Honeysuckles are arching

shrub A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...

s or twining vines in the genus ''Lonicera'' () of the family

Caprifoliaceae The Caprifoliaceae or honeysuckle family is a clade of dicotyledonous flowering plants consisting of about 860 species in 33 to 42 genera, with a nearly cosmopolitan distribution. Centres of diversity are found in eastern North America and easte ...

. The genus includes 158 species native to northern

latitude In geography, latitude is a geographic coordinate system, geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from −90° at t ...

s in North America,

Eurasia Eurasia ( , ) is a continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. According to some geographers, Physical geography, physiographically, Eurasia is a single supercontinent. The concept of Europe and Asia as distinct continents d ...

, and North Africa. Widely known species include ''

Lonicera periclymenum ''Lonicera periclymenum'', common names honeysuckle, common honeysuckle, European honeysuckle, or woodbine, is a species of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae native to much of Europe, North Africa, Turkey and the Caucasus. It is foun ...

'' (common honeysuckle or woodbine), ''

Lonicera japonica ''Lonicera japonica'', known as Japanese honeysuckle and golden-and-silver honeysuckle, is a species of honeysuckle native to East Asia, including many parts of China. It is often grown as an ornamental plant, but has become an invasive species i ...

'' (Japanese honeysuckle, white honeysuckle, or Chinese honeysuckle) and ''

Lonicera sempervirens ''Lonicera sempervirens'' (commonly known as coral honeysuckle, trumpet honeysuckle, or scarlet honeysuckle) is a flowering plant species of honeysuckle vine native to the eastern United States which is known for its reddish flowers. Description ...

'' (coral honeysuckle, trumpet honeysuckle, or woodbine honeysuckle). ''L. japonica'' is a highly

invasive species An invasive species is an introduced species that harms its new environment. Invasive species adversely affect habitats and bioregions, causing ecological, environmental, and/or economic damage. The term can also be used for native spec ...

considered a significant pest in parts of North America, Europe, South America, New Zealand, Australia, and Africa. Some species are highly fragrant and colorful, so are cultivated as ornamental garden plants. In North America,

hummingbird Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the Family (biology), biological family Trochilidae. With approximately 366 species and 113 genus, genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but most species are found in Cen ...

s are attracted to the flowers, especially ''L. sempervirens'' and ''L. ciliosa'' (orange honeysuckle). Honeysuckle derives its name from the edible sweet

nectar Nectar is a viscous, sugar-rich liquid produced by Plant, plants in glands called nectaries, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollination, pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to an ...

obtainable from its tubular flowers. The name ''Lonicera'' stems from Adam Lonicer, a Renaissance botanist.

Description

Most species of ''Lonicera'' are

hardy Hardy may refer to: People * Hardy (surname) * Hardy (given name) * Hardy (singer), American singer-songwriter Places Antarctica * Mount Hardy, Enderby Land * Hardy Cove, Greenwich Island * Hardy Rocks, Biscoe Islands Australia * Hardy, ...

twining climbers, with a minority of shrubby

habit A habit (or wont, as a humorous and formal term) is a routine of behavior that is repeated regularly and tends to occur subconsciously. A 1903 paper in the '' American Journal of Psychology'' defined a "habit, from the standpoint of psychology, ...

. Some species (including ''

Lonicera hildebrandiana ''Lonicera hildebrandiana'', the giant Burmese honeysuckle, is a species of flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, ...

'' from the Himalayan foothills and '' L. etrusca'' from the Mediterranean) are tender and can be grown outside only in subtropical zones. The

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

are opposite, simple oval, long; most are

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and botany, the term deciduous () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed Leaf, leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...

but some are

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has Leaf, foliage that remains green and functional throughout the year. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which lose their foliage completely during the winter or dry season. Consisting of many diffe ...

. Many of the species have sweetly scented,

bilaterally symmetrical Symmetry in biology refers to the symmetry observed in organisms, including plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria. External symmetry can be easily seen by just looking at an organism. For example, the face of a human being has a plane of symme ...

