Side by side
Escallonia or box-leaved honeysuckle? How to tell them apart
Escallonia · Lonicera nitida
How to tell them apart – escallonia: evergreen shrub with small, glossy, toothed leaves and clusters of pink, red or white flowers all summer, a favourite hedge by the sea; box-leaved honeysuckle: smaller, opposite leaves and inconspicuous cream flowers.
How do you recognise them?
- Escallonia
- Evergreen shrub with small, glossy, toothed leaves and clusters of pink, red or white flowers all summer; a favourite hedge by the sea.
- Box-leaved honeysuckle
- Evergreen shrub with tiny, glossy leaves on long, thin shoots; widely used for low hedges.
- Compared with escallonia: smaller, opposite leaves and inconspicuous cream flowers.
| Escallonia | Box-leaved honeysuckle | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, 1–6 cm, obovate, finely toothed, glossy dark green and often slightly sticky and aromatic. | Opposite, 6–15 mm, oval, glossy dark green (golden yellow in ‘Baggesen’s Gold’). |
| Flowering | Clusters of tubular to bell-shaped flowers (1–2 cm) in pink, red or white, from June to September (June–September). | Small, cream-coloured, fragrant flowers in pairs in April–May (April–May). |
| Fruit | Small, dry capsules. | Glossy purple berries; not edible. |
| Bark | Reddish-brown, slightly sticky twigs. | Thin, arching shoots; older stems with peeling bark. |
| Shape and height | Shrub, 1.5–3 m | Shrub, 1–2 m |
| Site | Full sun, any garden soil, normal | Sun to shade, any garden soil, normal |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted | No, planted |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | – | Yes, for birds |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | August–September | May–September |
What does it mean for your garden?
- Choose what suits your soil, your light and the space you have: see the growing conditions in the table.
Read on
- Plant profile: Escallonia
- Plant profile: Box-leaved honeysuckle
- Escallonia: when and how to prune
- Box-leaved honeysuckle: when and how to prune
- Identification key
Also looks like
Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.