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My honeysuckle has no scent....

caroletreecaroletree Posts: 15
in Problem solving
Hello everyone, I wondered if any of you have ever had a similar problem...?  I have a Honeysuckle Copper Beauty which I bought because it said 'fabulous fragrance'....... it's 3 years old now, is growing well and flowered brilliantly this year but it has no smell whatsoever.  
I'm flummoxed, would any of you know if this happens for any particular reason? 

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Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,897
    edited July 2019
    I think honeysuckle produces its scent to attract moths, so I'd guess that the scent would be strongest at dusk when the moths come out.
    Have you tried a sniff at dusk?

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • caroletreecaroletree Posts: 15
     :D Thanks Pete.8.......... not specifically, so I'll investigate later. 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,897
    I grew a patch of 12 nicotiana sylvestris a few years ago and was disappointed by the lack of scent when the first flowers opened on a hot sunny day, but in the evening the scent filled the garden - and when all 12 were in flower the scent in the evening was almost overpowering.
    Let us know how the sniff test goes  :D

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
    I'm  finding my honeysuckle has no scent this year.......no idea why
  • BijdezeeBijdezee Posts: 1,484
    I bought a honeysuckle mandarin dream 2 years ago. It has really beautiful flowers but no scent despite the ticket on it saying it was fragrant. The bees or moths don't touch it either. I also put in a Lonicera Henryi because it is evergreen, the flowers are very small and it also gives off no scent but the bees love it so at least that's something. I also wonder why there's no scent. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,030
    We have Lon. Belgica, Serotina and Graham Thomas in the garden ... during the day there’s no perfume to speak of , but on warm still evenings it’s been glorious ... sometimes wafting through the open door into the sitting room ... but the conditions have to be right ...

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • BijdezeeBijdezee Posts: 1,484
    On further googling of my manderin one I see that others say there's no scent. I still have the ticket from the pot and it clearly states 'fragrant'.

    I have noticed in recent years that the advice on the garden centre plants is to ne taken with a large pinch of salt. 

    I think i might look for a belgica or Graham Thomas but I only have a sunny site left. 

  • caroletreecaroletree Posts: 15
    Thanks everyone..........sniff tests at different times of day but definitely no scent.
    Hey ho! the bees did like it so as you say Bijdezee, that's a good thing.  I'll just enjoy the flowers and the bees .
  • plot52plot52 Posts: 15
    Bijdezee said:
    On further googling of my manderin one I see that others say there's no scent. I still have the ticket from the pot and it clearly states 'fragrant'.

    I have noticed in recent years that the advice on the garden centre plants is to ne taken with a large pinch of salt. 

    I think i might look for a belgica or Graham Thomas but I only have a sunny site left. 

    don't bother with a Graham Thomas. Ours has been in 2 years, no scent day or night. I do wonder if it is being bred out of them 🤨
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,030
    We have a Graham Thomas ...it’s been in about 7 years ... the scent on a warm summer evening is amazing ... I think it’s the warm summer evenings that are in short supply ... prove them and the honeysuckle will provide the perfume. 😉 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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