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Is Lonicera Japonica suitable for pollinators and wildlife?

elliotp981elliotp981 Posts: 105
edited June 2023 in Wildlife gardening
Hello, sorry I'm talking about Japanese honeysuckle again. Today I received a Lonicera 'cream cascade'' from Crocus which is listed as being pollinator friendly. However, this turned out to be a Lonicera Japonica 'cream Cascade', so what I would like to know is whether this is suitable for what I would like it to do which is to support wildlife and pollinators. If not, could I be recommended a native honeysuckle variety which can cover a 5m by 5m wall. Listing is here: https://www.rhsplants.co.uk/plants/_/lonicera-cream-cascade/classid.2000040461/

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I know of no reason why L. jap. ‘Cream Cascade’ would not be wildlife friendly, but if you decide to get something else I can heartily recommend Lonicera periclymenum ‘Graham Thomas’. 

    This is mine … it flowered its socks off throughout the heatwave last year 
     

    it attracts lots of moths and other pollinators, provides scarlet berries for the birds in the autumn, and there’s a pair of dunnocks who nest in it every year. You can’t get much more wildlife fríendly than that. 

    It grows on a northfacing fence atop a bank. 



    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • elliotp981elliotp981 Posts: 105
    Would I be better off getting our wild honeysuckle? I see a few native plant nurseries have them so I'm wondering whether that would be more effective. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited June 2023
    The one I’ve linked to … “L. p “Graham Thomas” is a clone of a wild honeysuckle discovered in an English hedgerow by its namesake the plantsman Graham Thomas. 
    They don’t get any more ‘native’ than that 😊 

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Stuart_Thomas

    He was struck by its beautiful colour and floriferousness. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • elliotp981elliotp981 Posts: 105
    Thank you for the advice, I've heard before that Graham Thomas was arguably the best one. 
  • RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,511
    'Belgica' is very close to the wild honeysuckle but produces a lot more flowers.  Pollinators seem to like it.  
    Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,279
    I have a few honeysuckles growing around the garden and haven't noticed my japonica halliana, being any less attractive to wildlife. It tends to flower in early spring and is good for the earlier bees. I don't remember it having berries or being a magnet for other wildlife but the bees do love it.

    I have a Graham Thomas that I'm about to plant as well for all the reasons mentioned above. If I could only have one honeysuckle it would possibly be that.  
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    thevictorian said:
    …

    I have a Graham Thomas that I'm about to plant as well for all the reasons mentioned above. If I could only have one honeysuckle it would possibly be that.  
    A gardener after my own heart … there is no better honeysuckle than Graham Thomas IMHO 💚 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • elliotp981elliotp981 Posts: 105
    I think what I'll do is just grow the Japanese honeysuckle that I have. I have to admit, the scent of Japanese honeysuckle I've seen out and about is better even in the day! I have a preference for scented flowers so hopefully this will serve me well.
  • elliotp981elliotp981 Posts: 105
    I have a question, would this plant be bad news for the woods near my house? I plan for it to cover a wall so I will unlikely be able to remove the berries before the birds can get to them. I know it is not classed as invasive but at the same time, I do not want to trash my local ecosystem (and possibly anywhere else if it spreads further). For context, in my local village and a neighbouring town, it has spread outside of people's gardens so I'm wondering if mine would do the same.
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    See my reply on your other thread .
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