Starting Honeysuckle from seed?

I have an pink heirloom variety of honeysuckle I just gathered. How do I start the seeds? They are fresh.
I planted some in a plastic pot with a plastic bag over it- will this work well enough?

Honeysuckle germination usually takes 6- 8 weeks, and usually germinates best with 30-90 day cold treatment.
Here is a link with more information: http://ethnobotany.yage.net/lonicera.html
-T

Thank you! Wow- this is gonna take forever, LOL!

I'd love to see a picture of that one. Can you post a picture??

Does it look like lonicera heckrotii 'pink lemonade'?
I have that one and really like the color, but it isn't very fragrant.

The other lonicera heckrotii, is 'gold flame' and its colors are much stronger, and the fragrance is stronger, too...

You know, they are quite easy to layer. You'd get a plant much quiker, and it would be EXACTLY like the parent. Seeds will get you plants that may be similar, but could also end up quite different. You'd have to grow them all out until they bloom to find out... Cuttings would root readily, too, but this time of year layering would be best.

They are real good about layering themselves. You may want to look at the base of the plant, and look for branches that rooted themselves on the ground, already. Then, you'd have another clone of this heirloom, INSTANTLY!

-T

I got lots of cuttings I'm trying to root. :D
Here's a picture. I can share when all's rooted. I smelled the few flowers this had on it (out of season so not many blooms) they smelled pretty durn good! lol

Very pretty! Thanks for sharing the picture.
Keep us posted on your progress!
I am also interested in how you know it is an heirloom...tell us the story!
Is it your grandma's, or something?
-T

The lady who planted it is the grandmother to my sisters friend- her friend is in her late 30's early 40's. The grandmother also planted some Camelias I took cuttings off of, one dark dark red/pink and one light pink. I looked it up the our heirloom book and that's the nly picture I found (online and in the book) that matches it.
There is also this plant she said grows like a vine and blooms purple. I took starts off of it- doesnt look too viney to me though. The flowers were dry when I cut them- they were shriveled up and looked like a dried up hibiscus flower. (deep deep purple/pink). She said they have been trying to kill it for year and it still thrives- any idea what it is?
It reminds me of a blue sky vine (the leaves and stems).

Not sure what that could be...can you post a pic of your cuttings?
There are more than one "purple" thunbergia...If it really reminds you of blue sky vine, maybe it is battiscombei, or erecta? Battiscombei is really dark purple...
The "hibiscus" and "vine" part has me stumped...LOL...
-T

I cant post a picture. :-O I stripped the leaves cause they died off,lol. I'll look up those names- if that's not it I can wait til it blooms and gets leaves then post.

Here's a picture of the dead blooms/leaves- okay they arent purple! These got wet and turned dark pink. Maybe they just DRY purple? Looks like a hibiscus to me. See how the stamen is protruding on one of the blooms?

definitely not a thunbergia...I agree it looks like hibiscus, but neither of my hibiscus has that shape of a leaf. In general, yes, but not the indented part on either side...

Could be it got leggy from not enough sun, and so they thought it a vine?

I don't know of ANY vine that has a hibiscus type flower...

Rock rose(pavonia species), some mallows, rose of sharon, and of course hibiscus, all have this type of flower. There is a mallow that some call a vine, but it is not that color. It is a pale color...

Hm...maybe you'll have to wait until Spring on that one...lol...

If it is in the hibiscus family, they are easy to root, and like it warm. If I try to root mine in summer, they root within the weeeek!
-T

I think spring will have to be it! She said it climbs her tree. Wouldnt it be cool if it were a "lost species". LOL I'd be famous! Well, she would anyway! I LOVE hibiscus so if that's what it is- I'll be happy as a clam, hehe. Thank you!

Yes, a lost species would be terribly exciting! lol...
-T