This plant is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.

• Position: full sun
• Soil: fertile, humus-rich, moist, well-drained
• Rate of growth: fast
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  When they ripen in late-spring and early-summer, the blue berries of this edible honeysuckle are covered in a white bloom, while the flesh turns burgundy-red and becomes sweet and tasty. Very rich in vitamin C, they can be eaten fresh or used to make jam. These plants are currently around 2 years old and they generally start to produce fruit when they are 3 - 4 years old. They are self-fertile, however will produce a bigger crop if planted in close proximity to one another.
  
  
• Garden care: Avoid over-feeding, but each spring apply a balanced fertiliser such as blood, fish and bone. They will also benefit from a generous layer of mulch in autumn. Keep pruning to a minimum for the first three years, but thereafter remove weak or damaged stems and relieve congestion by removing some of the older stems back to their base. The remaining young stems can be lightly pruned to encourage sideshoots. This should be done in early to midsummer, immediately after the harvest.