Lonicera nitida Silver Beauty - Box Honeysuckle

Lonicera nitida 'Silver Beauty', or Boxleaf Honeysuckle, is an evergreen bush with green foliage margined with white, giving a silvery appearance. It is easy to grow and particularly useful for creating hedges or topiaries, offering an interesting alternative to boxwood due to its faster growth.

Lonicera 'Silver Beauty' belongs to the Caprifoliaceae family and is native to the Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan. It is easy to care for and very hardy. It reaches a height of 1 m (3.3 ft) and spreads 1 m (3.3 ft) wide. Its growth is slower than other Lonicera nitida varieties. 'Silver Beauty' has a compact and dense habit, which can be maintained or accentuated through regular pruning. Its small, tough, evergreen leaves are dark green and glossy, with white margins, giving the plant a silver appearance. If left unpruned, it may develop thin and flexible branches that sometimes take on a twisted shape. Small, cream-white flowers, without much appeal, appear in spring. The small, purple fruits, are toxic but enjoyed by birds, and are rarely seen in cultivation.

Plant Lonicera nitida 'Silver Beauty' in well-drained, deep, and moist soil, even if it is limestone-rich, in partial shade or light sun. As a foliage plant, Boxleaf Honeysuckle can tolerate severe pruning, which should be done just after winter or after flowering. Leave a distance of 50 cm (19.7 in) between plants when planting for hedges. To maintain a compact and regular shape, prune your hedge two or three times a year. Lonicera nitida 'Silver Beauty' is resistant to air pollution and can also tolerate moderate drought once established.

'Silver Beauty' is very useful for creating low hedges or hedges of medium height. It can be trained into topiaries, grown in containers on a terrace, or left to grow freely in woodland areas. It can also be trained to climb a trellis.