From what I can tell on the internet, this blooms mainly from old wood in the spring, with scattered flowers the rest of the season.

Cutting it back after it finishes its main flush of blooms this spring will maximize this summer's new growth, and next spring's flowers.

Shrubby honeysuckles tend to be rangy and grow all over, especially the first couple of years -- my lonicera x. purpusii looks kinda like a bird's nest with leaves right now -- but in coming years you can train it, sort of, by hacking off branches that are growing where you don't want 'em to, but it'll never be a really shapely plant. I, for one, don't care -- I lovelovelove that scent!

Jim

It actually seems a little bushier this year in spite of not being pruned, but I may cut it back some after bloom and try fertilizing it and my other rangy shrub, Abelia mosanensis, more this summer in hopes it will finally bloom as well.

Cutting this one back is not an enhancement. I find the somewhat serpentine network of its branches fun. I don't like it lopped and made to look like stubble. And like a topped tree, it will just grow back anyway - with an interrupted, unpleasant line pattern.

Good to know, Ron. What about the Abelia mosanensis? It's so fragile, I think only one branch is growing now since I moved it, and only on the end, so cutting it back might result in the demise of the plant? I took advice on the clematis forum to cut back a C. jackmanii and have no growth at all from the stub left, so I can picture that happening to the Abelia as well.

Maybe you have slugs on the clematis, or it will sprout later. I'd move the abelia to a warm wall, all abelias like warmth and I suspect this one may need extra help in our cool summers. The stock sold here comes from California, I've planted a couple on two different sites, in partly shaded positions and had them not grow very much.

I had it by a shady south-facing shop wall where it didn't get watered much to a better place for watering by a concrete east-facing porch. There's not much room left on the south side of the concrete foundation so I hope it will do better there and not need the southern exposure. I moved a hardy Gardenia out away from the concrete porch and it has done terribly after being moved last year, didn't bloom, and looks yellowish. I don't know if it misses the warmth from the concrete or just needs more fertilizer.

I've had this one for about six or 7 years. After it blooms the first time I just cut it back to the size and shape I want it and cut out any dead stuff. It doesn't complain and still puts out flowers sporadically throughout the summer. I also try to take off the berries when they appear since I don't know if they're toxic and my grandson thinks all berries are fair game..same with the yew.

Last fall I found a runner, took it out and put it into a pot and dug it in up against the house and I see it's getting green on it.