Honeysuckle is a plant easily found in many gardens because it is an ideal plant for covering unsightly walls and outbuildings. In addition, honeysuckle brings a delicious scent and attracts hummingbirds. Occasionally, yellow leaves on honeysuckle will appear, which is a sign of a problem your plant is having.
What Causes Honeysuckle Leaves to Turn Yellow? Honeysuckle leaves are yellow due to various factors such as lack of nutrients or too-drought soil. Throughout this article, I will explain the reasons that cause your honeysuckle to have yellow leaves. I will also explain how to fix and avoid these problems that cause yellow leaves on honeysuckle.
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Why Are My Honeysuckle Leaves Turning Yellow?
Why Are My Honeysuckle Leaves Turning Yellow? Various factors affect honeysuckle and cause its leaves to turn yellow and black. Subsequently, you will notice that the leaves of the honeysuckle fall off. Yellow leaves are a sign that something is wrong with your plant. Here are some common reasons why honeysuckle leaves may turn yellow:
- Drought
- Nutrient Deficiency
- Improper Light
- Pests and Diseases
These are the most common causes of yellowing leaves on honeysuckle. Read on to learn how to avoid and fix these problems to restore vitality to your honeysuckle.
What Causes Honeysuckle Leaves to Turn Yellow?
Yellowing Leaves on Honeysuckle Due to Drought
One of the most common causes of yellow leaves on honeysuckle is due to drought in the soil. Honeysuckles need well-drained soil that retains moisture. These plants grow naturally in forests where the soil has an abundance of leaves that favor moisture retention.
So, the first thing to do when you notice yellow leaves on a honeysuckle plant is to check the substrate. You can use a moisture meter or your own hand to check the moisture content of the substrate. When touching the substrate, the first inches should feel moist by touching. In addition, you can add mulch to promote moisture retention.
You must check the substrate where the honeysuckle is planted. As I mentioned earlier, these plants need a well-draining substrate but one that favors moisture retention. If your honeysuckle plant grows on a sandy substrate with poor moisture retention, it will likely cause yellow leaves.
Also, check if the roots of the honeysuckle plant are exposed to direct sunlight. Honeysuckles need their roots to be in the shade and their flowering tops in sunlight or very light shade.
Suppose your honeysuckle has adequate substrate and watering. In that case, the problem of yellow leaves is not caused by a drought in the substrate. Continue reading to know more about honeysuckle leaves yellowing.
Yellowing Leaves on Honeysuckle Due to Nutrient Deficiency
The second most common cause of yellow leaves on honeysuckle is due to a nutritional deficit. Nutrients in the soil are depleted and need to be replenished for honeysuckle to grow and flourish. In the natural forest habitat, a honeysuckle plant obtains the necessary nutrients from the leaves of all the plants in the forest.
Honeysuckle prefers soils with a pH between 5.5 and 8. If the soil pH is incorrect, it can affect nutrient uptake and yellowing leaves. Test the soil pH and amend it if necessary. Learn more about how to measure soil pH.
To fix the problem of yellowing leaves on honeysuckle, apply a 2-10-10 fertilizer or similar. Follow the manufacturer’s directions to apply the fertilizer correctly. Too much fertilizer will also not be beneficial to the honeysuckle.
It is important to fertilize potted honeysuckles more often because pot nutrients deplete more quickly. Applying mulch and fertilizer to your honeysuckle will ensure you avoid the two most common problems that cause yellow leaves. Learn more about honeysuckle fertilizer.
- Comes in 5 lb. bag of granules, with 3 lbs. covering up to 100 sq. ft. on flowers and vegetables
- Enhances blooms on annuals, shrubs, vegetables and ornamental trees
- Great for use on southern gardens and landscapes
Yellow Leaves on Honeysuckle Vine Due to Improper Light
Honeysuckle plants do well when their roots are sheltered from direct sunlight, while the vines receive sunlight. Although they do not require full sun, they need partial sunlight or substantial dappled light to encourage blooming.
Make sure the honeysuckle vine gets enough sunlight but not the root part. If the roots are exposed to constant, intense sunlight, they can become stressed, which may result in yellow leaves. Providing a balance between sun and shade for the entire plant is essential.
Honeysuckle can tolerate dappled or filtered light but shouldn’t be grown in deep shade. Suppose it is planted in an area with inadequate dappled light. In that case, the leaves might turn yellow due to a lack of the necessary energy from sunlight.
