WHAT: The golden boxleaf honeysuckle, Lonicera nitida Baggesen’s Gold, is an adaptable and versatile shrub that adds a glow of sunshine to the garden.
It develops into a mound of arching branches covered with dainty, golden leaves.
The leaves take on a platinum blond cast in the sun, and deepen to chartreuse in the shade.
It can also be used as a tall ground cover under large trees and makes an attractive addition to the winter garden.
WHY PLANT IT: It makes a good golden substitute for boxwood, lending itself to shearing for topiaries and hedges and it’s equally at home in a perennial border or as a specimen shrub.
Shrub companions could include those with deep green leaves, such as rhododendrons, or for more contrast, those with purple foliage, such as purpleleaf ninebark or purple smokebush.
WHERE: This spreading shrub likes full sun to dappled shade and requires only occasional watering during dry weather
SIZE: The evergreen grows to 5 feet at maturity and spreads to about 5 feet.
LEARN MORE: www.greatplantpicks.org.
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