Honeysuckle - bush?

I planted a 'honeysuckle' something about 5 years ago and I purchased my house. I planted this honeysuckle along with another vine that was just identified on DG as Trumpet Vine - but my honeysuckle is a shrub at best....no vine to it. It had about 2 dozen blooms this year for the first time. I'm beginning to think this plant needs to go - it just doesn't look right, but is very healthy, and flowers are rare. I wanted a honeysuckle that climbs but that sure isn't what I have. Any idea what 'version' I may have and what I can do to make it bloom.
Kathy

The honeysuckle bush blooms on new wood. I'd bet you have it as a foundation planting and you've been pruning (shearing) to keep it within bounds. If you're going to keep it, it needs to have room to grow.

I bought 3 when I built the house 11 years ago but it was high maintenance pruning and they also became hollow on the inside since the foliage drops without plenty of sun. But they break from old wood readily, so you can chop them to the ground and regrow a bush pretty quick. I gave one away, killed another (it doesn't die easy) and moved one to the back corner of the property.
Over a couple of years I reduced it to 3 main trunks and buckhorned it. Then let all the shoots grow where I had chopped it off and finally, removed all but 3 equally spaced shoots on each of those. I keep suckers cut off and rub off new sprouts along the trunk. Now I have a multi-trunk tree thats formed an open canopy. It's about 10' tall and apparently has reached it's desired height. The canopy lights up in blooms in the spring and now it's festooned with little red berries like Christmas lights.

You are exactly right about the entire thing. It hasn't been cut back except to control it - I made it more like a tree with bear truck and leaving the top. It has a few red berries. It's on the immediate corner of my house and there would be room but I'm not so sure it will look right with my front yard plantings: Crape Myrtle, barberry, japanese maples, - basically more controlled than what this will end up being - I think it's going to go away if the temps ever drop below 90 !

Thanks! A perfect answer.
Kathy

You're welcome Kathy. But.... you may as well root some cuttings. Then you'll have something to try elsewhere or use for trading power. :)

Unless you're in a hurry to dig it out, go out one fine morning (or in the dark) and cut everything off, leaving a stump about 6" high. Drill or make a hole in the center and pour a little roundup in it. Should any suckers break, immediately rub them off or dab them with roundup.. You'll probably be able to just push it over and pull it out next year.

I cut it to 3 inches last night - mess over. My yard is so small that I only have room for things I really love. So this baby is compost!