Honeysuckle

For other uses, see Honeysuckle (disambiguation).

Honeysuckle
Lonicera ciliosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Dipsacales
Family:	Caprifoliaceae
Genus:	Lonicera L.
Species
See text - Selected Species

Honeysuckles (Lonicera; syn. Caprifolium Mill.) are arching shrubs or twining vines in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to the Northern Hemisphere. There are about 180 species of honeysuckle, with by far the greatest diversity in China, where over 100 species occur; by comparison, Europe and North America have only about 20 native species each. Widely known species include Lonicera periclymenum (European Honeysuckle or Woodbine), Lonicera japonica (Japanese Honeysuckle, White Honeysuckle, or Chinese Honeysuckle) and Lonicera sempervirens (Coral Honeysuckle, Trumpet Honeysuckle, or Woodbine Honeysuckle). Hummingbirds are attracted to these plants.

Lonicera periclymenum

The leaves are opposite, simple oval, and from 1–10 cm long; most are deciduous but some are evergreen. Many of the species have sweetly-scented, bell-shaped flowers that produce a sweet, edible nectar. Breaking of the Honeysuckle's stem will release this powerful sweet odor. The fruit is a red, blue or black berry containing several seeds; in most species the berries are mildly poisonous, but a few (notably Lonicera caerulea) have edible berries. The plant is eaten by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species - see list of Lepidoptera that feed on honeysuckles.

Cultivation and uses

Wood cuttings from the species Lonicera tartarica, native to Eurasia, are sold as cat toys. The wood contains nepetalactone, which is the active ingredient found in catnip. Many breeds of cats react to the scent of the wood and will paw, lick or rub against it.

Honeysuckles grow best in partial sun to partial shade.

Lonicera japonica and Lonicera maackii (Amur Honeysuckle or Bush Honeysuckle) are considered invasive weeds in the United States and in New Zealand. Honeysuckle can be controlled by cutting, flaming, or burning the plant to root level and repeating on two-week increments until nutrient reserves in the roots are depleted. Honeysuckle can also be controlled through annual applications of glyphosate, or thorough grubbing if high labor and soil destruction are not of concern.

Honeysuckles are also eaten by some people, who remove the blossom by hand to suck at the sweet nectar in the center. They pull the inside out and suck on the blossom.

Cordage made from honeysuckle was used in the construction of Seahenge.

Another name for honeysuckle is woodbine; and eglantine is used in Milton's L'Allegro.

Selected species

Lonicera acuminata Lonicera alberti Lonicera albiflora – White Honeysuckle Lonicera alpigena – Alpine Honeysuckle Lonicera altmannii Lonicera angustifolia Lonicera anisocalyx Lonicera arborea Lonicera arizonica – Arizona Honeysuckle Lonicera biflora Lonicera bournei Lonicera brevisepala Lonicera buchananii Lonicera buddleioides Lonicera caerulea - Blue-berried Honeysuckle Lonicera calcarata Lonicera calvescens Lonicera canadensis – American Fly Honeysuckle Lonicera caprifolium – Perfoliate Honeysuckle Lonicera carnosifolis Lonicera chrysantha – Chrysantha Honeysuckle Lonicera ciliosa – Orange Honeysuckle Lonicera ciliosissima Lonicera cinerea Lonicera codonantha Lonicera confusa Lonicera conjugialis – Purpleflower Honeysuckle Lonicera crassifolia Lonicera cyanocarpa Lonicera dasystyla Lonicera dioica – Limber Honeysuckle Lonicera elisae Lonicera etrusca – Etruscan honeysuckle Lonicera fargesii Lonicera ferdinandii Lonicera ferruginea Lonicera flava – Yellow Honeysuckle Lonicera fragilis Lonicera fragrantissima – Winter Honeysuckle Lonicera fulvotomentosa Lonicera glutinosa Lonicera graebneri Lonicera gynochlamydea Lonicera hellenica – Greek Honeysuckle Lonicera hemsleyana Lonicera heterophylla Lonicera hildebrandiana Lonicera hirsuta – Hairy Honeysuckle Lonicera hispida Lonicera hispidula – Pink Honeysuckle Lonicera humilis Lonicera hypoglauca Lonicera hypoleuca Lonicera implexa – Lonicera inconspicua Lonicera inodora Lonicera interrupta – Chaparral Honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata – Bearberry honeysuckle Lonicera japonica – Japanese Honeysuckle Lonicera jilongensis Lonicera kansuensis Lonicera kawakamii Lonicera korolkowii – Blueleaf Honeysuckle Lonicera lanceolata Lonicera ligustrina Lonicera litangensis Lonicera longiflora

Lonicera longituba Lonicera maackii – Amur Honeysuckle Lonicera macrantha Lonicera macranthoides Lonicera maximowiczii Lonicera microphylla Lonicera minuta Lonicera minutifolia Lonicera modesta Lonicera morrowii – Morrows honeysuckle Lonicera mucronata Lonicera myrtillus Lonicera nervosa Lonicera nigra – Black-berried Honeysuckle Lonicera nitida – Box or Boxleaf honeysuckle Lonicera nubium Lonicera nummulariifolia Lonicera oblata Lonicera oblongifolia – Swamp Fly Honeysuckle Lonicera oiwakensis Lonicera oreodoxa Lonicera orientalis Lonicera pampaninii Lonicera periclymenum – Common (or European) honeysuckle, Woodbine Lonicera pileata – Privet honeysuckle Lonicera pilosa - Mexican Honeysuckle Lonicera praeflorens Lonicera prostrata Lonicera pyrenaica Lonicera reticulata – Grape Honeysuckle Lonicera retusa Lonicera rhytidophylla Lonicera rupicola Lonicera ruprechtiana – Manchurian Honeysuckle Lonicera saccata Lonicera schneideriana Lonicera semenovii Lonicera sempervirens – Trumpet Honeysuckle Lonicera serreana Lonicera setifera Lonicera similis Lonicera spinosa Lonicera splendida Lonicera standishii – Standishs Honeysuckle Lonicera stephanocarpa Lonicera subaequalis Lonicera subhispida Lonicera sublabiata Lonicera subspicata – Southern Honeysuckle Lonicera szechuanica Lonicera taipeiensis Lonicera tangutica Lonicera tatarica – Tartarian Honeysuckle Lonicera tatarinowii Lonicera tomentella Lonicera tragophylla Lonicera tricalysioides Lonicera trichogyne Lonicera trichosantha Lonicera trichosepala Lonicera tubuliflora Lonicera utahensis – Utah Honeysuckle Lonicera villosa – Mountain Fly Honeysuckle Lonicera virgultorum Lonicera webbiana Lonicera xylosteum – (European) Fly Honeysuckle, Dwarf Honeysuckle, Fly Woodbine Lonicera yunnanensis

Miscellanea

• Honeysuckle is mentioned in Joe Bonamassa's song Mountain Time. Official site
• Honeysuckle Vines are mentioned in Jimmy Buffett's song "Tin Cup Chalice."
• Honeysuckle is mentioned in Sammy Kershaw's song "Don't Go Near The Water."
• Honeysuckle is mentioned as Mrs Dietrich's (Barbara Stanwyck's) perfume in "Double Indemnity."
• The British actress Honeysuckle Weeks was named after the honeysuckle flowers, which were in bloom at the time of her birth.
• In the video game series .hack//G.U., Haseo receives a weapon called the Lit Honeysuckle.
• In Japan, a honeysuckle represents "devoted affection," commonly referring to young fated lovers.
• La Maison de Lola has a character named Ms Honeysuckle

External links

• Flora Europaea: Lonicera
• Flora of China: Lonicera species list