Lemon Beauty Bush Honeysuckle Lonicera ligustrina 'Lemon Beauty' (v)

☠ Toxic to humans

🐾 Toxic to pets

🌸 Not blooming

🍪 Not edible

‍🌱 Easy-care

ABOUT

Lonicera ligustrina 'Lemon Beauty', often known simply as "Lemon Beauty honeysuckle," is known for its striking foliage and shrubby habit. Ignoring its overall size, the standout characteristic is the variegated leaves that adorn this shrub. Each leaf is a visual contrast of colors with a deep green center and bright, lemon-yellow edges, making the foliage of this honeysuckle particularly eye-catching. The leaves are small to medium in size, oval-shaped, and grow opposite each other along the stems, which creates a dense and lush appearance. During the growing seasons, 'Lemon Beauty' may produce small and inconspicuous flowers that are typically cream or white in color. The flowers can be quite fragrant, which adds an olfactory charm to its ornamental appeal. The overall form of this plant exhibits a bushy and well-branched structure, which allows it to fill out garden spaces or pots nicely, even without considering its dimensions. Its growth habit lends itself well to pruning, which means it can be shaped and maintained to enhance its ornamental value further. The combination of its variegated leaves, potential for floral scent, and versatile form makes the 'Lemon Beauty' honeysuckle a desirable plant for various landscaping and garden uses.

Plant Info

Care

Common Problems

About this plant

Names
- Synonyms
  Variegated Privet Honeysuckle, Lemon Beauty Box Honeysuckle.
- Common names
  Lonicera ligustrina var. pileata, Lonicera pileata 'Lemon Beauty'
Toxicity
- To humans
  The shrub known as variegated boxleaf honeysuckle is generally considered non-toxic to humans. However, despite its low toxicity, it is not advisable to ingest any part of this ornamental plant. If ingested, consult with a medical professional, particularly if the individual experiences any adverse symptoms, although significant toxicity is unlikely.
- To pets
  The variegated boxleaf honeysuckle is not commonly listed as a toxic plant to pets such as dogs and cats. However, as with human consumption, it is not intended for ingestion. Typically, if a pet ingests this plant, they are not likely to be poisoned, but it is always best to monitor them for any signs of illness and consult a veterinarian if any concerning symptoms arise.
Characteristics
- Life cycle
  Perennials
- Foliage type
  Evergreen
- Color of leaves
  Variegated
- Height
  5 feet (1.52 meters)
- Spread
  6 feet (1.83 meters)
- Plant type
  Shrub
- Hardiness zones
  5
- Native area
  Asia

Benefits

General Benefits
- Attractive Foliage - 'Lemon Beauty' honeysuckle has variegated leaves that add visual interest to gardens and landscapes.
- Low Maintenance - This plant has low maintenance needs once established, requiring minimal care.
- Tolerates Partial Shade - It can grow in a variety of light conditions, including partial shade, making it versatile for different garden spots.
- Drought Tolerant - Once established, 'Lemon Beauty' honeysuckle can tolerate periods of drought.
- Wildlife Friendly - The plant can attract birds and beneficial insects to the garden.
- Fast Growing - It has a quick growth rate, allowing for rapid coverage and filling in garden spaces.
- Good for Hedging - Its growth habit makes it suitable for use as a hedge or privacy screen.
- Evergreen - In milder climates, 'Lemon Beauty' honeysuckle can remain evergreen, providing year-round interest.
- Soil Adaptability - It can adapt to a range of soil types, though it prefers well-drained soils.
- Erosion Control - This honeysuckle's root system can help stabilize soil and prevent erosion.
Medical Properties
This plant is not used for medical purposes.
Air-purifying Qualities
This plant is not specifically known for air purifying qualities.
Other Uses
- Honeysuckle, specifically 'Lemon Beauty', can be used in a sensory garden for its texture and foliage, providing a stimulating experience for both sight and touch.
- In coastal areas, 'Lemon Beauty' serves as a salt-tolerant planting option, adding aesthetic value to landscapes that contend with saline soil and spray.
- The dense growth habit of Honeysuckle 'Lemon Beauty' can be utilized for creating privacy screens or 'green' walls in urban gardens.
- This variety functions as an excellent background plant in mixed borders, adding structure and evergreen interest throughout the year.
- 'Lemon Beauty' provides a habitat for beneficial insects, serving as a safe haven and potential nesting site for pollinators.
- Used in topiary gardens, 'Lemon Beauty', with its variegated leaves, adds a splash of color and can be shaped into various forms.
- The plant can be included in a moon garden due to its light foliage, which reflects moonlight and creates a glowing effect at night.
- Honeysuckle 'Lemon Beauty' can be planted to stabilize slopes or banks, as its root system helps to prevent soil erosion.
- This plant can serve as a "living mulch," with its spread suppressing weeds and helping to retain soil moisture in garden beds.
- In educational gardens, 'Lemon Beauty' can be used to teach about plant variegation and patterns in foliage, illustrating botanical concepts.

