Sweet Breath of Spring is a deciduous shrub that truly earns its romantic name. In early spring, before most gardens have even thawed, this honeysuckle rewards you with an abundance of creamy white flowers that release an intoxicating lemony fragrance. Growing 6 to 10 feet tall and equally wide, it's hardy from zones 4 through 8 and asks very little in return for its generous blooms. The small red berries that follow in late spring add another layer of seasonal interest, while its dark green foliage sometimes takes on a subtle bluish tinge that catches the light beautifully.
Partial Sun
Moderate
4-8
120in H x 120in W
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High
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This shrub flowers so early in the season that you'll catch blooms before the leaves even emerge, filling the garden with a lemony sweetness when few other plants are offering fragrance. It thrives on neglect in difficult spots where clay, dry soil, or even the shade under a black walnut tree might discourage other shrubs. Deer walk right past it, and birds flock to the berries that ripen in late spring.
Sweet Breath of Spring works exceptionally well as a hedge or screening plant. Its bushy, spreading habit and low maintenance nature make it a sensible choice for boundaries, borders, or anywhere you need informal structure without constant fussing. The early fragrance also makes it valuable as a harbinger of spring near seating areas or along pathways where you'll encounter it as the weather warms.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Prune to shape after flowering ends in April. The stiff-branched, bushy spreading growth habit responds well to light shaping, which encourages denser branching and more abundant flowers the following spring.
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