Honeysuckle 'Thunderbolt™'

Scott's Nursery Ltd.

$39.99
Title

 A vibrant splash of liquid sunshine for your garden, this Box Honeysuckle features tiny, glossy leaves that emerge in a brilliant chartreuse and mature into a glowing golden-yellow. Its dense, arching stems create a graceful, cascading effect that looks stunning when spilling over stone walls or as a brightly textured low hedge. In late spring, it is further adorned with delicate, creamy-white flowers that release a light, sweet perfume.

Size

Size Guide

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Plant Details

Mature Size:

3'–4' Tall x 3'–4' Wide

Zone:

5–9

Watering:

Medium

Foliage Type:

Semi-Evergreen to Evergreen

Growth Rate:

Moderate - Fast

Light:

Full Sun/Part Sun

Plant Profile

Common Names:

Thunderbolt™ Honeysuckle, Golden Glow Box Honeysuckle, Shrubby Honeysuckle.

Scientific Name:

Lonicera nitida 'Golden Glow' (syn. Lonicera nitida 'Thunderbolt')

Type:

Ornamental Shrub / Evergreen Hedge

Growth Details:

  • Mature Size: Typically reaches 3–4 feet (0.9–1.2 m) in height and spread.
  • Growth Habit: Compact, mounded, and naturally cascading or weeping.
  • Growth Rate: Moderate to fast-growing.
  • Longevity: Approximately 30 years under ideal conditions.

Environmental Needs:

  • Exposure: Full sun to partial shade.
  • Soil Preferences: Adaptable to most fertile soils, including clay, loam, and sand; prefers alkaline pH.
  • Soil Tolerance: Highly tolerant of urban pollution and salt spray in coastal areas.
  • Watering: Regular watering during the first year; moderately drought-tolerant once established.

Special Features:

  • Resistance: Highly resistant to deer and rabbits; resistant to box blight.
  • Fast Growing: Can grow up to 2 feet (60cm) per year, filling in gaps quickly.
  • Attracts: Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds visit flowers; birds enjoy the berries.
Care Guide

Ornamental & Landscape Value

Seasonal Interest:

  • Bloom Information: Tiny, slightly fragrant creamy-white flowers appear in pairs during late spring.
  • Fall Colour: Foliage remains chartreuse; may take on bronze or purple tints in winter.
  • Fruit: Produces small, inedible bluish-purple berries in late summer/autumn.

Garden Value:

  • Ornamental Interest: Prized for its year-round luminous yellow-green foliage and fine texture.
  • Landscaping Uses: Ideal for low formal hedges, pathway edging, rock gardens, and mass groundcover.
  • Benefits: A fast-growing, disease-resistant alternative to traditional Boxwood (Buxus).

Wildlife & Human Value:

  • Wildlife Value: Provides excellent nesting cover for small birds and a food source via autumn berries.
  • Human Value: Used for topiary, low-maintenance privacy screens, and brightening shady garden corners.

Planting & Care Guide

Planting Considerations:

  • Best Time To Plant: Spring or fall for optimal root establishment.
  • Spacing: Space 2–3 feet apart for a dense, continuous hedge.
  • Location Tips: Choose a well-drained site; avoid boggy areas. Site in a protected location in Zone 6 to prevent winter desiccation.

Care:

  • Light Requirements: Best color in full sun; tolerates partial shade.
  • Moisture Requirements: Prefers average to evenly moist conditions; do not allow to sit in standing water.
  • Maintenance, Fertilization: Light tip pruning in late winter or early spring promotes a denser habit. Benefit from bone meal or mycorrhizal fertilizer at planting.

Tolerances:

Drought (once established), urban pollution, salt spray, and heavy pruning.

Tips For Success:

  • Pinching/Pruning: Respond very well to frequent clipping. Lightly prune in late winter or early spring to maintain a dense, bushy form.
  • Mulching: Apply a layer of organic mulch to retain moisture and protect roots from temperature extremes.
  • Support: Not required, though unclipped plants may "flop" if allowed to grow too tall.
Fruit Profile