Interesting Facts

Feng Shui
The Box Honeysuckle is not used in Feng Shui practice.
Zodiac Sign Compitability
The Box Honeysuckle is not used in astrology practice.
Plant Symbolism
- Love and Devotion: The common name for Lonicera ligustrina 'Lemon Beauty' is Honeysuckle. Honeysuckle in general symbolizes love and devotion, owing to its ability to tightly twine around structures, which could be seen as an embrace.
- Bonds of Friendship: The interlocking vines of the Honeysuckle plant also represent strong, lasting friendships and connections.
- Generosity: With its abundant and sweet-smelling flowers, Honeysuckle is often seen as symbolic of generosity and the giving nature of an individual.
- Affection: The sweet nectar of the Honeysuckle flowers can also represent the sweetness of affection one person holds for another.
- Protection: In some cultures, Honeysuckle is planted around homes for its believed ability to ward off negative energies and safeguard the inhabitants.
- Happiness: The pleasant fragrance and the beauty of Honeysuckle blooms are often associated with happiness and joy.

💧

Every 1-2 weeks

Water

☀️

2500 - 10000 Lux

Light

💦️

Humidity

🪴

Every 2-3 years

Repotting

🌱️

Spring-Early Summer

Propogation

✂️️

As needed

Pruning

Water
The Box Honeysuckle 'Lemon Beauty' prefers consistent moisture, but it's important not to overwater. During the growing season, water the plant deeply once a week, providing about 1 to 1.5 gallons of water for each watering session. In hotter, drier periods, you may have to increase watering frequency to twice a week. Always check the top inch of the soil before watering—if it feels dry, it's time to water. During the winter, reduce watering since the plant's growth slows down, and ensure you're not letting the plant sit in soggy soil, which can lead to root rot.
Light
The Box Honeysuckle 'Lemon Beauty' thrives best in full sun to partial shade. It is adaptable but will produce the most vibrant leaf coloration and maintain good health with at least 4 hours of direct sunlight daily. Avoid placing it in deep shade, as this will lead to sparse foliage and reduced vigor. A spot that offers morning sunlight with dappled afternoon shade can be ideal, especially in hotter climates.
Temperature
The Box Honeysuckle 'Lemon Beauty' can tolerate a wide temperature range and is hardy in zones 4 through 8. It can survive minimum temperatures down to about -30 degrees Fahrenheit and maximum temperatures well into the 90s. However, the ideal temperature range for this shrub is between 60 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, where it will grow most vigorously.
Pruning
Prune the Box Honeysuckle 'Lemon Beauty' to maintain shape and encourage healthy growth. The best time for pruning is late winter or early spring before new growth begins. You can also lightly prune after the flowering season if needed for shaping. Typically, pruning once a year is sufficient, but if the plant becomes overgrown, a more severe cutback may be necessary during the dormant season.
Cleaning
As needed
Soil
Privet honeysuckle ('Lemon Beauty') prefers well-draining soil rich in organic matter with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. A suitable mix might include loamy garden soil, compost, and perlite or sand to improve drainage.
Repotting
Privet honeysuckle should be repotted every 2 to 3 years to refresh the soil and accommodate root growth.
Humidity & Misting
Privet honeysuckle thrives in moderate to high humidity levels; average household humidity is generally sufficient.
Suitable locations
- Indoor
  Place in bright, indirect light and water moderately.
- Outdoor
  Plant in partial sun, sheltered from intense heat.
- Hardiness zone
  4-8 USDA
Life cycle
Lonicera ligustrina 'Lemon Beauty' (v), commonly known as 'Lemon Beauty' boxleaf honeysuckle, begins its life as a seed, typically sown in early spring under the right temperature and moisture conditions. Upon germination, the seedling emerges and develops its first true leaves, entering the growth phase where it establishes a root system and begins to put out new shoots. As it matures, 'Lemon Beauty' transitions into the vegetative stage where it expands in size and form, developing a woody structure and characteristic variegated leaves that are a mix of green and yellow. It may enter a brief dormant phase in colder climates during the winter months when growth slows down significantly. With the return of warmer weather, it resumes growth, and although this cultivar is not primarily grown for its flowers, it can produce small, insignificantly fragrant flowers in late spring or summer. Over the years, with proper care, this perennial shrub can reach a mature size and maintain its shape through periodic pruning, living several years and potentially producing new seeds if any flowers are fertilized.
Propogation
- Propogation time
  Spring-Early Summer
- The Lonicera ligustrina 'Lemon Beauty', commonly known as the variegated boxleaf honeysuckle, is most successfully propagated through softwood cuttings. The best time to take these cuttings is in late spring to early summer, when new growth is mature enough yet still in the softwood stage. To propagate, one cuts a section of the stem about 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters) long, with at least two sets of leaves. The bottom set of leaves is removed, and the cut end is often dipped in a rooting hormone before being planted in a mixture of peat and perlite. The cutting should be kept under high humidity and indirect light until roots develop, which usually takes several weeks. Once rooted, the cuttings can be gradually acclimatized to less humid conditions and eventually transplanted outdoors.