Lonicera ligustrina subsp. yunnanensis

Lonicera ligustrina subsp. yunnanensis is a dense, spreading, evergreen shrub that produces a haze of cream colored fragrant flowers in spring.

The tiny leaves are glossy, ovate and dark green, reminiscent of the leaves of some boxwoods, hence the common name.

The foliage is very dense and elegant and somewhat more upright than Lonicera ligustrina, making it receptive to pruning and shaping.

It can shift into the purple palettes in the winter, tinting slightly on the edges.

The flowers bloom in late spring and are creamy white and wonderfully fragrant. These are followed by purple black berries that mature in the fall.

👨‍🌾 GARDENING TIPS👨‍🌾:

• • These plants prefer an easy beginning – soil that is humusy, organically rich with medium moisture in part shade. Adapting them generally to dried and more difficult conditions as years go on.
  • 🕶️ In hot summer climates, plants typically perform best in part shade.
  • 💦 Plants have some drought tolerance once established.
  • ✂️ Prune as needed immediately after flowering.

• Continue learning about Honeysuckle:

  • >> The Winter Scent (In English)

  • >> Jardiner en Hiver (In French)

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The Tales & The Botany:

Subsp. yunnanensis means of Yunnan, China- a reference to its native habitat.

Genus name honors Adam Lonitzer (1528-1586), a German botanist who wrote an herbal (Kreuterbuch) that was very popular in the 16th, 17th and even 18th centuries.

The specific epithet means privet-like (Ligustrum).

It is also known sometimes as Lonicera nitida.

🌸 Floral morphology

Lonicera fragrantissima produces small, tubular, axillary flowers typically arranged in pairs along the stems.

The flowers are cream-white to pale yellow, 1–2 cm long, and strongly fragrant, emitting a complex scent dominated by monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. Each flower is actinomorphic and hermaphroditic, with five fused sepals, five fused petals forming a tubular corolla, five stamens inserted on the corolla, and a superior bicarpellate ovary. Flowering occurs in late winter to early spring, often before leaf expansion, making it one of the earliest nectar sources for pollinators. The plant exhibits protandry, where male organs mature before female organs, promoting cross-pollination.

🧬 Reproductive biology

Flowers are primarily insect-pollinated, attracting bees, flies, and early-season butterflies. Fruit is a small, globose red berry containing several seeds, although seed set can be low outside its native range.

L. fragrantissima can be propagated via semi-hardwood cuttings or layering, with first flowering usually occurring 2–3 years after propagation. The species demonstrates chilling-dependent floral initiation, an adaptation to temperate climates.

🦋 Ecology & cultivation

Winter honeysuckle thrives in well-drained soils of moderate fertility and tolerates a wide pH range (5.5–8). It grows best in full sun to partial shade and is hardy to –15 °C. The plant provides early-season nectar for pollinators, adds winter fragrance and visual interest to gardens, and can be used in hedges, borders, or as a specimen shrub. Light pruning after flowering maintains a compact form and encourages subsequent flowering.