honeysuckle
 

Just wondering if anyone plants honeysuckle? If so when do you plant, what species, and where do you buy it from? Im looking to plant in SW VA.

Thanks

Japanese Honeysuckle is the one best suited for wildlife, deer definitely love it. You should be able to dig some up along roadways or ask a farmer nearby if you can have some, it grows around here by the ton and many people would rather not see it planted. Just choose wisely where you decide to plant it. Spring or Fall will work as far as planting and it is very easy to grow. It can be grown by seed, stem cuttings or transplanting. To get the fastest growth, transplanting is the way to go.

Here's some info on what it looks like.

http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/lonja.htm

Deer around here in the south absolutely love the stuff. High in nutrition also. If you were closer by you could get all you want on some fence rows out back. In the winter the deer keep it trimmed up neatly. I've seen it for sale on some wildlife nursery sites, but I would have to look around to find it again.

DO NOT PLANT HONEYSUCKLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am overun with it takes over the woods and chokes the life out of everything better to not have it than to have it. I guess I apparently live about 7 miles from its origin.

Because it is a recommended plant in the south, and SW, VA is in the south.

No doubt it's as many people hate Jap honeysuckle as love it. The state Government of VA hates it, but yet turns a blind eye to the fact that this state has lost 521,000 acres of farmland between 2002-2007. Since 1992 over 615,000 acres of forest land has been lost all mainly due to development, paved over forever. But lets rail and whine over Japanese Honeysuckle? Give me a break! This is the height of IGNORANCE!!!!

Here's some info on Japanese Honeysuckle in the south.

http://www.mdwfp.com/Level2/Wildlife...asp?article=61


http://www.qdma.org/articles/details.asp?id=33


http://www.gon.com/article.php?id=155&cid=93


Really?? I'm pretty sure it's "origin" is Japan, hence it's name.

I'm also fairly certain it was introduced to North America in NY first. Maybe you're talking about another variety?

Must be a different variety.

What other good plants are you refering to? Looking for something Low maintainance and attracts/nutritionally beneficial for deer.

So because land is being lost to development, let’s go ahead and hamper what we have left by planting a very invasive plant that has zero value? THAT is ignorance if I’ve ever heard it. Actually, ignorance implies you don’t know any better. You do, so it’s just plain dumb.
shetzy911, there are numerous plants that benefit wildlife, though exactly which ones would be best depend on the type of habitat you want to plant them in. There are a few fast producing oak trees to choose from, and some soft mast trees that deer love. Blackberry bushes provide decent cover and the deer eat the berries, though I wouldn't consider it all that beneficial or attractive. Lots to choose from that neighboring farmers won't be fighting with 30 years down the road. I'm guessing haystack hasn't spent any time trying to rebuild cattle fence completely covered in Japanese honeysuckle.

honey sukle will grow plentiful, always best to plant whats around you because deer take time to switch eating cycles and wont touch what deer from another area eat all the time...if ya see the deer eatin all the farmers oats, then plant oats...if its corn, well it aint nutritious but thats what they are eating...do ya wanna see deer or are ya managing em.. if ya are managing, well better buy stock in your local seed supply, cause ya gotta do alot of area to get a lot of deer to change from what they are eating to what you are planting. gl

Deer and other wildlife survived for centuries here without honeysuckle. Consider managing native plant species instead of introducing invasive foreign ones.

Zero value? According to Biologist Chris McDonald and senior wildlife biologist Kent Kammermeyer, it does in fact have value.

"Well managed patches of honeysuckle can produce quality, year-round forage. Honeysuckle is a high quality forage with protein contents ranging from 9 to 20 percent and a digestibility of 75 percent. Protein content is dependent upon season and soil fertility with the highest levels reported during the cooler months of the year. Managed honeysuckle patches have also been reported to produce from 2,480 pounds to over 3,000 pounds of forage per acre. Existing honeysuckle can be managed by simply liming and fertilizing to increase both quantity and quality of the forage. Honeysuckle should be fertilized in early spring and again in early fall with 150 pounds per acre ammonium nitrate and 300 pounds per acre 13-13-13."

I must say that was a very detailed reply to Shetzy as far as "good" alternatives to Japanese Honeysuckle.

And for your information, I raise beef cattle for a living. Own and maintain over 7 miles of fence. If Jap honeysuckle is growing where I don't want it, I kill it. Growing where I want, I fertilize it.

Japanese Honeysuckle has been growing in my area for over 150 years and it's here to stay. It's way down on the list of my worries, very insignificant really.

The only reason I don't mind Honey suckle on my place is because its grown up on the latice near the garage and the humming birds like it. Humming birds are not much use as pest controllers but they sure are neat to see lookin in our windows.
We like to see em flyin around the house when we are front porch sittin with a glass of lemon aid. Thats about all its gud fer.

The deer are tearing up honeysuckle right now (atleast at our farm). I have 12 minutes of footage from Oct. 15, of them browsing on the honeysuckle directly under and around me. I was hunting a little hidden foot plot against cedars and thick honeysuckle, near a mock scrape. They sniffed and marked the scrape, and continued to eat nothing but honeysuckle until my handycam was out of battery power. Shoot me a pm if ya wanna see the footage.

Honeysuckle is desirable to the deer, maybe not so much humans lol... and as far as how high on the list of "preffered" foods it is, I do not know. But keep in mind this is Ohio county, Indiana and there is nothing but beans, corn, hay, and rolling hills of forest browse for miles in any direction. Obviously they have other choices for food. Granted the beans in the valley directly below our ridge are gone now, but there is a ton of corn still standing and plenty of other options. Tonight we are getting a "killing freeze", which hurts a lot of plants, but is a big plus for the brassicas. The deer are nibbling at the rape, but the next couple hard frosts should have the turnips and other rape plot becoming attractive to the deer..We'll see.

If you care about the habitat on your hunting property, you will NOT plant Honeysuckle. Honeysuckle causes major headaches and costs taxpayers millions of dollars to control. There is a reason that it is called INVASIVE. It will shade out native shrubs and plants and will leave you with a monoculture of Honeysuckle. Don't forget that deer crave a vast variety of foods, from grasses, to browse, to berries and just about anything else. I can guarantee you that you will do more for your deer population by not planting Honeysuckle that by planting it.