lonicera nitida (baggenson's gold)

hope someone can advise...

planted many bushes last year, and have lost none (am aiming for a boxed hedge eventually)...

however, many of the plants are showing reddish leaves on the branches near the tops of the parent stem... are they unhealthy ? apart from the odd dead branch which i've pruned, they look fine to me...

all help appreciated !

 

Hi mr piles, I've only got the common old green form, but I've never seen reddish leaves.
It might just be a reaction to the cold during the winter, its a pretty tough plant, so wouldn't think it would be a real problem.
Unless someone else can help out.

 

I grow three forms of Lonicera, gold, green and silver. the silver I keep as specimin, but is a real pain as it keeps reverting to green! Green is easy, and then there is my gold hedge.

Lonicera has a very lax habit and needs to be kept well trimmed to prevent open habbit. I suspect you have let it grow out before pruning because you are slightly impatient to get your "box" or one branch has bolted. I would just cut it back and not worry. My baggensy gold is about 5 year old and 5 foot high, it layers itself, but we have to cut the middle out to keep the shape.