5. Drought-Sensitive Plants
If you’re growing plants that need lots of water all the time then keep them a long way away from honeysuckle. Hydrangeas, for example, will struggle as the honeysuckle will take all the water.
Honeysuckle’s roots can take water from a surprisingly large area, so they make it extra for neighboring plants. During hot and dry spells this becomes even worse.
Moisture lovers to plant elsewhere:
- Hydrangeas
- Astilbe
- Ligularia
- Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa)
- Ferns
6. Plants Susceptible to Powdery Mildew
Honeysuckle’s grows in a way that can stop the air from flowing fully which makes for the ideal conditions that lets powdery mildew grow.
The reduced air flow around honeysuckle makes the humidity levels higher and this is perfect for fungal diseases to grow and spread.
Keep these mildew prone plants away:
- Phlox
- Bee Balm (Monarda)
- Zinnias
- Cucumbers
- Squash
7. Acid-Loving Plants
Honeysuckle generally likes slightly alkaline to neutral soil. So when you plant plants that like acidic soil with it one of them is going to be unhappy. My azaleas never really did well until I moved them far away from the honeysuckle.
The soil chemistry that helps honeysuckle can be wrong for plants that like acidic conditions. This often results in yellow leaves for the plants that like the acidic soil.
Acid lovers to plant elsewhere:
- Azaleas
- Rhododendrons
- Blueberries
- Camellias
- Most pine trees
8. Plants with Similar Nutrient Needs
Honeysuckle takes up lots of nitrogen and other nutrients from the soil. Plants that need the same nutrients will struggle to get their fair share when planted nearby.
When I planted a climbing rose near my honeysuckle it didn’t work even though I thought they’d work out. Even when I fertilized them regularly the rose always had yellow leaves. Once I moved it somewhere else it came back to life.
Competing heavy feeders:
- Roses
- Clematis
- Wisteria
- Most fruiting plants
- Vegetables like corn and tomatoes
9. Plants That Attract Aphids
Honeysuckle is known for attracting aphids. If you plant other plants that do the same close to it you’re going to get a lot of aphids!
Aphids can quickly move between plants, and having multiple plants that happily host them close to one another can result in serious infestations that are difficult to control.
Fellow aphid attractors to separate:
- Nasturtiums
- Roses
- Hibiscus
- Milkweed
- Vegetable plants like peppers and cabbage
10. Invasive Species
Planting one aggressive species near another is asking for trouble. My neighbor tried having Japanese honeysuckle with English ivy, which as you can probably figure out was a total disaster.
When more than one aggressive species fight over the same space they can make thick areas that are impossible to manage and will spread beyond their boundaries.
Aggressive plants to keep separate:
- English Ivy
- Virginia Creeper
- Trumpet Vine
- Bamboo
- Mint family plants
Good Companion Plants for Honeysuckle
Not all plants have a problem growing alongside honeysuckle. I’ve had great success with these:
- Spring Bulbs: Daffodils, tulips and crocuses flower and finish most of their growth before honeysuckle does so there’s no real competition between them .
- Plants with Deep Roots: Yarrow, echinacea and baptisia can reach water and nutrients that are beyond where honeysuckle’s roots go.
- Shade Tolerant Plants: Hostas, ferns and astilbe can grow well in the shade made by honeysuckle vines.
- Sturdy Grasses: Ornamental grasses like miscanthus and feather reed grass have roots that can hold their own against honeysuckle.
Tips for Successful Companion Planting
- Use Root Barriers: Put in physical barriers at least 12 inches deep to keep honeysuckle roots from pushing out other plants.
- Maintain Generous Spacing: Give plants plenty of room – more than you think they need. Honeysuckle grows big quickly.
- Regular Pruning: Keep honeysuckle in check with lots of pruning at least twice a year. You don’t have to be gentle – they can take it.
- Supplemental Watering: When it gets dry give extra water to plants growing near honeysuckle.
- Mulching: Use mulch to hold on to moisture and stop weeds growing but keep it away from plant stems to stop rot.
- Feed Selectively: Use targeted fertilizing to make sure all plants get enough nutrients.
Final Thoughts
Honeysuckle can be fantastic in gardens but it depends on how you manage it. It can be very aggressive but you can still enjoying it and the wildlife it attracts.
Just remember that honeysuckle doesn’t work well with others that have similar needs. Give it space, keep it in check and plant it with plants that can either fight well against it or occupy different niches in the garden.
And if need be then you can always grow honeysuckle in a large container.
