Plant name
By Janey
Lincolnshire, England
Could anyone tell me the name of this shrub that is in flower now. It was here in the garden when we bought the cottage.
- 21 Jul, 2008
Answers
Self seeding is very true be sure you like this one, it grows like a weed in my garden. It's a guest in the garden that will over stay it's welcome if you let it.
21 Jul, 2008
I have to admit that I don't like it - there were three in the garden when we came here and I got rid of all of them - so I thought. To my surprise there is one growing on top of the wall above the stream where I can't reach it! it must have been a bird dropping a berry, I suppose.
21 Jul, 2008
Iv'e always known this as "Himalayan Honeysuckle". It can grow as a weed as the birds help it self seed. But grown as a large shrub it can look quite nice.
21 Jul, 2008
Common name here is Pheasant Berry. I quite like it Spritzhenry, it is a very good tough old standby and you can get one with goldish leaves. But it is a very good selfseeder.
22 Jul, 2008
Thanks everyone for your answers and comments. I must admit I was disappointed the first time it flowered. The leaf shape and form of the shrub isn't very attractive, the golden form sounds a lot better Wyeboy. Think I will leave it till Autumn then plant a brighter shrub in it's place.
Many thanks again.
22 Jul, 2008
I didn't like the way they tended to 'flop' in the wind, and the tips of the stems always died off even though I pruned them properly! Then I found Henry eating the berries and that did it! Out they came and NO regrets!
22 Jul, 2008
Yes, I know what you mean, and it does have a look of being poisonous. Close up the racemes look interesting,but on the whole it's a bit boring, and I haven't enough room for that!
22 Jul, 2008
There is a white flowered version of it which I have yet to see, but was given some seeds of it.
By the way the berries are not poisonous.
22 Jul, 2008
That my friend is Leycesteria formosa. Got various common names, and a rather nice plant. It does occasionally self seed too.
21 Jul, 2008