Lonicera crassifolia 'Little Honey' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Creeping honeysuckle

Lonicera crassifolia 'Little Honey'

£14.99
Hardy in the UKSun-lovingShade-tolerantEvergreenLoved by pollinators
Pot size
17cm / 2L £14.99

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Description

Lonicera crassifolia 'Little Honey' is a creeping, evergreen honeysuckle that behaves nothing like the familiar climbers. It forms a low, ground-hugging mat of small, rounded, glossy leaves, each only a centimetre or two across, and from late spring into summer it carries little tubular flowers of cream and golden yellow with prominent stamens, tucked into the leaf axils. In cold weather the foliage takes on rich bronze-red to purple tints, so it looks different in every season.

Hardiness and seasons. The RHS rates it H5, hardy to around -15C, so it is reliable across most of the UK. The leaves stay on through winter, colouring up as temperatures drop, and green again as growth restarts in spring. Flowers follow from around May into summer and may be followed by small, glossy black berries, which are ornamental only.

How and where to grow. It is easy and unfussy: full sun or partial shade, in any reasonably well-drained soil from chalk to clay, acid or alkaline, and in exposed or sheltered positions. It stays about 15 to 20cm tall and creeps outwards to 75cm or more, rooting as it goes. It will also trail over a wall or the edge of a large pot.

Using it in the garden. Use it as evergreen ground cover at the front of a border, on a bank or slope, between stepping stones, or spilling from a raised bed or container. The neat, rounded foliage is a good foil for grasses, hardy geraniums and dwarf bulbs, and the summer flowers are visited by bees.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Creeping honeysuckle

Plant me in full sun and I will stand a UK winter outdoors.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Creeping honeysuckle

Lonicera crassifolia 'Little Honey' needs full sun or partial shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is hardy to around −15°C and stands a UK winter outdoors.

Good for

Coastal & Exposed Exotic Borders Pots & Containers Wildlife & Pollinators

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

Hardy Exotic (H5): down to around −15°C. Hardy through a cold UK winter.

Fully hardy, H5 (to around -15C). Evergreen, with bronze-red winter tints. Read moreShow less

Fully hardy, H5 (to around -15C). Evergreen, with bronze-red winter tints.

Position

Full sunPartial shadeNorth-facingEast-facingSouth-facingWest-facingExposedSheltered
Full sun or partial shade; exposed or sheltered. Read moreShow less

Full sun or partial shade; exposed or sheltered.

Soil

ChalkClayLoamSandMoist but well-drainedWell-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH
Any reasonably well-drained soil, chalk, clay, loam or sand, acid to alkaline. Read moreShow less

Any reasonably well-drained soil, chalk, clay, loam or sand, acid to alkaline.

Watering

Water through the first summer until the mat has rooted in, then water only in prolonged drought. Read moreShow less

Water through the first summer until the mat has rooted in, then water only in prolonged drought.

Mature size

Height0.15 to 0.2m
Spread0.75 to 1m

Reaches full size in 5 to 10 years

Growth habit

Spreading/groundcover

Flowering

Late spring to summer · Cream, Yellow

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Evergreen

Pruning

Needs little pruning. Trim back any stems that wander too far, and lightly shear over in spring if it becomes untidy.

Toxicity

Berries are ornamental and should not be eaten. Wear gloves when handling. Not listed by the ASPCA.

Native range

The species is native to south-central China; 'Little Honey' is a garden selection.

Family

Caprifoliaceae

Also known as

Lonicera crassifolia 'Little Honey'

Genus

Lonicera
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'Little Honey' a climbing honeysuckle?

No. It is a creeping, ground-covering shrub that stays about 15 to 20cm tall and spreads sideways. It will trail over a wall or pot edge but does not twine or climb.

Is it evergreen?

Yes. The small, glossy, rounded leaves stay on all year and turn bronze-red to purple in cold weather.

When does it flower?

Small cream and golden-yellow tubular flowers appear from late spring into summer, usually from around May.

Is it good for bees?

Yes. Several UK nurseries note that the flowers are visited by bees, and it is sold as a pollinator-friendly plant.

Are the berries safe?

The small black berries are ornamental only and should not be eaten by people or pets. Wear gloves when handling the plant.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

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Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Lonicera crassifolia 'Little Honey'
£14.99