closeup of honeyberries

How to prune a honeyberry

Honeyberries (Lonicera caerulea) are similar to blueberries, in that they flower and fruit on wood that's a year old, or more. Once established, your honeyberry bush will need to be pruned annually to stimulate new growth and rejuvenate the plant. If you want bumper crops of juicy fruits, here is our horticultural team's guide to pruning honeyberry bushes.

Browse our collection of honeyberry bushes for inspiration.

When to prune honeyberries

Lonicera kamtschatica 'Kalinka' from Thompson & Morgan

Prune your honeyberry shrub immediately after it has finished fruiting in June
Image: Lonicera kamtschatica 'Kalinka' from Thompson & Morgan

Most varieties of honeyberry will take two to three years to establish before they start to produce fruit. Other than removing any dead or misplaced stems, it’s best to leave them alone for the first three years.

Once your honeyberry is established it should be pruned annually each June, as soon as you’ve harvested the ripe fruits. 

How to prune your honeyberry

Lonicera caerulea var. Kamtschatica from Thompson & Morgan

Remove the tips of young shoots to encourage more flowering laterals
Image: Lonicera caerulea var. Kamtschatica from Thompson & Morgan

  • Once you’ve harvested the ripe fruit in early summer, cut about a quarter of the oldest shoots back to the base. 
  • If you feel you need to cut back more to make space, try to leave some shoots unpruned so you have a crop next year. 
  • Reduce the remaining stems to a pair of strong buds.
  • Repeat this annually to stimulate strong new growth and rejuvenate the plant.
Sophie Essex

Written by: Sophie Essex, garden writer

Sophie Essex is a freelance garden writer with a passion for horticulture and environmental conservation. With a BSc in Botany/Plant Biology from the University of Plymouth, she further honed her expertise through a Masters of Science in Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants from The University of Edinburgh. Sophie has also worked as a professional gardener and landscaper, showcasing her practical skills by transforming outdoor spaces. Her commitment to fieldwork is further evident in her acquisition of a Certificate in Field Botany from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and over the years, she has interned at the Eden Project, Cornwall, the National Trust for Scotland and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

Banner image: muroPhotographer/ Shutterstock

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