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

s that produce a sweet, edible

, and most flowers are borne in clusters of two (leading to the common name of Lonicera involucrata, "twinberry" for certain North American species). Both shrubby and vining sorts have strongly fibrous stems which have been used for binding and textiles. The fruit is a red, blue or black spherical or elongated berry (botany), berry containing several seeds; in most species the berries are mildly poisonous, but in a few (notably ''Lonicera caerulea'') they are edible and grown for home use and commerce. Most honeysuckle berries are attractive to wildlife, which has led to species such as Lonicera japonica, ''L. japonica'' and Lonicera maackii, ''L. maackii'' spreading invasively outside of their home ranges. Many species of ''Lonicera'' are eaten by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species—see a list of Lepidoptera that feed on honeysuckles.

Invasive species

The spread of ''L. japonica'' in North America began in the United States in 1806, and it was widely cultivated by the 1860s. It was first discovered in Canada in Ontario forests in 1976, and became invasive by 2007. ''L. japonica'' was introduced in Australia between 1820 and 1840. Several species of honeysuckle have become invasive when introduced outside their native range, particularly in North America, Europe, South America, Australia, and Africa. Invasive species include ''L. japonica'', ''Lonicera maackii, L. maackii'', ''Lonicera morrowii, L. morrowii'', ''Lonicera tatarica, L. tatarica'', and the hybrid between the last two, Lonicera × bella, ''L.'' × ''bella''.

Cultivation

Honeysuckles are valued as garden plants, for their ability to cover unsightly walls and outbuildings, their profuse tubular flowers in early summer, and the intense fragrance of many varieties. The hardy climbing types need their roots in shade, and their flowering tops in sunlight or very light shade. Varieties need to be chosen with care, as they can become substantial. Cultivars of the dense, small-leaved ''Lonicera nitida, L. nitida'' are used as low, narrow hedges. The following hybrid (biology), hybrids have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit: *Lonicera × heckrottii, ''L.'' × ''heckrottii'' 'Gold Flame' *''L.'' 'Mandarin' *''L.'' × ''purpusii'' 'Winter Beauty' *''L.'' × ''tellmanniana'' Other cultivars are dealt with under their species names. The honeysuckle species ''L. japonica'' is grown as a commercial crop for traditional Chinese medicine use. Honeysuckle is also used to scent Chinese teas in a process similar to Jasmine tea. This was popularized in the Qing dynasty.Mair, Victor H.; Hoh, Erling (2009). ''The True History of Tea,'' ch. 9. Thames & Hudson, ISBN 978-0-500-25146-1

Phytochemicals

Component analyses of berries from 27 different cultivars and 3 genotypes of edible honeysuckle (''Lonicera caerulea'' var. ''kamtschatica'') showed the presence of iridoids, anthocyanins, flavonols, flavanonols, flavones, flavan-3-ols, and phenolic acids. While sugars determine the level of sweetness in the berries, organic acids and polyphenols are responsible for the sour taste and tartness. Some 51 of the same compounds in berries are found in flowers, although the proportions of these compounds varied among cultivars studied.

Interaction with other species

Many insects in the order Lepidoptera visit honeysuckles as a food source. An example of this is the moth ''Deilephila elpenor''. This nocturnal species of moth is especially attracted to honeysuckles, and they visit the flowers at night to feed on their nectar.

