Golden honeysuckle

Synonyms: жимолость горбатоцветковая, жимолость золотистоцветковая, Lonicera chrysantha ssp. gibbiflora (Rupr.) Kitag., Lonicera gibbiflora (Rupr.) Dippel, Lonicera regeliana Petz. & G. Kirchn.

Golden honeysuckle (Lonicera chrysantha) – a species of the genus Lonicera of the honeysuckle family (Lonicera). It occurs in the Far East, eastern Siberia, and in China, where it is common in river valleys, in forests and on mountain slopes. Cultivated since 1849.

It is a tall deciduous upright or slightly pendulous shrub 2-4 (6) m high with a rather dense crown, with thin shoots that are hollow inside. The plant is fast-growing. Bark gray. Young shoots are covered with dense small glands and numerous spreading bristly hairs, yellow-brown.

Root system superficial.

Leaves ovate or rhombic-lanceolate, simple, pointed, with a rounded or broadly cuneate base, up to 12 cm long and 3-5 cm wide, with stiff hairs beneath and ciliate (fringed) pubescence along the margin, dark green in color.

Flowers paired, borne on axillary flower-bearing shoots 14-25 (10-40) cm long, golden-yellow in color, with a slight honey fragrance. Bracts linear, with free bracteoles, obovate or rounded. Corolla yellow, rounded, 14-19 mm long, sparsely hairy on the outside. Blooms in May–June for about 2 weeks.

Fruits red, spherical berries up to 8 mm in diameter, very decorative. Ripen in late August – early September and persist on the branches for a long time.

Hardiness zone: 3-7 (down to -50°C). During winter slight twig dieback may occur, which then quickly recovers. Flowers can withstand return frosts down to -8°C.

Location: Light-loving, flowers poorly in shade. Undemanding to soil (tolerates a wide pH range from 3.9 to 7.7), but gives a good yield on slightly acidic to neutral soils (pH 5.5-6.5). Prefers moist conditions but does not tolerate waterlogging.

Pruning: In the first 5-7 years only sanitary pruning is carried out; in subsequent years the crown becomes dense, so rejuvenation pruning is recommended in autumn after leaf fall or in spring in March-April. The ageing part of the crown should be cut back above the point of origin of large stem suckers by 30-50 cm. For a fundamental rejuvenation of the crown heavy pruning 'to a stump' is applied at a height of 0.5 m above ground.

Planting: Tolerates transplanting well at almost any age. Planting is recommended in late autumn. Plants with a closed root system can be planted from spring until late autumn. Recommended spacing between plants is 1.5-2 m. Soil mix: topsoil, humus, peat or sand in a ratio of 3:1:1. The root collar at ground level. Planting hole depth 25-30 cm, diameter – 25 cm for 2-3-year-old shrubs; for 5-7-year-old specimens the hole depth and diameter should reach 50 cm. When planting, you can add 5-7 kg of manure, 50-80 g of superphosphate and 40-50 g of potash salt per bush. Drainage layer of crushed brick or gravel 5-7 cm thick. Branches do not need to be pruned at planting; this is done in spring before strong bud break. When planting in spring, branches are pruned immediately.

Care: Responsive to fertilization and watering. In the first 2 years it is recommended to feed with nitrogen in spring. Dissolve 30 g (a matchbox) of urea or ammonium nitrate in 10 l of water and water with 1-1.5 l per plant. Watering can be done over the leaves, thereby providing root and foliar feeding. Such feedings can be carried out from the beginning of the growing season once every 2 weeks until mid-June. With abundant mineral fertilization, serial (reserve) buds may open, from which additional shoots appear that thicken the crown.

Diseases and pests: Practically not affected by diseases or pests.

Propagation: With the use of rooting stimulants rooting success is 100%. When propagating by seed, cold stratification of seeds for 2 months is recommended.

Uses: Valuable nectar source. Decorative due to its golden-yellow flowers, bright leaves and fruits. Used in group plantings.