Dictionary:

honeysuckle

  (hŭn'ē-sŭk'əl)

1. Any of various shrubs or vines of the genus Lonicera, having opposite leaves, fragrant, usually paired tubular flowers, and small berries.
2. Any of various similar or related plants.

[Middle English honysoukel, alteration of honisouke, from Old English hunīsūce : hunig, honey + sūcan, to suck; see suck.]

Description

Honeysuckle is a large, volubilate shrub of the genus Lonicera. There are over 300 species of honeysuckle in the Caprifoliaceae family, found from Asia to North America. The shrub reaches heights of 20–30 ft (6–9 m), with thin, hairy branches. It has ovoid leaves that range 1.2–3.2 in (3–8 cm) long by 0.6–1.6 in (1.5–4.0 cm) wide. The plant flowers in late spring or early summer, depending on the species. Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) blooms in the spring from April to May, with fragrant white flowers touched with a shade of purple that fade to yellow as they mature. The species of honeysuckle that is found in North America, the United Kingdom, and western Asia, Lonicera caprifolium, flowers in June. Generally, honeysuckle flowers are 1.2–1.6 in (3–4) cm long, with an inner tube of approximately the same length. All varieties of honeysuckle are famous for this tube, which is extracted and sucked for its sweet nectar. The shrub also produces a black berry. Despite the sweetness of its fragrance and nectar, the medicinal parts of the plant are bitter, due to the saponin in its stem, the 8% tannin in the leaves and the 1% insitol in its flowers.

General Use

Japanese honeysuckle (L. japonica, also called Japanese jin yin hua, which means gold and silver flower) and common honeysuckle (L. caprifolium, also called Italian honeysuckle, Dutch honeysuckle, and woodbine) are both widely used for their medicinal qualities. Although the Chinese most commonly use the bud of the flower in their medical practice, in other countries it is mostly the flowers and leaves that are used for their healing properties. Japanese honeysuckle works well as a detoxifier, and is best used for acute infections and inflammations. As an alterative, which cleanses and purifies the blood, and an antipyretic, which reduces fever with its cooling properties, Japanese honeysuckle is best used for such ailments as sore throats, swollen eyes, headaches, etc.

Acute Infections and Inflammations

Japanese honeysuckle is most useful in treating acute illnesses, infections and inflammations. At the onset of a cold, honeysuckle should be taken in combination with chrysanthemum flowers. Several popular Chinese formulas, such as yin chaio and ganmaoling, contain this herbal combination. Because it is a natural antibiotic, honeysuckle can also be used to treat infections caused by staphylococcal or streptococcal bacteria. Honeysuckle should be used for acute conditions, and is not meant to be used in the treatment of chronic illnesses.

Skin Infections

Honeysuckle works well against internal infections, and it can also be used externally for skin irritation and infections. Honeysuckle has been found useful in alleviating rashes ranging from skin diseases to poison oak. For these types of skin ailments, honeysuckle is best used as a poultice. For cuts and abrasions that may become infected, a honeysuckle infusion can be applied externally. It is in treating skin infections that the stems of honeysuckle are used.

Circulatory System

John Gerard, a master herbalist of the sixteenth century, said that honeysuckle's "floures, be steeped in oile, and set in the Sun, are good to annoint the body that is bennumed, and growne very cold." Indeed, L. caprifolium as a fixed oil is good for the circulatory system. When it is heated and smoothed onto the skin, it has been shown to have a vasodilatory effect, causing the blood to flow into the dermis, which is the thick layer of skin beneath the epidermis.

Asthma and Coughs

L. caprifolium can be used for asthma on account of its antispasmodic properties. An herbal infusion of the leaves is the best method for treating asthma. A decoction of honeysuckle flowers can be used for coughs.

Other Uses

The seeds of L. caprifolium can be used as a diuretic. L. villosa, also known as American honeysuckle, has been used as a kidney stimulant. L. japonica has been used to treat dysentery, and diarrhea.

Preparations

Three teaspoons of the leaf infusion can be taken three times a day. For skin irritation, honeysuckle should be made into an infusion or poultice and applied externally to the skin. When honeysuckle is compounded in capsule form, 10–17 g can be taken daily.

Precautions

Although honeysuckle poultices are used for skin irritations, there have been cases of contact dermititis reported from pulling up Japanese honeysuckle. A patient that had come into contact with L. japonica reported developing a line of itchy blisters. People often taste honeysuckle tubes for their nectar; however, several cases of plant poisoning have been reported in children. The symptoms include gastrointestinal discomfort and muscle cramps.

Side Effects

There are no known side effects from using honeysuckle.

Interactions

No known adverse drug interactions have been reported with honeysuckle.

Resources

Books

Hallowell, Michael. Herbal Healing. Vonore, TN: Avery Publishing Group, 1994.

Mabey, Richard. The New Age Herbalist. London: Gaia Books, 1988.

Ritchason, Jack. The Little Herb Encyclopedia. Pleasant Grove, UT: Woodland Health Books, 1995.

[Article by: Katherine Y. Kim]

The strong scent of honeysuckle and the way it twines round the stems of other plants are the likely reasons why it symbolizes erotic love. When it coils tightly round a growing plant, the latter develops spiralling grooves and swellings; hazel rods distorted in this way were prized for walking sticks, called ‘honeysuckle sticks’ or ‘twisty sticks’. In Sussex, these were thought to bring luck, especially to young men who were courting.

Common Greek enrichment resembling a honeysuckle flower, and called anthemion or palmette.

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

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

Honeysuckles (genus 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. 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 which feed on Honeysuckles.

Cultivation and uses

Lonicera xylosteum (Fly Honeysuckle) is a common homeopathic remedy, used for asthma, breathing difficulties and syphilis. Lonicera periclymenum (European honeysuckle) is an uncommon homeopathic remedy, used for irritability with violent outbursts.

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 through 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.

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

• During Victorian times, teenage girls were forbidden to bring honeysuckle home because it was thought to induce erotic dreams.^{[citation needed]}
• Honeysuckle Vines are mentioned in Jimmy Buffet'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.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Caprifoliaceae

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

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - kaprifolium

Nederlands (Dutch)
kamperfoelie

Français (French)
n. - chèvrefeuille

Deutsch (German)
n. - (Bot.) Geißblatt

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (φυτολ.) αιγόκλημα, αγιόκλημα

Italiano (Italian)
caprifoglio

Português (Portuguese)
n. - madressilva (f) (Bot.)

Русский (Russian)
жимолость

Español (Spanish)
n. - madreselva

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - kaprifol (bot.)

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
忍冬, 金银花

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 忍冬, 金銀花

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 인동덩굴 속

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - スイカズラ

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) صريمه الجدي, شجيرة أزهارها غنيه يالرحيق‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮יערה (שיח מטפס)‬

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