Lonicera nitida Maigrun - Shrubby Honeysuckle - Box Honeysuckle

The Lonicera nitida 'Maigrun' is a bushy and evergreen honeysuckle that will adapt to any situation. An excellent alternative to boxwood, another classic of French gardens, it has a shiny foliage of light and vibrant green with an impeccable appearance. Its compact and spreading habit works wonders in a low hedge or on a large slope, effectively covering the ground. Truly happy everywhere, it grows quickly and withstands repeated pruning very well. It also adapts well to container gardening.

The Lonicera nitida belongs to the caprifoliaceae family and is native to the Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan. It is very easy to grow and hardy. It reaches a span of 1.50m (4.9ft) in gardens, more if not pruned. It offers the benefit of rapid growth (mature size is achieved in 4 to 5 years).

The 'Maigrun' bushy honeysuckle, from which it descends, has a bushy, dense, and open habit, which can be maintained or accentuated by regular pruning. It reaches a height of about 1m (3.3ft) with a width of 1.20m (3.3ft), or even 1.50m (4.9ft). Its flexible and arched branches bear evergreen foliage, light green and shiny. Its small leaves are ovate, opposite, and 1cm (0.4in) to 1.5cm (0.6in) long.  If not pruned, it develops thin and flexible branches that sometimes take on a slightly twisted appearance. The small and unattractive cream-white flowers appear in spring. The small purple fruits, toxic to humans, but appreciated by birds, are rarely observed in cultivation.

The 'Maigrun' honeysuckle with box-like leaves is primarily a foliage plant and will be very useful for the formation of low or medium-height hedges, where it offers an interesting alternative to boxwood as its growth is faster and its foliage is lighter and brighter. It can be shaped into topiaries, planted in containers on a terrace, or left to grow naturally in a woodland area, as a ground cover where its lovely arched branches serve as a refuge for small garden fauna. By planting one plant every metre, you will quickly cover your slopes. It can be planted at the base of autumn foliage shrubs such as Japanese maple in acidic soil or Persian ironwood in more chalky soil. In autumn, its bright green foliage will provide a counterpoint to the warm red of the maple or the flamboyant colours of the Parrotia. You can also train it against a trellis.