If the honeysuckle vine is in a spot with too little or too much light, consider transplanting it to a more suitable location. Choose a spot that provides the right balance of sunlight and shade.
Honeysuckle Leaves Turning Yellow Due to Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases also cause yellowing of leaves on honeysuckle. Honeysuckles are susceptible to certain pests and diseases like all plants. The most common pests affecting honeysuckle are aphids, spider mites, scale insects, and whiteflies. You can easily get rid of aphids, spider mites, scales, and whiteflies using neem oil. I suggest you read our article on how to mix neem oil for plants.
Honeysuckle is also susceptible to fungal diseases such as powdery mildew and leaf blight. Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that appears white powdery on the leaves. It can cause leaf distortion and yellowing. To manage powdery mildew, improve air circulation, avoid overhead watering, and use fungicidal sprays if needed.
Your plant may have leaf blight if you notice honeysuckle leaves turning yellow with black spots. Leaf blight is the result of the fungal pathogen known as Insolibasidium deformans. This ailment typically manifests during the spring when fresh leaves emerge. The initial sign of infection is the development of yellowing in the leaf tissue. How to treat honeysuckle leaf blight? Use a copper-based fungicide to manage leaf blight.
To prevent fungal diseases in honeysuckle, prune annually to promote air circulation in the plant. Also, water the plant at the base to keep the leaves dry. Water in the morning to allow the foliage to dry during the day.
During the dormant season (winter), consider pruning your honeysuckle to remove any remaining infected branches or leaves. That helps reduce the overwintering source of the fungus.
- Control fungus and disease in your garden with Captain Jack’s ready-to-use Liquid Copper Fungicide!
- Approved for organic gardening, this fungicide is suitable for the production of organic produce and can even be used up until the day of harvest!
- Copper Fungicide effective in the control and prevention of a wide range of plant diseases. Listed common garden diseases include blight, black spot, powdery mildew peach leaf curl and more.
What Should I Do with The Yellow Leaves on My Honeysuckle Vine?
I’m sure it has happened to you to know that yellow leaves are a sign that something is wrong with your plant, but to some extent, you doubt whether you should remove them or not, right? What should I do with the yellow leaves on my honeysuckle vine? It is necessary to remove yellow leaves, especially when it comes to ornamentals and houseplants. And in the following paragraphs, I will explain why.
Can yellow leaves turn green again? That is a very common question. Many think correcting the amount of water, adding fertilizer, or applying fungicide to the yellow leaves will turn green and healthy again. But nothing could be more wrong. Like the brown tips of plant leaves, yellow leaves do not recover and will not turn green again. Yellowing or browning of the leaves indicates that the plant tissue is necrotic or necrotizing, meaning dying. While you can recover the plant when you attack the root cause in time, you cannot recover leaves with dead plant cells. Moreover, the plant requires extra nutrients and energy to maintain those yellowish leaves that are partially dead.
Should I cut off yellowing leaves? Definitely, you should cut off yellowing leaves and brown tip leaves on your honeysuckle plant. The best thing to do is to remove them. Remove all the affected leaves, cutting them with sharp scissors and previously cleaning them with an antiseptic agent such as alcohol to not make the honeysuckle plant sick or cause tears. Before moving on to another plant or storing the scissors, clean and disinfect it again.
Remember that just removing yellow leaves from the honeysuckle vine is not enough to prevent the appearance of more yellow leaves. You should inspect thoroughly the plant and understand the cause behind this problem to fix it.
Final Conclusions: Why Do Honeysuckle Leaves Turn Yellow
So, why do honeysuckle leaves turn yellow? Drought and lack of nutrients are the two most common factors that cause yellow leaves on honeysuckle. Fortunately, you can easily fix both of these factors. It is also possible that your honeysuckle has a pest or disease that is causing the leaves to turn yellow and then drop.
On the other hand, incorrect lighting may also cause yellowing of the leaves on the honeysuckle. Ensure the honeysuckle receives enough sunlight on the vine but not on the roots. Apply mulch to promote moisture retention and protect honeysuckle roots.
Whether you need to correct the amount of water, watering schedule, add fertilizer, or apply fungicide, remember to cut off yellowing leaves and brown tip leaves on your honeysuckle plant, as they will not turn green again.
Now that you know all about the causes of yellow leaves on honeysuckle remember to scrutinize your plant to recognize what is happening to your honeysuckle properly. I hope this article will be of great help and you will be able to fix the problems of yellow leaves on honeysuckle.
