Thinking Out of the Box with Box Honeysuckle

Tiny trees. Have you seen them lined up in window boxes outdoors, or indoors, along windowsills? Their size is mini, but their charm is to-the-max. And with Lonicera nitida, or Box Honeysuckle, your decorating options are many, opening up the door for you to think out of the box.

Lonicera nitida is, in fact, a low-growing evergreen shrub. But it can be maintained in tree form very easily with snips and clips as part of its periodic care routine. If you’ve wanted to try your hand at tending topiaries, Lonicera nitida will give you a great start at seeing what it is like to shape a plant into your creative vision... no worries about overdoing things, as Box Honeysuckle never balks at a haircut.

One “tiny tree” in a fairy garden display may be just right, positioned near a fairy house or beside another fantastic structure. But for the decorating I like best, I prefer multiples of this evergreen, positioned proudly in a straight line. This “little soldiers” effect seems perfect for this shrub with miniscule leaves and, in tree form, a “trunk” that remains only about as big around as my thumb.

Because Lonicera nitida does fine indoors, this sort of display becomes a windowsill or countertop wonder around the holidays—specifically, I am talking about Thanksgiving, when browns, oranges, and reds become so common indoors and out that only some green living plants can take the curse off. With Lonicera nitida 'Goldie', the green foliage comes with just a hint of sun-kissed yellow tones, allowing it to provide easy rather than jarring contrast with the seasonal colors around it.

Lonicera nitida is known not only as Box Honeysuckle, but also more descriptively as Boxleaf Honeysuckle. Some also know it as Wilson’s Honeysuckle. If you like the small ovate foliage of a strong Boxwood, Lonicera nitida will be pleasing to your eye—and to the olfactory sense, when it blooms in Honeysuckle-sweet flowers.

Lonicera nitida does best with a trim about three times a year. The foliage grows vigorously, so shaping now, in September, would start you off on the right foot. Then trim again, twice more. The trimming can maintain a wonderful canopy above a thin trunk, or thinking out of the box, you can shape the foliage into an orb, an egg, a pine tree shape… try out whichever option you like best, as Box Honeysuckle will do its absolute best to make your vision a reality. 

If you end up enjoying your Box Honeysuckle indoors all winter, you might want to let it “summer” outdoors. This can help maintain a very healthy shrub. In this case, you’ll be pleased to know that Lonicera nitida is very disease- and pest-resistant. You won’t be opening yourself up to potential problems, and your plant will thrive all the more in the sunshine it loves. Place it in good soil and then fertilize regularly to help it maintain its best form. In sun or partial shade, your "tiny tree" (or multiple tiny trees) will do well.

If you can find Lonicera nitida at a favorable price, gather some up for gifting. I can’t say enough about how decorative and easy this plant is to grow. It makes a fine gift for novice plant tenders, as well as those who are already familiar with topiaries. Put some foil around the base of its plant pot, cover in strong wrapping paper, and add a bow. You’ll know that you are gifting a little bit of pleasure and no problems… an easy-care plant for almost anyone.

So, while Nature is far more creative than we mortals will ever be, Nature’s own Box Honeysuckle invites us to experiment, to create and craft, and to think out of the box about shapes and styling as we do that creative experimenting. A wonderful invitation, indeed!