Re: Variegated Halls honeysuckle

Hi Cindy Johnson,

 Responding to:
> I'm looking thru Mellinger's catalog and see they have a Lonicera japonica
> aureoreticulata.  Their catalog says it's very hardy (zone 4) and
> seems to do
> well in sun or shade.   I've heard that Hall's honeysuckle is less than
> desirable.  To quote Ken Druse in his book Natural Shade
> Gardening: "Don't
> grow the rampant Hall's honeysuckle, lonicera japonica
> 'Halliana'.  There are
> plenty of better-behaved hybrids and a host of natives that do
> well in shade."

I grew up in southern Minnesota (but not with Hall's honeysuckle).  So I
can't say how it would behave in your garden but here in Oregon it is well
behaved.  Ken Druse's remarks are probably applicable to the eastern US
where the summers are much hotter and more humid (more like Japan).  I've
been told that generally Japanese plants (and this was in reference to
rhododendrons and azaleas) do better on the east coast and Chinese plants
are more suited to the west.  I don't believe one can carry this generality
too far however.  My real point is that 'damning' a plant because it is a
rampant grower in one part of the country should not necessarily be taken as
true for other parts.

Lonicera japonica aureoreticulata is very restrained here and doesn't even
to begin to match the floral exuberance of L.j. 'Halliana'.  A very good
reason to grow Lonicera japonica 'Halliana' (if it behaves for you) is its
long blooming season and wonderful fragrance.  Summer evenings can have the
air filled with its perfume.  None of the others I've grown, while fragrant,
can match L.j.'Halliana' in this way.

Louis Mensing
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