While you wait for expert advice on the pruning, I just wanted to say how much I like the colors of your siding, trim and roof! The honeysuckle must be sensational when in bloom against that backdrop!

Thank you, yes it used to be glorious but it has limped along in the past few years. Heartbreaking.

If it were me I’d do rejuvenation pruning on this right now. It’s best (but not mandatory) to do it before seeing any spring growth. You can cut it way down (2 feet above the ground or even closer) and it should come back strong, healthy, and happy. I’ve done it many times.

I don’t know what variety yours is, some don’t bloom the season of this type of pruning, some will bloom on new growth. You could wait to prune selectively if you want (once it starts greening up and you can see the dead limbs), but as tangled up as this is now, it’ll be pretty difficult and will look even more scraggly.

WOW. Great info.!! There may be tiny tiny leaf buds on it at this point, can I still cut it way down? I would very much like to do so. Shall I take an even more recent close up photo of the vine?

It should be just fine, even with some buds. Honeysuckles are tough. They can be drastically pruned anytime, in most cases, but late winter and spring are preferable. Right now is perfect for your zone. :)

Looking at your wall I don't see a trellis, just some nails and string. Honeysuckle climbs by twining and if you could give it a more organised structure to climb up it would be less likely to get in such a tangle again.

Btw don't worry about pruning when it has opening buds. In my climate honeysuckle is one of the earliest things to leaf out begins in late winter. It would be hard to find a time when it doesn't have buds. It isn't fazed one bit by heavy pruning.

Amazing info. AND you've confirmed my plan which is to pull down the inadequate "trellis" that is there, believe it or not! (it's barely distinguishable from the vine itself even to my eyes.), and replace it with a much taller metal one. Thank you!!

I would prune it in phases over a couple of years.... We used to have two lovely ‘Harlequin’ variegated honeysuckles. They started looking a bit tired and woody so a few years ago we hard pruned both of them. Both died!

Hmmmm...that is a story that I do not like and feel so sorry that it happened for you. I did go ahead and hard prune the three plants so of course I am concerned now. Is there a nutritional supplement that I can give them in the time of the trauma of the hard prune?

Patience is your best bet as long as the soil is adequate which it seems to be based on previous growth.

Aren’t variegated cultivars of anything more delicate?