Leycesteria

( lay - sess - TEER - ee - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus, commonly called Himalayan Honeysuckle, Pheasant Berry, Flowering Nutmeg, Himalaya Nutmeg, and Pheasant-Eye, includes species of herbaceous flowering plants with pendulous green foliage and flowers with bright bracts. It forms a deciduous shrub with hollow, Bamboo-like stems and needs full sun to light shade and regular water in the garden. These plants grow quickly to 6 feet tall and wide, producing impressive flowers and handsome foliage. White flowers bloom in mid-summer and fall, covered by purple-red bracts. The berries follow, starting green when young and maturing to deep red and then blackish purple, and are bird favorites. The genus Leycesteria is a member of the plant family Caprifoliaceae, making it a relative of Weigelia, Heptacodium, Abelia and Knautia. It contains seven species, only one of which (Leycesteria formosa) is widely cultivated as a garden ornamental. Cultivars include 'Golden Lanterns' (with brilliant yellow-green leaves), 'Jealousy' (with chartreuse-yellow foliage with a copper-red tint), 'Purple Rain' (with deep green foliage and deeper purple flowers), 'Little Lanterns' (compact with green-yellow foliage), and 'Gold Leaf' (crimson-tinged golden leaves). Himalayan Honeysuckle grows well in USDA hardiness zones 7-10 or Sunset growing zones 4-6, 14-17 and 20-24. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Caring for Leycesteria

Leycesteria is considered an invasive plant in Australia, New Zealand, Micronesia and the Azores of Portugal. Before planting these shrubs, consider installing a root barrier that reaches to 18-24 inches deep to prevent their aggressive root system from spreading in the garden or damaging hardscapes. Space plants 3-5 feet apart for best coverage and airflow, and closer to 3-4 feet apart if growing as a dense, overlapping screen. Himalayan Honeysuckle shrubs should be planted in partial to full sun. Between 6 and 8 hours of sun is ideal, with some afternoon shade in especially warm or dry climates. Varieties with golden or chartreuse foliage will have brighter color the more sun they receive. Ensure that soil is well-draining, rich in nutrients, and has a pH of between 6.0 and 8.0 (circumneutral). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Apply a layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention.

Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system in their new home. At maturity, these plants can receive regular waterings but can also handle some periods of drought. As a general rule of thumb, water whenever the top few inches feels dry to the touch. Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. These plants may die back yearly in cold winter areas. Cut back hard in late winter or early spring to encourage vigorous new growth to emerge in springtime. During the growing season, prune to remove dead or damaged branches, but otherwise leave these shrub to their natural habit. These shrubs have a life span of 10 to 20 years in most managed landscapes (60 years in their native habitats), and will spread over time, providing plant material that can be propagated indefinitely.

Caring for Leycesteria in Containers
Container cultivation is a great way to enjoy the beauty of these plants while curbing their aggressively spreading roots. Choose a container that is at least 15-20 gallons to accommodate their roots. Ensure that the pot has adequate drainage holes on the bottom to allow for excess water to flow away. Fill with a well-draining potting mix amended with organic material and perlite, and top with a layer of mulch to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water regularly as the plant establishes itself in its new home. Once established, waterings can be lessened. Leycesteria plants grown in containers will need more frequent irrigation than those grown in the ground. As a general rule of thumb, water whenever the top few inches of soil feels dry to the touch. Prune to remove dead, damaged, or diseased foliage at any time during the growing season. Every few years, check the bottom of the pot to ensure that the plant is not outgrowing its root space. If roots are growing through the drainage holes in the bottom of the container, it is a good indication that it needs to be potted up; choose a slightly larger container and repot.

Propagation

Leycesteria can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Leycesteria by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. A good substrate for propagation of cuttings is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
In summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 4 inch softwood portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Leycesteria by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seed pods are pretty easy to spot, they're large and dangle from the branches, left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
Seeds need to be cold-stratified before being sown. Place them in moist sand inside a Ziploc bag and place the bag in your refrigerator. The bag should be kept at a temperature of 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 3 months. By the time spring rolls around, your seeds will be ready to plant, but it is a good practice to wait until summertime when the weather is a bit warmer (between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit).
Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-14 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Leycesteria berries typically contain between 20 and 50 seeds.

Leycesteria seeds are tiny and tan.

Problems and Pests

Certain species are considered invasive in some regions; see the species descriptions above for more information. Check with local authorities before planting. Although Himalayan Honeysuckle is generally pest and disease-free, these shrubs can suffer from time to time with issues from the following: