How to prune cape honeysuckle

Late winter to early spring before new growth begins. Cut all stems back hard — by one-half to two-thirds — to a low framework of healthy buds in late winter. Remove any dead or weak stems entirely. Tip-prune through the growing season to keep the plant tidy and encourage more flowering laterals.

Annually. Cape honeysuckle is a fast-growing semi-scrambling shrub or climber that flowers on new growth and tolerates hard pruning very well. Annual cutting back in late winter keeps the plant compact, promotes vigorous flowering shoots, and prevents it becoming a tangled woody mass. Without pruning it becomes very leggy with flowers only at the tips.

Cut all stems back hard — by one-half to two-thirds — to a low framework of healthy buds in late winter. Remove any dead or weak stems entirely. Tip-prune through the growing season to keep the plant tidy and encourage more flowering laterals.