A honeysuckle needs a drastic remodel

[daudelus]

I’ve had this honeysuckle for about 5 years and I’ve been putting off doing much with it. I am planning a repot this spring and I’m going to pot it up in a larger pot. I’m also thinking of eliminating the left side trunk, shortening the far right trunk, and changing the planting angle forward a bit.

Unfortunately, I think bringing the foliage down to where I think I want it, it would be starting from scratch to build taper.

Thoughts and suggestions?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Don't know,
I'd be tempted to keep all 3 trunks.

 

[daudelus]

It just has this appearance of splaying out that seems unappealing. What are your reasons for keeping all three?

 

[rockm]

The biggest problem with this is that all three trunks are mostly the same size and height. All three compete with each other instead of complimenting. If this were mine, I'd keep the right hand two and lose the one on the left, breaking it off and creating a deadwood "snag" out of what's left. The right two trunks already have a larger/subordinate relationship in size and height now. I would not bring foliage down as low as you have pictured. I would work on developing thicker leaders to begin creating some apices for those trunks.