I have PLENTY of that fragrant Japanese honeysuckle growing in very shaded places.

It fact, I can't get rid of it. It is very invasive. Philly's climate is milder than ours. I suspect that might make it worse!

Wolfe15136,

Was it the shrub variety or the vine/creeper variety?

vinecreeper

Javaman,
I recommend you plant something less invasive. Honeysuckle will take over your garden if you are not absolutely diligent about removing spent flowers. It will bloom in sun and shade. The smell is heavenly but in this zone the plant is from the other place.

To answer your other question. It has no pest problenms and will bloom quite well if you do nothing to it.

Loretta5

If you look for a native honeysuckle they are non invasive. Look for Lonicera sempervirens instead of the lonicera japonica. I grow the sempervirens cultivar 'John Clayton,' but can't attest to its performance in shade b/c I have it in a sunny location. Still a fast growing plant and it may be too much if you have limited space, but it is not invasive.

I live in West Chester PA. I have 2 honeysuckles, coral & harliquin. They are beautiful. The harliquin is fragrent. The hummingbirds like the coral. They both bloom prolificly and are well behaived w/ very little care. Both are in part shade. Good luck.
JD

Thanks for all the information.
I am intending to plan Honeysuckle - Pink Tatarian (Lonicera tatarica) as these are hedges as opposed to vines.
But I like the idea of honeysuckle vines (harliquin and coral). Are these plants deer-resistant?

Thanks.

Deer don't bother my honeysuckle and they frequently walk right past it. I have the pink/peach/yellow Lonicera americana. I had to cut it down to the ground last year because it was covered with aphids and powdery mildew. I burned everything, so as not to infect other plants. It's now growing back quite nicely.

The only Lonicera that I have grown is "Dropmore Scarlet" and "Goldflame.

I have L. Sempirivens 'Alabama Crimson'. It gets aphids that destroy the first bloom unless I dust with diatomaceous earth. After that the lady beetle larva and baby praying mantises make short work of them. And Yes, AVOID L. Japonica. It's very invasive and will spread and choke out native plants. Not only the ones in your yard, but your neighbors yard, local parks and wild areas. AVOID L. Japonica plants!!!