Species

158 species are accepted. * ''Lonicera acuminata'' or ''Lonicera pampaninii'' – fragrant grove honeysuckle or vine honeysuckle * ''Lonicera affinis'' * ''Lonicera alberti'' * ''Lonicera albiflora'' – white honeysuckle * ''Lonicera alpigena'' – alpine honeysuckle * ''Lonicera altmannii'' * Lonicera × americana, ''Lonicera'' × ''americana'' * ''Lonicera angustifolia'' * ''Lonicera annamensis'' * ''Lonicera arborea'' * ''Lonicera arizonica'' – Arizona honeysuckle * ''Lonicera asperifolia'' * Lonicera × bella, ''Lonicera'' × ''bella'' – Bell's honeysuckle or showy fly honeysuckle * ''Lonicera biflora'' * ''Lonicera bournei'' * ''Lonicera bracteolaris'' * ''Lonicera buschiorum'' * ''Lonicera caerulea'' – blue-berried honeysuckle * ''Lonicera calcarata'' * ''Lonicera cambodiana'' * ''Lonicera canadensis'' – Canada fly honeysuckle, American fly honeysuckle * ''Lonicera caprifolium'' – goat-leaf honeysuckle, perfoliate honeysuckle * ''Lonicera caucasica'' * ''Lonicera cerasina'' * ''Lonicera cerviculata'' * ''Lonicera chamissoi'' * ''Lonicera chrysantha'' – Chrysantha honeysuckle * ''Lonicera ciliosa'' – orange honeysuckle * ''Lonicera confusa'' * ''Lonicera conjugialis'' – purpleflower honeysuckle * ''Lonicera crassifolia'' * ''Lonicera cyanocarpa'' * ''Lonicera deleiensis'' * ''Lonicera demissa'' * ''Lonicera dioica'' – limber honeysuckle * ''Lonicera elisae'' * ''Lonicera etrusca'' – Etruscan honeysuckle * ''Lonicera fargesii'' * ''Lonicera ferdinandii'' * ''Lonicera ferruginea'' * ''Lonicera flava'' – yellow honeysuckle * ''Lonicera floribunda'' * ''Lonicera fragrantissima'' – winter honeysuckle * ''Lonicera glabrata'' * ''Lonicera glehnii'' * ''Lonicera gracilipes'' * ''Lonicera griffithii'' * ''Lonicera guatemalensis'' * ''Lonicera guillonii'' * ''Lonicera gynochlamydea'' * ''Lonicera harae'' * Lonicera × heckrottii, ''Lonicera'' × ''heckrottii'' – golden flame honeysuckle * Lonicera × helvetica, ''Lonicera'' × ''helvetica'' * ''Lonicera heterotricha'' * ''

'' – giant Burmese honeysuckle * ''Lonicera himalayensis'' * ''Lonicera hirsuta'' – hairy honeysuckle * ''Lonicera hispida'' * ''Lonicera hispidula'' – pink honeysuckle * ''Lonicera humilis'' * ''Lonicera hypoglauca'' * ''Lonicera hypoleuca'' * ''Lonicera iberica'' * ''Lonicera iliensis'' * ''Lonicera implexa'' * ''Lonicera interrupta'' – Chaparral honeysuckle * ''Lonicera involucrata'' – bearberry honeysuckle * Lonicera × italica, ''Lonicera'' × ''italica'' * ''

'' – Japanese honeysuckle * ''Lonicera kansuensis'' * ''Lonicera kawakamii'' * ''Lonicera korolkowii'' – blueleaf honeysuckle * ''Lonicera kurobushiensis'' * ''Lonicera laceana'' * ''Lonicera lanceolata'' * ''Lonicera ligustrina'' ** ''Lonicera ligustrina'' var. ''ligustrina'' ** ''Lonicera ligustrina'' var. ''pileata'' (syn. ''Lonicera pileata'' ) – privet honeysuckle ** ''Lonicera ligustrina'' var. ''yunnanensis'' (syn. ''Lonicera nitida'' ) – boxleaf honeysuckle * ''Lonicera litangensis'' * ''Lonicera longiflora'' * ''Lonicera longituba'' * ''Lonicera maackii'' – Amur honeysuckle * ''Lonicera macrantha'' * ''Lonicera macranthoides'' * ''Lonicera magnibracteata'' * ''Lonicera malayana'' * ''Lonicera maximowiczii'' * ''Lonicera mexicana'' * ''Lonicera micrantha'' * ''Lonicera microphylla'' * ''Lonicera minutifolia'' * ''Lonicera mochidzukiana'' * ''Lonicera modesta'' * ''Lonicera morrowii'' – Morrow's honeysuckle * ''Lonicera mucronata'' * ''Lonicera myrtilloides'' * ''Lonicera nervosa'' * ''Lonicera nigra'' – black-berried honeysuckle * ''Lonicera nummulariifolia'' * ''Lonicera oblata'' * ''Lonicera oblongifolia'' – swamp fly honeysuckle * ''Lonicera obovata'' * ''Lonicera olgae'' * ''Lonicera oreodoxa'' * ''Lonicera pamirica'' * ''Lonicera paradoxa'' * ''

