The fire goat snare really causes a stir in the garden. The fast-growing climbing plant achieves this, not least thanks to its spectacular flowers.
The attractive play of colors of the fire honeysuckle (Lonicera heckrottii) accompanies you into autumn and in the evening hours the fire honeysuckle captivates with a sensual floral scent. The plants can grow up to more than three meters and beautify gates, fences or facades. The plant is easy to care for and can therefore be cultivated without any problems. Below you will find out what you need to consider when caring for and growing plants and how you can keep their flowers for a long time.
Plant description
The fire goat snare catches the eye. This is not only due to the growth height of two to four meters. The dark green leaves appear early in the year, with a blue-green tint on their underside. Between April and October the foliage becomes an eye-catcher. The strikingly colored, fragrant flowers appear from June to September. If the site conditions are ideal, it is not uncommon for flowers to appear until the first frost. The plants are native to Europe, Asia and the USA and are therefore well adapted to our climate.
The fire goat’s sling is not a pure climbing plant, but a creeper. Accordingly, the adhesive roots are missing. The fire goat snare therefore needs our support and must be given a climbing aid.
With growth heights of up to four meters, the fire honeysuckle is one of the short-growing representatives of the honeysuckles. The garden honeysuckle or forest honeysuckle curl up to ten meters.
When does fire snail bloom?
You can look forward to an extremely flowering plant. The first flowers appear in June and the flowering period usually lasts until September. If the site conditions are ideal, the plants often produce another flower fireworks display, which can last until the first frost. The flowers reach a length of around four centimeters. The outside of the flower is colored purple. Inside, the flower has a yellowish-white color. When the flower is about to fade, it turns completely yellow.
A special feature is the intense scent reminiscent of vanilla. With a bit of luck, you can also witness the formation of the red fruits, which are approximately the size of a pea. However, the inedible berries are only rarely developed.
Different types of honeysuckle presented
In addition to the fire honeysuckle, around 180 different plant species are known. All existing varieties are perennial climbing plants with attractive flowers that require relatively little care.
❍ Evergreen honeysuckle:
Even in winter, the evergreen honeysuckle impresses with its foliage. As an alternative to ivy, evergreen honeysuckle can be used to green facades all year round. The plant was brought to Europe from China at the beginning of the 20th century. Depending on its location, the evergreen honeysuckle can reach a height of up to ten meters. If the plant cannot absorb nutrients through its roots in winter, the leaves can also curl up or fall off. As a rule, new growth occurs in spring.
❍ Red honeysuckle:
The red honeysuckle impresses with its red flowers. The flowering period extends from June to October. The maximum height here is only two to three meters. This honeysuckle variety is robust and also very well adapted to the urban climate. The foliage appears as early as April and if temperatures are mild, the leaves are not shed in winter. The soil should be nutrient-rich. A partially shaded location is preferred.
❍ Gold Honeysuckle:
The golden honeysuckle is extremely fast-growing and can grow up to twelve meters under favorable site conditions. The golden honeysuckle is characterized by lush flowers. However, the flowering period is limited to the months of May and June. High humidity and urban climates are tolerated well. The plants can form strong trunks. The occasionally formed red berries serve as a food source for the birds in autumn.
❍ Garden honeysuckle:
This garden plant is quite old and comes from southern Europe and Asia. In Germany, the garden honeysuckle occasionally occurs in the wild. The strongly scented flowers appear in May and June, and occasionally another bloom occurs in the fall. The plant is particularly susceptible to powdery mildew and has therefore become a less common plant for lovers.
The right location and the right substrate for the fire goat snare
If you want an easy-care beauty to find its way into your garden, it’s worth taking a closer look at planting the fire goat’s snare. The plants are nicknamed “Jelängerjelieber” and in fact you can hardly get enough of the orchid-like flowers. So that the popular climbing plant will soon attract admiration in your garden, there are a few things you should keep in mind when planting it.
Location:
To ensure that the plant delights with lush growth and flowering, you should not leave the location to chance. The plant tolerates a partially shaded location best. But it is also possible to cultivate the fire goat snare in the shade. The base of the fire honeysuckle in particular should always be in the shade. The fire goat snare is less able to tolerate a location in full sun. If the plant is too hot and you water it too little, baldness will quickly occur. In addition, growth slows down and flowering stops. The plants often dry out and die.
Substrate:
The fire honeysuckle is less picky when it comes to soil requirements. The creeper usually gets along well with normal garden soil. It should be fresh and nutrient-rich soil. This encourages the addition of compost or horn shavings. Also pay attention to the permeability of the substrate, as the plant cannot tolerate waterlogging. In return, the root base must not dry out. It is therefore an advantage if it is permanently in the shade. You can improve water permeability by adding grit or sand to the soil.
Planting fire goat snare – step by step instructions
Since these are absolutely winter-hardy plants, you can plant the fire goat’s sling in both spring and autumn. Proceed as follows:
- Select location.
- Clear the ground of weeds and stones.
- Dig a planting hole twice the width and depth of the root ball.
- Enrich the substrate with compost, sand or grit.
- Insert plant. If there are several plants, maintain a planting distance of half a meter.
- Close the planting hole.
- Press the ground firmly.
- Protect the surface from the sun with stones or ground cover.
- Water the plant.
- Attach climbing aids (e.g. wire ropes, bamboo sticks, fences, posts, gates).
Cultivate fire goat snare in a bucket
The fire goat’s snare can also be cultivated in a bucket. A sufficiently large planter is an advantage so that the root ball can spread. Since the plant is very sensitive to waterlogging, you must first check the planter for sufficient drainage holes in the bottom. Drainage made of pottery shards or gravel, attached to the bottom of the planter, further improves the permeability of the soil. Potted plants require a nutrient-rich substrate and should occasionally be supplied with liquid fertilizer for flowering plants. The location of the potted plant should also be carefully considered, because the fire goat’s snare also needs a climbing aid in the pot.
Reading tip: Make your own climbing aids from willow branches – creative support for plants made from natural materials
How to properly care for the fire goat sling
Pour:
If you have chosen a semi-shady location and the root area in particular is in the shade, you can forego regular watering when planting outdoors. A regular supply of water is only necessary during longer dry periods. However, tap water is often too hard. Therefore, you should water the plants with rainwater. You need to water potted plants more often. This not only applies to hot summer days, the soil must not dry out in winter either and sporadic watering on frost-free days is also advisable.
Fertilize:
For outdoor plants, it is advisable to enrich the soil with compost when planting. This means that the plant receives an effective long-term fertilizer and further fertilizer applications are not necessary.
Tip:
You can mix compost into the substrate in spring and autumn. However, this should be done carefully. The fire honeysuckle is a shallow rooter and the roots could be injured.
If the honeysuckle is in the pot, the plant has less substrate available. You can counteract the limited supply of nutrients with commercially available liquid fertilizer, which you apply every four weeks during the spring and summer months.
Cut:
To prevent the plants from becoming bare, you should cut back into the old wood. This can be done in late autumn or early spring. In any case, it should be a frost-free day. Only cut back individual shoots and avoid radical pruning. The plants often react sensitively to cutting measures and then only grow out again hesitantly. Be sure to use sharp, high-quality garden tools so as not to injure the plant unnecessarily.
You should also thin out the plants occasionally. The right time for this is the months of January to March. You should remove old and diseased shoots. However, you should under no circumstances dispose of removed and woody shoots. You can ultimately use these as cuttings to propagate the plant.
Wintering:
The fire goat sling is winter hardy and therefore does not require any special protection in the cold season. However, this only applies to outdoor plants. You must wrap plant pots well with garden fleece or coconut mats. The soil must be protected from frost with leaves or brushwood.
Leaf loss or leaf curling can certainly occur in winter. This reduces the plant’s need for nutrients. The plants are not damaged and new growth occurs again in spring. You can overwinter smaller potted plants indoors in a cool but frost-free place. However, it is usually almost impossible because the fast-growing climbing plants can no longer be transported when fully grown.
Recognize diseases and pests on the fire goat snare
The fire snail is quite robust and easy to care for, but it can still happen from time to time that diseases occur or the plant is attacked by pests. These circumstances are often due to care errors. The following have been observed at the fire goat snare:
❍ Powdery mildew – danger to leaves and shoots:
The fire goat’s sling can be affected by powdery mildew and downy mildew . A sure indicator of the occurrence of the fungal disease is a gray-white, mealy coating on the leaves. With powdery mildew, the coating appears on the upper side of the leaves. If you do not treat this in time, the leaves will turn brown and eventually fall off. In the case of downy mildew, the leaves on their undersides show a gray-purple discoloration. Powdery mildew occurs more frequently when the plant lacks moisture. The infestation of downy mildew, on the other hand, is promoted by watering errors and too much moisture.
What should I do?
You can prevent powdery mildew by watering the plants moderately. Waterlogging should be avoided in any case. You must also generously remove affected plant parts. However, you should not dispose of plant parts affected by mildew in the compost. A very effective remedy against powdery mildew, for example, is a milk-water mixture that you spray the plant with regularly.
❍ Aphids – the voracious visitors:
Aphids seem to have a particular preference for honeysuckle. They particularly like to sit on the flowers. While they sit there, they excrete honeydew. This greasy coating then covers and sticks the plant together.
What should I do?
Aphids can be combated very well with natural remedies. If you recognize the infestation in good time, it may be enough to spray the plant with water. Other effective solutions include treatments with soapy water or nettle manure ( how to make your own nettle manure ). Brushing the shoots with olive oil or neem oil has also proven effective.
❍ Root rot – the undiscovered danger:
If the plants are constantly too wet, root rot can occur. This remains undetected for a relatively long time because the above-ground parts of the plant are initially invisible. An infestation can only be recognized when the leaves wilt and the shoots die. Root rot can not only be seen, but also smelled. If a foul smell arises, urgent action is required.
What should I do?
Unfortunately, the plants can usually no longer be saved. Younger plants are easier to transplant, which should be done promptly. Home remedies are ineffective when it comes to root rot. Good ventilation of the soil and the avoidance of waterlogging alone serve as reliable preventive measures.
How can the fire snare be propagated?
The fire snare can be propagated in various ways. Propagation is quite uncomplicated and usually brings guaranteed success. You can propagate the plant via cuttings, sinkers and by sowing.
Propagation by cuttings:
You should start propagating from cuttings in early spring. It should be a mild and frost-free day. If possible, the time should be chosen so that new growth has not yet occurred after the winter. Then do the following:
Cut the slightly woody shoots to a length of about ten centimeters. Then remove the lower leaves. The foliage is only preserved for a few centimeters. Now grow the resulting cutting in a mixture of potting soil and sand. To do this, it is best to position the planter in a light and warm place. You now have to keep the substrate moist regularly. Also spray the cuttings regularly with water as this promotes growth. After a few weeks the first new shoots will appear. You can then assume that the plant has successfully rooted. Once the cuttings have grown for a few months, you can plant them outdoors.
Propagation by lowering:
Propagation using lowering plants is somewhat more complex and complicated. You have to insert a shoot close to the ground into the ground in spring and weigh it down or fix it. The shoot tips must not be covered with soil. Where you want the roots to form, you need to lightly score the shoot with a knife. Now moisten the soil and wait. In a few months new roots will have formed, allowing you to separate the sinker from the mother plant and replant it.
Propagation by seeds:
If you have a little patience, you can also propagate the fire goat’s snare by sowing. You can get the seeds directly from existing plants or buy them commercially. If the seeds are collected in autumn, they can be grown immediately in potting soil. You should only cover the seeds thinly with soil and then keep the substrate evenly moist. The germination time at room temperature is then around a month. Before you plant out the young plants, you should give them some time to develop.