Lonicera nitida ‘Twiggy’
Twiggy boxleaf honeysuckle
© Richie Steffen - Great Plant Picks
Outstanding Qualities
A great addition for smaller spaces, Twiggy boxleaf honeysuckle is a more petite version of Lonicera ‘Baggesen’s Gold’; in fact, it is a sport of the latter. This dwarf shrub has a mounding habit with arching branches and the foliage generally has a golden sheen, but depending on the amount of sunlight, the leaves may take on a “platinum blond” coloration with more sun to more of a chartreuse in shadier situations. Supposedly, there can be tiny white flowers in spring followed by purple black berries in autumn, however, this is seemingly more of a rare occurrence. In areas where winters are milder, the foliage will normally be evergreen, but in colder winter climates the plant may be deciduous.
Quick Facts
Plant Type: mounding shrub
Foliage Type: semi-evergreen
Plant Height: 2 ft. 0 in. (0.61 meters)
Plant Width/Spread: 2 ft. 0 in. (0.61 meters)
Plant Height-Mature: 3 ft. 0 in. (0.91 meters)
Plant Width-Mature: 3 ft. 0 in. (0.91 meters)
Hardiness: USDA Zones 7 to 9
Sun/Light Exposure: full sun to open shade
Water Requirements: occasional watering or more in hotter situations
Seasonal Interest: year-round colorful foliage
- Culture Notes
- Plant in well-drained soil. A site with more sun will require regular to frequent watering to prevent the foliage from burning, but will result in more shades of golden color. Chartruese colorations will predominate in locations with light to open shade whereas dappled and deep shade sites will generally be green. This shrub can be easily be pruned into a low hedge.