Update: I now have a Lonicera Periclymenum 'Heaven Scent' which is described as being a 'wild' honeysuckle and I believe the flowers are much better. Pollinators like hoverflies seem to take a liking to it straight away when I planted it last week. Another reason why I'm not a fan of Lonicera Japonica is that it keeps getting attacked by powdery mildew which makes it annoying to grow, especially now that there tends to be more droughts in summer nowadays.
If you regularly get droughts where you live, and powdery mildew is already proving to be a problem, then honeysuckles -generally, aren't going to be terribly ideal climbers for your garden.
Re your previous post - I've got no intention of buying plants from that outlet. Dozens of reliable ones, especially the nursery I use. I wouldn't use the RHS as a source either, other than for info - far too expensive. I think you've missed my point about the outlet in question
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I have a question, why is Japanese Honeysuckle more attractive to pollinators generally than our native species? If you look up 'Bees on Honeysuckle' on YouTube, every single video is Japanese Honeysuckle (some are swarmed, especially one in France). So if this is the case, why don't we recommend non-native plants more? Surely if it is not that bad, why are we worrying?
If you regularly get droughts where you live, and powdery mildew is already proving to be a problem, then honeysuckles -generally, aren't going to be terribly ideal climbers for your garden.
Re your previous post - I've got no intention of buying plants from that outlet. Dozens of reliable ones, especially the nursery I use. I wouldn't use the RHS as a source either, other than for info - far too expensive. I think you've missed my point about the outlet in question
For context, the base of the plant would be covered by a fence, meaning it is in full shade until it gets taller than the fence and begins to climb up the supports. I imagine the lack of airing causes the powdery mildew in that spot but my garden is small and I have nowhere else to put it (if I would like to grow it up the back garden wall). Would it be fine when it is higher up? (over 6 feet tall - the plant's leaves at that height onwards would get more airing).
I don't know if J.H. is more attractive than native honeysuckles, perhaps its just a coincidence, or perhaps just reflects the fact that a lot of people have it in their gardens. We had it over a trellis in our garden when I was a kid, it was always infested in aphids and the flowers were kind of small and sparse; I think people buy it because it's evergreen.
People (including ecologists) often just assume native plants would be better because it seems to be 'common sense' that they would. The valid point is that many native plants are required for the larval stage of butterflies etc, and this is much more species-specific.
Obviously just because a plant is good for pollinators doesn't mean you want it to spread into the wild. For instance non-native buddleia is brilliant, and ecologically enhances gardens and waste ground in cities, but ecologists will remove it from important ecological sites, because it can dominate and shade out more delicate native flora.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
I have lonicera japonica Halliana in my garden and it is a strong grower, but it is the only variety to survive here so growing the native variety (again) would be pointless. I had no idea it was invasive until this year and that knowledge hasn't altered the way it grows or the way I keep it in check. I just keep the hedge trimmer charged up.
It doesn't self seed, the birds like nesting in it, and it smells divine.
Does yours smell in the day, I've gone up to some that have got out of people's gardens and it kind of smells, does yours have a powerful scent in the day as well?
I don't know if J.H. is more attractive than native honeysuckles, perhaps its just a coincidence, or perhaps just reflects the fact that a lot of people have it in their gardens. We had it over a trellis in our garden when I was a kid, it was always infested in aphids and the flowers were kind of small and sparse; I think people buy it because it's evergreen.
People (including ecologists) often just assume native plants would be better because it seems to be 'common sense' that they would. The valid point is that many native plants are required for the larval stage of butterflies etc, and this is much more species-specific.
Obviously just because a plant is good for pollinators doesn't mean you want it to spread into the wild. For instance non-native buddleia is brilliant, and ecologically enhances gardens and waste ground in cities, but ecologists will remove it from important ecological sites, because it can dominate and shade out more delicate native flora.
Here is the type of video that led me to this idea: https://youtu.be/EvaB3tHkwUY It appears to be Lonicera Japonica, ours have dedicated stems/buds rather than flowering in pairs from the leaf axils.
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It's been grown in gardens for decades.
Total hysteria and paranoia
Re your previous post - I've got no intention of buying plants from that outlet. Dozens of reliable ones, especially the nursery I use. I wouldn't use the RHS as a source either, other than for info - far too expensive. I think you've missed my point about the outlet in question
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Non-native plants can be equally as valuable to pollinators as natives; sometimes even more so - https://www.rosybee.com/research-study
People (including ecologists) often just assume native plants would be better because it seems to be 'common sense' that they would. The valid point is that many native plants are required for the larval stage of butterflies etc, and this is much more species-specific.
Obviously just because a plant is good for pollinators doesn't mean you want it to spread into the wild. For instance non-native buddleia is brilliant, and ecologically enhances gardens and waste ground in cities, but ecologists will remove it from important ecological sites, because it can dominate and shade out more delicate native flora.
It appears to be Lonicera Japonica, ours have dedicated stems/buds rather than flowering in pairs from the leaf axils.