The embankment myrtle is a versatile subshrub. Mistakes in care can make the robust plant susceptible to diseases.
With its bushy growth, the bank myrtle (Lonicera pileata) - also known as Evergreen creeping honeysuckle - is an extremely popular hedge plant. As the name suggests, it is used in particular for planting greenery on embankments and slopes. But it's also wonderful on flat terrain.
You can plant Lonicera pileata, for example, as a space-dividing hedge element in the garden or on the property line. A well cared for embankment myrtle is also excellent as a solitary plant. The hedge plant is incredibly tolerant of pruning, which is very advantageous for the shape.
Warning: Lonicera is poisonous and should therefore be planted out of the reach of children!
Slope myrtle in the garden
Even if the name "bank myrtle" suggests otherwise, the plant species is not related to the true myrtle. In fact, it belongs to the honeysuckle family (Lonicera), also known as honeysuckles. The species of the eponymous genus in the honeysuckle family are often cultivated as hedge and ornamental plants. Lonicera pileata in particular is also a coveted aromatic plant because of its fragrant flowers.
Depending on the variety, the beautiful funnel flowers bloom white, yellow, orange or pink and attract numerous beneficial insects with their scent. In addition, their purple berries are extremely decorative. They serve as a food source for many garden birds.
Tip: Bank myrtles are subshrubs that can reach heights of up to 60 cm in the garden. Good companion plants are ornamental and magnificent perennials such as delphiniums, phlox or zinnia.
| Lonicera pileata | |
|---|---|
| Growth Speed: | 10 - 15 cm a year |
| Growth: | 60 - 80 cm |
| Growth: | 80 - 120 cm |
| Flowering: | May to July |
| Location: | Sun to partial shade |
| Floor: | humous and sufficiently moist |
Ideal location for the hedge myrtle
Slope myrtle originally comes from Asia, where it prefers to grow in relatively cool and damp forests. Thanks to its good winter hardiness down to -23 °C, it is also ideal for cultivation in the home garden. Lonicera pileata prefers sunny to partially shaded locations. The site substrate should be loamy, with a good proportion of sand or gravel.
Ideal is a fresh, low-lime, humus-rich and well-drained substrate with a moderate nutrient content. The optimal pH value of the soil is in the slightly acidic to alkaline range.
» Reading tip: Measuring the pH value in the soil - Here's how it's done
➔ Plant myrtle
Plants Best of all plant myrtle in spring or autumn
. Frost-free soil is important for planting. It is therefore best to choose a planting date in spring at the end of April to May, in autumn at the beginning of September to October.➔ Step 1: Prepare the planting hole
Loosen the soil well before planting and mix in some gravel or sand if necessary. Then dig a planting hole that is about twice as large as the root ball of the English myrtle. For good soil permeability, you can insert an additional gravel drainage into the planting hole if necessary.
➔ Step 2: Put plants in the ground
Slope myrtles have an extremely sprawling growth of up to 2 m. So make sure you sufficient planting distance. When planting a hedge, this should be at least 80 cm.
The planting distance between individual shrub plantings closes relatively quickly with the bank myrtle. As a result, the hedge thickens into a compact growth within a very short time. If Lonicera pileata is planted as ground cover on slopes or embankments, you should plan five to seven plants per m².
Cultivate myrtle
➔ Pour and fertilize myrtle
Lonicera pileata is a very moisture-loving plant. Daily watering is therefore necessary, especially during prolonged dry periods. This applies not only to water requirements, but also to the prevention of damage.
The subshrub is less demanding when it comes to fertilization. Spreading a handful of ripe compost in the root area of the plant in spring is quite sufficient outdoors. The plant should only be taken once a month if it is kept in a bucketliquid fertilizer.
➔ cut embankment myrtle
The cut requires special attention. Since the subshrub is often cultivated as a hedge plant, regular topiary cuts are essential. Lonicera pileata also records a decent annual growth, which has to be kept in check by continuous pruning.
