5

You are looking at a rare specimen of estimated 50 years old honeysuckle: (the honeysuckle is in the foreground; there is a high dark green conifer in the background, but it is not essential for this question)

enter image description here

It grows from just a small piece of soil, surrounded by a brick wall and a concrete patio:

enter image description here

The trunk has a formidable size (20cm diameter). However, it interacts with a decorative iron fence: (there is 3/4 of the full circle of iron around the center of the decorative area, the central part of the spiral - this is partially visible on photos, try to spot a black metal curved piece right in the center of the ornament, it 'hugs' the curved double trunk)

enter image description here

enter image description here

Is the trunk of this honeysuckle in danger of being strangled?

The plant seems otherwise healthy and vigorous.

VividD
  • 5,870
  • 3
  • 27
  • 74

1 Answers1

6

I don't think it's in danger of being strangled. Like trees do, if there's an obstruction, the woody parts will envelop and surround whatever the obstruction is, if they have to, but, being a vine, this plant has grown branches in other directions, which is not a choice a tree trunk can easily make.

If this one is as old as you say, it's more than geriatric anyway - average lifespan for Lonicera is reputed to be around 20 years, depending on variety, so as the gridwork hasn't strangled it when it was simply mature, it's unlikely to now. The wall is at much more risk than the plant... the roots have likely caused the cracks in the wall visible in the photograph.

Bamboo
  • 135,647
  • 3
  • 80
  • 169