Great Spring Plant
5
Slow to grow in first year against south facing fence, very fragrant small creamy white flowers late winter early spring, masses of attractive new foliage now and growing well.
Getupngrow
Cotswolds
item_content
Lonicera × purpusii 'Winter Beauty'
winter honeysuckle
2 litre pot
in stock
This shrub is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.
- Position: full sun or partial shade
- Soil: fertile, humus-rich, moist, well-drained soil
- Rate of growth: average
- Flowering period: December to March
- Hardiness: fully hardy
Clusters of white, tubular flowers with prominent yellow anthers cling to bare branches in the depths or winter and fill the air with a heady fragrance. The scent from this deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub will stop you in your tracks. An invaluable addition to the garden in winter, it is best planted near a path or in a front garden, where its delicious fragrance can be appreciated. Once the bright green leaves appear, this honeysuckle looks rather insignificant, so plant it among shrubs that provide interest over the summer months. - Garden care: Cut back established plants after flowering, removing a third of the flowering shoots. Apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted compost or manure around the base of the plant in early spring.
Eventual height & spread
Notes on Lonicera × purpusii 'Winter Beauty'
"The finest winter-flowering honeysuckle of all, with clusters of pale flowers on bare branches from early spring - a sweet scent for gateways and walls under windows"
Goes well with
Sarcococca confusa
£17.99Chimonanthus praecox
£16.99So pretty!
5
I planted four along a low East facing wall in between birches and underplanted them with box balls. It was a very difficult area and one of the birches and a few other shrubs simply gave up and died. This lot are thriving. Since planting them three years ago I did absolutely nothing apart from the usual Spring feed. The growth wasn't slow in the first year but it was just the central shoot going upwards. There were a few flowers in the second year and although dainty each one had an early bumble visiting. The scent is stronger on a sunny day but not overpowering. Now that they have filled out sideways they have formed a light screen allowing the sunlight to filter through. The wonderful light green of the leaves works beautifully with white birches, dark box and red dogwood stems. Mine are likely to exceed the usual height as I find everything grown on clay tends to.
SL
London
Currently unsure of it's merit.
4
Arrived (back in October) very small and with not much growth, so this was initially disappointing, however over the last couple of months, after planting it in the ground (was previously in patio pot), it has really began to liven up, with lush growth really shooting up. Maybe it doesn't preform too well in a pot or maybe I didn't give it enough time before judging, but it is really coming along now. Will be interesting to see if it flowers this year as the flowers themselves apparently look stunning.
D.Glover
Essex
This has really takenoff, growing abour 4 ft. in the year.
5
good against fence
ekee
Westbury Wilts+
small flowers
4
I like this plant, but did not realise that the flowers were so small. Beautiful white flowers though not as much fragrance as the other honeysuckles in the garden.
marie
herefordshire
Disappointing so far
2
Straggly growth and no flowers the first year. This year better growth but still no flower buds
Glenelg
South wales
Loniceraxpurpusii'Winter Beauty'
4.2
6
83.3
- Hello, please may I ask whether this honeysuckle may be prone to harbour midges or blackfly - I have found this to be the case with climbing honeysuckles, which is ok as long as you don't disturb the leaves! However, I was rather hoping to find one to put by the door, and this winter flowering one looks so lovely, offering rare scent at this time, but wouldn't really want to be showered with insects every time I walk by ... Any advice much appreciated!
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sambuca
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Hello, This wont be immune to blackfly, however it is likely to harbour fewer than the climbing, summer flowering honeysuckles.
Helen
- Can I grow Lonicera Winter Beauty successfully in a container ?
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Marigold
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Hello there This is not the ideal honeysuckle to grow in a container as it can get quite large. Honeysuckles need a fertile, humus-rich, moist, well-drained soil, and will hate to dry out, so if it is grown in a large container it must be kept well watered and fed to do well. Alternatively we have a more compact honeysuckle that copes better when grown in a container. http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/lonicera-periclymenum-rhubarb-and-custard/classid.2000020958/ Hope this helps
- I planted my lonicera purpusii this Spring but the leaves have started to turn brown. Is it dying or is there a deficiency?
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Daviddubbleyoo.
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Hello, It's difficult to say what could b causing this without actually seeing the plant. The most likely cause is a lack of water, so do make sure the plant gets long and regular drinks. It is also quite normal for the leaves of deciduous plants like this one to start looking rather tatty towards the end of summer. Unless the browning is really widespread though, I would not be too concerned.
Helen
- My winter honeysuckle has flowered beautifully every year, despite spending it's first few years in a large container. It has been in the ground for two years now and has lots of healthy growth however it did not flower this year. I live in N.E Scotland and it usually flowers end of February/March. We did have a long winter followed by a very hot late spring. Daffodils were blooming late may into June. Do you think the weather was the reason or do I need to feed it?
