Box-leaved honeysuckle

Box-leaved honeysuckle: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low, wide shrub with horizontal, slightly arching branches; 0.6–1 m tall and 1.5–2.5 m wide.

Leaves

Small and narrowly oval, 1–3 cm, glossy dark green; new leaves bright green. Some drop in severe winters.

Flowers

Small, creamy white to pale yellow, in pairs in the leaf axils, in April–May; inconspicuous but useful for bees.

Fruit

Round, translucent violet berries about half a centimetre across, in late summer.

Roots

Fibrous and fairly shallow; branches that touch the ground often root by themselves.

Flowering: April–May · Plants: April–May and September–October · Pruning: May–June

Why grow it?

• Dense evergreen ground cover that smothers weeds, even in the shade under trees.
• Grows almost anywhere: sun or shade, sand or clay, dry or ordinary soil.
• Early flowers for bees in April–May.
• Violet berries for birds in late summer and autumn.
• Attractive horizontal branches that spill over a low wall or edge and hold a bank together.

Box-leaved honeysuckle: where does it grow best?

• Sun, partial shade or shade: it is not fussy, but grows a little more open in deep shade.
• Any garden soil, from sand to clay, acid to chalky.
• Dry to normally moist; once established it copes well with drought. Avoid wet, boggy ground.
• Plant 3–4 per m² for a carpet that closes quickly, or 60–80 cm apart for a looser group.

Light

Sun, partial shade and shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

0.6 m tall, 1.5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -20 °C)

Goes well with

• Elephant’s ears: Large, rounded bergenia leaves as a contrast to the fine foliage.
• Cranesbill: A tough hardy geranium flowers pink in summer and copes just as well with dry shade.
• Daffodil: Yellow flowers that push up between the branches in spring.
• Mahonia: Taller evergreen shrub that also flowers in shade, for behind the carpet.
• Hosta: Large leaves in summer, for a shady corner.

Box-leaved honeysuckle: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May and September–October.

1. Plant in April–May or in September–October.
2. Clear the ground thoroughly of weeds, especially perennial ones like couch grass and ground elder: they are hard to get out later.
3. Dig a hole a little larger than the root ball and mix in some compost.
4. Set the plants at the same depth as in the pot, 3–4 per m², and firm them in.
5. Water well and repeat in dry spells during the first year.
6. Mulch between the plants until the carpet has closed.

Care

Watering

Only in dry spells during the first year; after that it looks after itself.

Feeding

Some compost in March; no more is needed.

Weeding

Weed between the plants for the first two years; after that the dense carpet keeps weeds down.

Mulching

Wood chips or leaf mould between young plants keep weeds down and the soil moist.

Keeping it in shape

Cut back upright shoots in May–June if it becomes too tall or too wide.

Tip: Plant it on a bank or along an edge: the horizontal branches hold the soil and spill over attractively. Leave plenty of room, as it grows wider than you expect.

Box-leaved honeysuckle: when to prune it?

Pruning months: May–June.

When: In May or June, if it becomes too tall or too wide. Unpruned it still looks good; then just snip off the odd stray shoot.

How:

• Cut back upright and over-long shoots to a side branch, so the horizontal shape is kept.
• A plant that is too tall or bare can be cut back hard to 20–30 cm in May: it regrows well.
• Remove dead wood, especially after a hard winter.
• Use hedge shears for a crisp edge, or secateurs for a natural shape.

Caution: Pruning in May–June costs some of the berries. To keep them for the birds, only trim the highest shoots.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Layering

Branches that touch the ground often root by themselves. In spring, cut such a rooted branch free and plant it elsewhere.

Semi-ripe cuttings

In July–August, take 10 cm cuttings, strip the lower leaves and root them in moist compost. They root easily.

Hardwood cuttings

In November, take 20 cm cuttings of ripe wood and push them two-thirds into the soil in a sheltered spot. Transplant the following autumn.

Box-leaved honeysuckle: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −20 °C.

• Hardy to about −20 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
• In a severe winter or cold wind it drops some leaves; it simply regrows in spring.
• Leave the berries for the birds; only cut out frosted shoots in spring.

Diseases and pests

• Aphids: On young shoots in spring. Ladybirds usually clear them up; otherwise hose them off with water.
• Bare in the middle: Older plants sometimes open up and go bare. Cut them back to 20–30 cm in May; they regrow densely.
• Weeds in the carpet: Until the carpet closes, weeds come up between the plants. Weed, mulch and do not plant too far apart.
• Brown leaves after frost: After a hard winter, leaves turn brown or drop. Wait until spring before cutting out dead parts.

Through the year

• March: Add compost. Cut out dead wood.
• April: Flowering starts. Plant.
• May: Flowers for the bees. Prune if it has grown too big. Plant.
• June: Prune if needed. Water young plants in dry spells.
• July: Take semi-ripe cuttings.
• August: Violet berries. Take semi-ripe cuttings.
• September: Plant. Leave the berries for the birds.
• October: Plant. Leaf mould between young plants.
• November: Take hardwood cuttings.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Birds

Berries, seeds or insects as food, or a place to nest.

Did you know?

• It belongs to the same genus as the scented climbing honeysuckle, but does not climb itself.
• As in many honeysuckles, the flowers are borne in pairs.
• A close relative, Lonicera nitida, is often clipped as a hedge or topiary as an alternative to box.