Plant Library

Other Names:  Boxleaf Honeysuckle, Shrubby Honeysuckle

Description:

Showy green and lemon variegated leaves that are brightest in sunnier locations; eventually may produce white flowers; makes a fantastic hedge; sometimes confused with cotoneaster

Ornamental Features

Lemon Beauty Box Honeysuckle has attractive lemon yellow-variegated green foliage on a plant with an arching habit of growth. The tiny glossy oval pinnately compound leaves are highly ornamental and remain green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Lemon Beauty Box Honeysuckle is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a shapely form and gracefully arching branches. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which should be used to full effect.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Insects
• Disease

Lemon Beauty Box Honeysuckle is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Topiary
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Lemon Beauty Box Honeysuckle will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for alkaline soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Lemon Beauty Box Honeysuckle makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.