Trumpet Honeysuckle Major Wheeler - Ask Extension
I would like to plant the berries from my Major Wheeler honeysuckle. They are ripening now. Some are green, some orange, and some red. A few deep re...
Knowledgebase
Trumpet Honeysuckle Major Wheeler #722468
Asked September 09, 2020, 7:59 PM EDT
I would like to plant the berries from my Major Wheeler honeysuckle. They are ripening now. Some are green, some orange, and some red. A few deep red ones show signs of spoiling. When do I pick them? How and when should I plant them? And if storage is required, how should that be done? I guess I just need to know everything involved in successfully growing a Major Wheeler from seed. Also if I decide to do some layering with the existing vine, should that be done now or in the spring?
Thank you very much,
Wendy Warner
Cecil County Maryland
Expert Response
Hello Wendy,
Propagation of a cultivar (like 'Major Wheeler') from seed can result in seedlings with different genetics than the parent plant; this means that flower color, plant vigor, and disease resistance may vary in desirability. While not necessarily a detriment, it is something to be aware of. Layering is a clonal type of propagation and so will produce plants identical to your original.
For propagation of Trumpet Honeysuckle, there are tips on this page by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=lose. "Stratification" is the process by which seeds are exposed to cold to simulate going through winter, and be achieved by actually storing sown seeds outside or by storing seed unsown in the refrigerator (not freezer); seeds needing stratification will not germinate without a sufficient cold period. Seeds stratified outdoors may need a structure over them to protect them from foraging rodents in winter.
Additional propagation notes from William Cullina's book Native Trees, Shrubs & Vines: A Guide to Using, Growing, and Propagating North American Woody Plants (c) 2002 adds the following for all Lonicera:
Miri
Propagation of a cultivar (like 'Major Wheeler') from seed can result in seedlings with different genetics than the parent plant; this means that flower color, plant vigor, and disease resistance may vary in desirability. While not necessarily a detriment, it is something to be aware of. Layering is a clonal type of propagation and so will produce plants identical to your original.
For propagation of Trumpet Honeysuckle, there are tips on this page by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=lose. "Stratification" is the process by which seeds are exposed to cold to simulate going through winter, and be achieved by actually storing sown seeds outside or by storing seed unsown in the refrigerator (not freezer); seeds needing stratification will not germinate without a sufficient cold period. Seeds stratified outdoors may need a structure over them to protect them from foraging rodents in winter.
Additional propagation notes from William Cullina's book Native Trees, Shrubs & Vines: A Guide to Using, Growing, and Propagating North American Woody Plants (c) 2002 adds the following for all Lonicera:
- "The fruit of longer-blooming species ripens over an extended period, and not all ripe fruit contains viable seed."
- Flowers on Lonicera sempervirens may be at least partially self-incompatible, meaning they cannot self-pollinate if no other individual of this species is with pollinating range for visiting insects. Similarly, plants grown in a fair amount of shade are visited less by insects, which also results in poor pollination.
- "Lonicera seed may not begin germinating until midsummer following a winter outdoors."
- For cuttings, he has had a fairly high success rate with using only Perlite as the rooting medium and by taking "non-flowering, two-to-three-node vigorous tip cuttings" between mid-July and mid-August and treated with rooting hormone.
- He does not discuss layering, but you can experiment with technique and timing, and they will probably respond similar to cuttings in terms of the best time of year to try and the use of rooting hormone.
- It is suggested, but not specified, that seed needs moist stratification, meaning that while experiencing its cold exposure the seed must not dry out. This means either making sure the pots if stored outdoors are checked for water periodically in winter, or that seeds in the 'fridge are kept in slightly-damp conditions with either a moistened paper towel or moistened vermiculite. Monitor the seed bag once in awhile to make sure mold isn't developing.
Miri
Thank you so much. This is great information, and I really appreciate it.