'' – (common) honeysuckle, European honeysuckle, or woodbine * ''Lonicera pilosa'' – Mexican honeysuckle * ''Lonicera praeflorens'' * ''Lonicera purpurascens'' * ''Lonicera pyrenaica'' – Pyrenean honeysuckle * ''Lonicera quinquelocularis'' – translucent honeysuckle * ''Lonicera reticulata'' – grape honeysuckle * ''Lonicera retusa'' * ''Lonicera robertsonii'' * ''Lonicera rupicola'' * ''Lonicera ruprechtiana'' – Manchurian honeysuckle * ''Lonicera × sargentii'' * ''Lonicera schmitziana'' * ''Lonicera semenovii'' * ''

'' – trumpet honeysuckle * ''Lonicera setifera'' * ''Lonicera siamensis'' * ''Lonicera similis'' – var. ''delavayi'' – Delavay honeysuckle * ''Lonicera sinomacrantha'' * ''Lonicera sovetkinae'' * ''Lonicera spinosa'' * ''Lonicera splendida'' – evergreen honeysuckle * ''Lonicera stabiana'' * ''Lonicera stephanocarpa'' * ''Lonicera steveniana'' * ''Lonicera strophiophora'' * ''Lonicera subaequalis'' * ''Lonicera subhispida'' * ''Lonicera sublabiata'' * ''Lonicera subsessilis'' * ''Lonicera subspicata'' – southern honeysuckle * ''Lonicera sumatrana'' * ''Lonicera taiwanensis'' * ''Lonicera tangutica'' * ''Lonicera tatarica'' – Tatarian honeysuckle * ''Lonicera tatarinowii'' * ''Lonicera tolmatchevii'' * ''Lonicera tomentella'' * ''Lonicera tragophylla'' – Chinese honeysuckle * ''Lonicera tricalysioides'' * ''Lonicera trichosantha'' * ''Lonicera tschonoskii'' * ''Lonicera tubuliflora'' * ''Lonicera tulinensis'' * ''Lonicera utahensis'' – Utah honeysuckle * ''Lonicera uzenensis'' * ''Lonicera vaccinioides'' * ''Lonicera vidalii'' * ''Lonicera villosa'' – mountain fly honeysuckle * ''Lonicera webbiana'' * ''Lonicera xylosteum'' – fly woodbine * ''Lonicera yunnanensis'' * ''Lonicera zeravshanica'' Several fossil species are known from the Miocene of Asia. Honeysuckle-1.jpg, ''Lonicera japonica'' Lonicera ciliosa 13310.JPG, ''L. ciliosa'' Lonicera japonica, Fruit.JPG, ''L. japonica'' fruit Lonicera hispidula 3080.JPG, ''L. hispidula'' Lonicera sempervirens 5.JPG, ''L. sempervirens'' Rusokuusama Lonicera tatarica.jpg, ''L. tatarica'' Honeysuckle .jpg, ''L.caprifolium'', Chèvrefeuille Bloemknoppen van een Kamperfoelie (Lonicera) 26-07-2020 (d.j.b.) 01.jpg, flower buds.

References

External links

Flora of China: ''Lonicera'' species list
* {{Authority control Lonicera, Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus