Lonicera nitida
Encyclopedia
Lonicera nitida is a species
of perennial shrub
, a member of the honeysuckle
genus Lonicera. In English, it is sometimes given the common names "boxleaf honeysuckle" or "Wilson's honeysuckle". Cultivars of Lonicera nitida include 'Baggesen's Gold' and 'Briloni' (aka 'Edmee Gold').
4 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide if unclipped. The leaves
are dark green and 6–16 millimeters long. The flowers are creamy white, fragrant, 6 millimeters long, and grow in pairs,. They appear at the end of spring. The fruit
(rarely formed on clipped specimens) is an inedible bluish-purple berry about 6 millimeters in diameter
. The stems
are layered one on top of the other giving the appearance of a haystack. The growth rate is moderate or fast growing. The species is resistant to deer
and rabbits. Birds are attracted to the species. When planted, the species is easy to clip and needs frequent clipping because it flops if it grows to a height over 5 feet. The species is commonly confused with cotoneaster
species. The difference between the two is that cotoneaster has alternate leaves while this species has opposite leaves.
. Lonicera nitida Wilson (Caprifoliaceae) is a native of Yunnan and West Sichuan. It grows in scrub form along streams at 1200 to 3000 meters and flowers in June. The evergreen shrub grows to 2 meters and is hardy to -15˚C (Zone 6).
When planted, the species should be put in the full sun to light shade in fertile
, well-drained soil
. The types of soil that it can be planted in is normal, sandy, and clay. The species is more shade resistant than most honeysuckle
s. The species can tolerate drought
and pollution
.
At Osborne House
, a holiday home built in 1845 on the Isle of Wight
for Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert
, there are L. nitida shrubs clipped in the form of stags
rising from beds of Felicia amelloides
, Festuca glauca
, and scarlet pelargonium
s.
This plant is often used for bonsai. Because it is an energetic grower, it is possible to collect old and quite sizable L. nitidia from the landscape or growing wild, cut most of the roots and branches off to start from scratch to build a new tree -like form.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of perennial shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
, a member of the honeysuckle
Honeysuckle
Honeysuckles are arching shrubs or twining vines in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to the Northern Hemisphere. There are about 180 species of honeysuckle, 100 of which occur in China; Europe, India and North America have only about 20 native species each...
genus Lonicera. In English, it is sometimes given the common names "boxleaf honeysuckle" or "Wilson's honeysuckle". Cultivars of Lonicera nitida include 'Baggesen's Gold' and 'Briloni' (aka 'Edmee Gold').
Description
The species is a broadleaf evergreen shrubShrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
4 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide if unclipped. The leaves
Leaves
-History:Vocalist Arnar Gudjonsson was formerly the guitarist with Mower, and he was joined by Hallur Hallsson , Arnar Ólafsson , Bjarni Grímsson , and Andri Ásgrímsson . Late in 2001 they played with Emiliana Torrini and drew early praise from the New York Times...
are dark green and 6–16 millimeters long. The flowers are creamy white, fragrant, 6 millimeters long, and grow in pairs,. They appear at the end of spring. The fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
(rarely formed on clipped specimens) is an inedible bluish-purple berry about 6 millimeters in diameter
Diameter
In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle...
. The stems
Plant stem
A stem is one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant. The stem is normally divided into nodes and internodes, the nodes hold buds which grow into one or more leaves, inflorescence , conifer cones, roots, other stems etc. The internodes distance one node from another...
are layered one on top of the other giving the appearance of a haystack. The growth rate is moderate or fast growing. The species is resistant to deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
and rabbits. Birds are attracted to the species. When planted, the species is easy to clip and needs frequent clipping because it flops if it grows to a height over 5 feet. The species is commonly confused with cotoneaster
Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster is a genus of woody plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, native to the Palaearctic region , with a strong concentration of diversity in the genus in the mountains of southwestern China and the Himalayas...
species. The difference between the two is that cotoneaster has alternate leaves while this species has opposite leaves.
Habitat
The species is native to ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Lonicera nitida Wilson (Caprifoliaceae) is a native of Yunnan and West Sichuan. It grows in scrub form along streams at 1200 to 3000 meters and flowers in June. The evergreen shrub grows to 2 meters and is hardy to -15˚C (Zone 6).
When planted, the species should be put in the full sun to light shade in fertile
Fertile
The term fertile describes a condition whereby organisms are able to produce physically healthy offspring.Fertile may also refer to:...
, well-drained soil
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
. The types of soil that it can be planted in is normal, sandy, and clay. The species is more shade resistant than most honeysuckle
Honeysuckle
Honeysuckles are arching shrubs or twining vines in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to the Northern Hemisphere. There are about 180 species of honeysuckle, 100 of which occur in China; Europe, India and North America have only about 20 native species each...
s. The species can tolerate drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
and pollution
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
.
Uses
'Lonicera nitida' takes clipping very well and makes an excellent small hedge.At Osborne House
Osborne House
Osborne House is a former royal residence in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK. The house was built between 1845 and 1851 for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as a summer home and rural retreat....
, a holiday home built in 1845 on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
for Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert
Prince Albert
Prince Albert was the husband and consort of Queen Victoria.Prince Albert may also refer to:-Royalty:*Prince Albert Edward or Edward VII of the United Kingdom , son of Albert and Victoria...
, there are L. nitida shrubs clipped in the form of stags
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
rising from beds of Felicia amelloides
Felicia amelloides
Felicia amelloides is a herbaceous perennial of family Asteraceae, native to South Africa. F. amelloides is synonymous with, and formerly known as, F. aethiopica, Aster amelloides, Aster capensis, and Aster coelestis.F...
, Festuca glauca
Festuca glauca
Festuca glauca, commonly known as blue fescue, is a species of plant in the grass family, Poaceae. It is a commonly cultivated evergreen or semi-evergreen herbaceous perennial.-Taxonomy:...
, and scarlet pelargonium
Pelargonium
Pelargonium is a genus of flowering plants which includes about 200 species of perennials, succulents, and shrubs, commonly known as scented geraniums or storksbills. Confusingly, Geranium is the correct botanical name of a separate genus of related plants often called Cranesbills. Both Geranium...
s.
This plant is often used for bonsai. Because it is an energetic grower, it is possible to collect old and quite sizable L. nitidia from the landscape or growing wild, cut most of the roots and branches off to start from scratch to build a new tree -like form.