Glossy honeysuckle 'Maigrun'

Synonyms: Lonicera nitida Wils. Maigrun, Lonicera nitida Wilson Maigrun, Wilson's honeysuckle Maigrun, Wilson's honeysuckle Maigran, Wilson's honeysuckle Maigrin, Lonicera nitida 'May Green', Lonicera nitida Maigreen, Lonicera nitida 'May Green', Lonicera nitida E.H.Wilson 'Maigrün'

Glossy honeysuckle 'Maigrun' (Lonicera nitida Maigrun) – an attractive cultivar of Lonicera nitida. Native to western China.

This is an evergreen broadleaf shrub 1–1.5 m in height and 1.5 m in width. It reaches full size in 10–20 years. The crown is compact, dense, fluffy and densely branched. Main branches grow vertically, with lateral branches arching outward. Shoots are thin, light green.

Leaves are opposite, two-ranked, evergreen, leathery, small, ovate, glossy and bright green.

Flowers are tubular, reaching 0.8–1 cm in length, creamy-white, borne in pairs on a short stalk, arranged around the stem, and very fragrant. Flowers in May.

Fruits are small berries up to 4 mm in diameter, rounded, purple-glossy, inedible.

Hardiness zone: 6-9 (-15°C). In severe snowless winters it may suffer some frost damage, but it recovers quickly in spring.

Location: not demanding about soil, can grow on sandy, clay or loamy soils, but prefers fertile, well-drained and moderately moist soils. Prefers sunny or semi-shaded sites. Heat-loving. Tolerant of urban conditions, smoke and gases, as well as root competition from other plants. Not sensitive to heat, drought, or wind.

Pruning: tolerates shaping and pruning well. Pruning is carried out in summer or autumn.

Planting: Transplants well. 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: turf soil, humus, peat or sand in a ratio of 3:1:1. The root collar should be at ground level. Planting hole depth 25–30 cm, diameter 25 cm for 2–3 year-old shrubs; for 5–7 year-old shrubs the depth and diameter of the hole should reach 50 cm. At planting, you can add 5–7 kg of manure, 50–80 g of superphosphate and 40–50 g of potash salt per bush. A drainage layer of broken brick or gravel 5–7 cm thick. Do not prune branches at planting time; this is done in spring before strong bud swell. When planting in spring, prune branches immediately.

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

Diseases and pests: leafroller, aphids, scale insects, powdery mildew, dieback of stems, leaf spot.

Propagation: readily propagated by green cuttings and layering.

Uses: ideal for creating hedges. Can be used for borders and striking transitions, edging paths and ponds. Suitable for solitary plantings in flowerbeds and in rock gardens. Suitable for container growing. Looks attractive as a decorative element in compositions.