Honeysuckle (Lonicera)

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Honeysuckle or Lonicera is a genus of angiosperms in the Caprifoliaceae family. Includes about 180 species of erect or climbing shrubs. Most varieties are most often grown for hedges, but there are also species that can be planted as ground cover or as single shrubs.

The leaves of honeysuckle are opposite, simple, oval, 1 to 10 cm long, most of them are deciduous, and some of them are evergreen. Many of the species are sweet-smelling, with bilaterally symmetrical colors, painted in pink, white, yellow and others. Some of the species have strongly fibrous stems.

The fruit is a red, blue or black spherical or oblong berry containing several seeds. In most species, the fruits are poisonous. Lonicera caerulea is one of the few species whose fruits are edible and grown for home use and trade.

Most of the fruits of honeysuckle are attractive to birds, which has led to the rapid spread of some species beyond their native borders.

Honeysuckle is propagated by seeds, cuttings and division of shrubs. Some of the species are used as ornamental plants because of their lush flowering and exotic foliage.

History of honeysuckle

As far back as 3,000 years ago, the Chinese people discovered the beneficial properties of honeysuckle. The treatise on phytotherapy Shen Nun Ban Cao Jing defines the plant as a higher and valuable herb.

In Materia Medica, Chinese doctor Li Shenzhen notes that honeysuckle flowers counteract all poisons, so they can treat poisoning, dissipate blood stasis and activate blood energy. If often drunk in infusion, the herb can prolong a person's life.

Types of honeysuckle

Lonicera periclymenum is a twisted deciduous shrub, reaching a height of 5 m. The leaves of the plant are ovate, dark green above and gray below. The flowers are large, fragrant, with a yellowish-white inside and a red, hairy corolla on the outside. It blooms from June to September, even later. Used as an ornamental plant.

Lonicera japonica or Japanese honeysuckle is a fast-growing and evergreen twisted shrub with oppositely arranged, entire, elliptical leaves. The leaves are dark green above and whitish below. The flowers are large and fragrant. The fruit is a juicy red strawberry with a few seeds. It originates from East Asia. Widespread and grown in our country in parks and gardens. Completely winter-hardy plant.

Lonicera caprifolium is also a species of angiosperms of the genus Honeysuckle of the Elderberry family. It is distributed in natural conditions in Central and Southern Europe, Asia Minor and the Caucasus region, but is also used as an ornamental plant.

This species reaches a height of 5 m. The leaves are elliptical, dark green on the upper side and bluish-gray below. In June-July it blooms with large and fragrant flowers, from white to red in color. The fruits are orange-red strawberries that ripen in August.

Lonicera tatarica is a species of angiosperms of the genus Honeysuckle of the Elderberry family. Lonicera tatarica is an upright shrub, up to 4 m tall, with oblong-ovate, slightly heart-shaped at the base, bluish-green, and gray-green leaves below. The colors vary from white to dark red, appearing in May-June. The fruits ripen in July and August. They look like bright red strawberries.

Lonicera tatarica originates from the continental parts of Eastern Europe and Southern Siberia. In Bulgaria it is grown as a park plant, which shows high drought resistance and cold resistance. Tolerates haircuts well. Used for group plantings and hedges, to strengthen the shores of sun exposure.

Lonicera caerulea or edible honeysuckle is a deciduous shrub and is a different representative of honeysuckle. It originates from Eastern Siberia and is distinguished by its cold resistance - withstands below -40 degrees. It has a round, strongly branched crown. The leaves are oval-elliptic, matte green, up to 5 cm long. The flowers are numerous, yellowish, bell-shaped, located in the axils of the leaves.

It blooms in April-May. It ripens in June-July - the fruits are juicy oblong strawberries covered with a blue coating. They are delicious, sweet and sour, have healing properties. The species Lonicera caerulea is also found in our high mountains. In Siberia, this pot is known and used as a delicious fruit plant for a long time. It has only recently been grown in Europe for this purpose.

Growing honeysuckle

Generally honeysuckle require rich soil, which is fertilized in early spring. At the end of flowering, it is good to prune the bush for a more shaped appearance. The plant is propagated by branches or by green cuttings planted in a box in the summer.

Honeysuckle is transplanted in spring or autumn. As the plants are located at a distance of 1.5 to 4.5 m from each other, depending on the expected size of the mature shrub. The dug hole should be as deep as the root ball and 2-3 times wider.

Eagle claws are suitable for landscaping fences, vines, gazebos. If left unchecked, the plant can take over the garden as a weed. Some of the more aggressive species should be pruned more often. The fruits of the bush ripen quickly and can be easily transferred by birds, after which they are quickly caught. That is why they must be plucked while they are immature.

Benefits of honeysuckle

The Japanese Eagle Claw / L. japonica / also has exceptional healing properties. Its color has a high medicinal value and is known in Chinese medicine. It has powerful antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, is used to remove toxins and against anthrax, fever, flu, ulcers, coughs and sore throats.

The aroma of flowers is used in aromatherapy due to its proven beneficial effect in reducing stress. The herb is used as medicine, tea, food, drink, cosmetic product. It can often be taken to protect against viruses and harmful bacteria.

In Chinese medicine, the flowers, leaves and stems of are used honeysuckle / L. japonica. They are used to prepare remedies that treat joint problems, dysentery, skin diseases, colds, bronchitis and more. It is made into infusions, syrups, drunk in the form of tea or capsules.

It is scientifically proven that this type protects and cures flu, pneumonia, tumors, regulates blood sugar, lowers body temperature, protects the liver, helps to lose weight. Treats chronic colitis, acute nephritis, mastopathy, diseases of the upper respiratory tract, diseased tonsils.

The Japanese kind of honeysuckle has a sweet taste and cold energy. It penetrates the meridians of the lungs and stomach. Taken internally, the stem of the honeysuckle is an effective remedy for mumps, hepatitis and arthritis. Apart from internally, it can also be used externally for skin washes for infections, wounds and inflammations.

Honeysuckle often combined with other herbs. For example, together with Forsythia it is used for the treatment of a number of respiratory diseases, and when combined with balm it relieves the symptoms of the flu. Honeysuckle is used in combination with chrysanthemums for the treatment of fever and viral diseases. The combination with mint is used for washing rashes.

Honeysuckle tea has an expectorant effect and when combined with primrose and mulberry fruit relieves cough and asthma symptoms. The flowers of the honeysuckle help the body to cleanse itself of toxins, and in case of diarrhea they are eaten fried. Honeysuckle stems are sometimes used as an adjunct to acupuncture treatment.

Folk medicine with honeysuckle

According to Chinese folk medicine honeysuckle have a cooling effect on the body. It is believed that fire in the body is the cause of diseases and the intake of this herb cools the body and suppresses the symptoms. The different parts of the Japanese honeysuckle have a number of healing properties, which makes this herb an excellent diuretic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agent. It has also been shown to lower blood pressure.

Eagle nail tea with mint can be prepared by boiling honeysuckle flowers (30 g) for 15 minutes in 500 ml of water together with fresh reed root (60 g). Then add mint (10 g) and boil the decoction for another 3 minutes. Strain and sweeten. This tea purifies the blood, quenches thirst, relieves colds, lowers fever.

Honeysuckle and chrysanthemum tea quenches thirst in the summer heat and eliminates headaches caused by colds. The decoction is prepared by boiling 10 g of honeysuckle flowers and 10 g of chrysanthemums in hot water. The liquid is filtered and sweetened with sugar.