Fortunately, embankment myrtles tolerate even radical cuts very well. The cutting also has a positive effect on the compaction of the hedges. Because the more often you cut the subshrubs, the faster the branches branch out. Incidentally, this does not only apply to the use of Lonicera pileata as a hedge or ground cover. Solitary plantings also densify better thanks to targeted topiary.
| cutting measure | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Pruning | • It is best to cut back the hedge myrtle on frost-free days in spring, between March and April, when the shoots are not yet full of juice. • You can then plant the subshrub around until shorten to 10 cm, • But leave the central shoots in order to ensure lush new growth with good branching. |
| Clear Cut | • An additional pruning makes sense in late winter, between January and February. • It gives the central shoots more light, which then sprout better. • Remove too all dead, too densely growing and ailing shoots for this purpose. |
| Topiary | • Smaller topiary cuts can also be made during the year. But then don't cut too deeply to avoid unnecessarily damaging sap-bearing shoots. • This only robs the plant of valuable energy during the growth phase and could also lead to plant diseases on the cut surfaces. |
| Taper Cut | • To rejuvenate the plant, you may also remove a quarter of the old shoots from last year after flowering. • On the remaining old shoots, we recommend moving the shoots towards flowering shoots with strong buds to reduce. |
Further care measures
Depending on where you planted your hedge myrtle, additional maintenance steps may be necessary. For example, a growth aid is needed for upright growth in a solitary position or for tall hedges. Since Leonicera pileata has a creeping growth habit, the plant does not grow independentlythe height. Good growth aids are therefore
- Bamboo Sticks
- Wire Voltages
- Tendrils
- trellis
In the first years of growth, careful weeding is necessary in the root area of the English myrtle. This is the only way for the subshrubs to grow quickly in the ground. Weeds only provide annoying root competition here, which is why you should remove them immediately.
Propagate Slope Myrtle
If you want to propagate the embankment myrtle, you can remove woody shoots in spring. Make sure that selected shoots have not yet sprouted and cut the cuttings from the mother plant at a length of approx. 10 to 20 cm. Remove all leaves except for the top one and then place the shoot piece in a container with potting soil.
Place the jar in a light, warm and sheltered spot. The cutting should then be watered well and evenly so that it roots as quickly as possible. The following year, more precisely in spring, the rooted cuttings can then be planted in their final location.
As an alternative to cuttings, you can also propagate the embankment myrtle using offshoots. To do this, bend a shoot close to the ground down in spring or early summer so that it can be easily fixed in the substrate. It is best to use a small stone or a wire fork for this.
Dig the shoot in such a way that the tip of the shoot still protrudes from the ground after fixing it to the ground. Once the scion is rooted, you can separate it from the mother plant and replant.
Diseases and Pests
Lonicera pileata is relatively disease resistant. However, certain maintenance errors can still cause damage.
➔ Aphids due to lack of watering
Infestation by aphids occurs particularly frequently on the embankment myrtle. It often becomes a problem, especially in summer, with the cause usually being found in insufficient watering. The lack of water weakens the plant, making it more susceptible to pests.
A possible infestation can be recognized by the sticky leaves. The sticky dirt is also known as honeydew and is due to aphid excretions. There are different options for controlling aphid infestation:
- You can try to neutralize the aphids with soapy water. To do this, mix some washing-up liquid with water and spray the infested with itLeaves.
- Spraying with nettle juice is also very popular. To do this, soak a generous pile of stinging nettles in water and let them soak for about 12 hours. The histamine in the stinging hairs of the nettle is absorbed by the water and has the same unpleasant effect on aphids as skin contact on humans.
- Treatment with a water-oil solution is also recommended. The oil clogs the respiratory organs of the aphids, which then die.
- As an alternative to spraying the embankment myrtle, using beneficial insects is also a good tip. Ladybugs and their larvae in particular consume large quantities of aphids. And lacewings are also used again and again as beneficial insects to combat aphids. Such insects (including their larvae) can be bought in well-stocked plant shops.
» Important: Protect aphid-plagued myrtles from strong sunlight! The already weakened plants will only suffer from the scorching heat.
➔ Fungal diseases on the white myrtle
Further signs of damage can result from insufficient thinning out and cutting off old and diseased shoots. The most common then are fungal diseases, which manifest themselves in wilted shoots and leaf spots. Unsightly ulcers on the wood of the Lonicera pileata can also indicate fire blight.
Powdery mildew and downy mildew
Often care errors in the bank myrtle lead to an infestation with powdery mildew. A distinction must be made between powdery mildew and downy mildew.
Anyone who notices a white coating on the leaves may have to do with powdery mildew. Remove all affected parts of the plant immediately and keep the subshrub moist from now on. Good ventilation by thinning out is also indicated for powdery mildew.
If there is an unsightly white coating on the underside of the leaf, it is probably downy mildew. Here, too, the affected parts of the plant must be removed immediately and appropriate care measures taken through better air supply and irrigation.