Lonicera nitida Baggesens Gold - Box Honeysuckle

Lonicera nitida 'Baggesen's Gold', also known as golden boxleaf honeysuckle, is an evergreen and bushy shrub that is easy to grow and develops quickly. Its small golden leaves, bright yellow, slightly greener in shade, make it particularly interesting for creating hedges or topiary, but it is when left in its natural form that this somewhat unkempt shrub truly shines. Its vibrant colour highlights the companion plants and brightens shaded areas of the garden, in any season. It adapts to any well-drained soil and is suitable for even exposed positions.

Lonicera nitida belongs to the family Caprifoliaceae and is native to the Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan. It is very easy to grow and quite hardy. It reaches a width of 1.50m (4 ft 11 in) in our gardens, and even more if left unpruned. It is a rapidly growing plant (reaching maturity in 4 to 5 years).

The 'Baggesen's Gold' boxleaf honeysuckle, has a dense and bushy habit, which can be maintained or accentuated through regular pruning. Its small, tough, evergreen leaves are yellow-green and glossy, measuring 12mm (0.5 in) in length. If left unpruned, it develops thin and flexible branches that sometimes take on a twisted appearance. The small, unappealing white-cream flowers appear in spring. The small purple fruits, toxic but enjoyed by birds, are rarely seen in cultivation.

The golden boxleaf honeysuckle 'Baggesen's Gold' is primarily valued for its foliage and is very useful for creating low or medium-height hedges, offering an interesting alternative to boxwood due to its faster growth and bright foliage. It can be shaped into topiary, planted in containers on a patio, or left to grow freely in woodland areas as a groundcover, with its attractive arching branches. It can also be trained against a trellis.