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Greenclaw
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Hello there There are a number of reasons why plants don't flower including too much shade or not enough water or nutrients, or incorrect pruning on some plants. It can also be caused by the plant putting on new root growth instead of focusing its energies on producing flowers. But I wonder if you cut it back last year? It needs to be pruned in late spring after flowering, -the flowers are produced on the second-year wood, otherwise you can reduce the flowering potential. Also they will grow in partial shade but will flower more profusely in the sun. Hope this helps
- Winter flowering shrubs and climbers to plant with new hedge Hello, I have newly planted a hedge (made up from Hornbeam, Rosa rugosa, Blackthorn, Cornus, Hawthorn and Hazel) about 50ft long. I have been told that if I was to plant amongst the hedge some winter flowering Clematis such as 'Wisley Cream' it would give some nice colour these bleak winter months when the hedge is bare of foliage. The hedge is south facing and although the ground is ???good??? heavy Cambridgeshire clay the hedge has been planted in a trench back filled with leaf mulch, chipped wood and spent peat. Although I have said about in-planting Clematis in the hedge, I am open to other plant suggestions if you have any. Regards Terry
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Terry Allum
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Hello Terry, If you click on the following link it will take you to all our winter flowering climbers - of which the Jasminum is tougher and more like a shrub. http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/climbers/plcid.15/vid.204/ Alternatively, this link will take you to all our winter flowering shrubs. http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/plcid.1/vid.204/ I hope this helps. Helen Plant Doctor
Crocus Helpdesk
- Plants to deter cats Hello, my tiny terrace garden was recently made over at some expense but my 2 beloved moggies have ruined the one flower bed by using it as a loo-I am about to spend yet more money on having it cleaned up but how do I deter the cats from ruining it again? They are outdoor cats and use the catflap and there is nowhere indoors to put a litter tray anyway. Friends suggested several centimetres of woodchips? on the soil would put them off but I would value your advice before I invest. Also, which perfumed lilies are poisonous to cats?-or are they all? I am not thinking of poisoning the 2 moggies but I would like some lilies in pots but not if they are going to harm the cats. Also, suggestions of perfumed climbing shrubs that will stand shade. Many thanks Sonia
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Sonia Richardson
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Hello There, There are a couple of ways you can deter cats from the garden. Firstly you can plant lots of things that have spines or thorns, thus making it awkward for them to dig in - here are some of my favourites. Pyracantha's are ideal - this is a prickly wall shrub that has small white flowers which become fabulous red berries in autumn. http://www.crocus.co.uk/findplant/results/?CommonName=pyracantha Berberis is another good choice: http://www.crocus.co.uk/findplant/results/?CommonName=berberis Chaenomeles: http://www.crocus.co.uk/findplant/results/?CommonName=chaenomeles Ilex (holly): http://www.crocus.co.uk/findplant/results/?CommonName=ilex All of the above plants are evergreen (except Chaenomeles), so you will have year round interest. There are loads of cat deterrents on the market that work by scent or water. We have a few on our site. http://www.crocus.co.uk/products/_/tools/pest-control/cats/prcid.87/vid.484/ Other methods that you could try include sprinkling curry powder around the boundaries where they frequent, drying your used tea bags and then putting a few drops of eucalyptus oil on them before scattering in the garden. Orange peel when broken into small pieces and scattered around the borders works wonders and it's cheap as does grated, perfumed soap. As for the lilies, I think they are all quite toxic to cats, so they should be avoided. Finally, the best scented climbers for shade are the Loniceras - just click on the following link to go straight to them http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.lonicera/ I hope this helps and good luck! Helen Plant Doctor
Crocus Helpdesk
- What plants would you suggest for a winter gift? I would like to send a present in November to someone who loves the garden - any suggestions as to what you could offer? (I previously sent one of your ornamental bay trees, which was very successful).
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Jennifer Baldwin
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We do have some lovely winter-flowering plants that would make nice gifts. Just click on the link below each plant name to find out more about that particular one. 'Chimonanthus praecox' http://www.crocus.co.uk/findplant/selectionresults/?ContentType=Plant_Card&ClassID=820&CategoryID= 'Camellia sasanqua Plantation Pink' http://www.crocus.co.uk/findplant/selectionresults/?ContentType=Plant_Card&ClassID=1341&CategoryID= 'Clematis cirrhosa Jingle Bells' http://www.crocus.co.uk/findplant/selectionresults/?ContentType=Plant_Card&ClassID=2000003353&CategoryID= Hamamelis http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/results/?q=hamamelis Helleborus http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/results/?q=helleborus Lonicera x purpusii Winter Beauty' http://www.crocus.co.uk/findplant/selectionresults/?ContentType=Plant_Card&ClassID=4111&CategoryID= 'Sarcococca confusa' http://www.crocus.co.uk/findplant/selectionresults/?ContentType=Plant_Card&ClassID=4367&CategoryID= 'Viburnum x bodnantense Charles Lamont' http://www.crocus.co.uk/findplant/selectionresults/?ContentType=Plant_Card&ClassID=4488&CategoryID=
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