Japanese Honeysuckle Plant

Lonicera japonica

Family

Caprifoliaceae

Origin

Eastern Asia

Description

Japanese honeysuckle is a perennial woody vine of the honeysuckle family that climbs by twisting its stems around vertical structures, including limbs and trunks of shrubs and small trees. Leaves are oblong to oval, sometimes lobed, have short stalks, and occur in pairs along the stem.

Flowers are tubular, with five fused petals, white to pink, turning yellow with age, sweetly vanilla scented, and occur in pairs along the stem at leaf junctures. Stems and leaves are sometimes covered with fine, soft hairs. Japanese honeysuckle blooms from late September to May. These fragrant flowers are succeeded by black berries.

The flowers attract hummingbirds & Butterflies

Environment

Honeysuckles can be planted in semi-shade to full sun. It withstands clipping and can be trained into a neat hedge, or allowed to bush out into a more informal hedge. To keep this shrub clean and tidy, it must be pruned back in late winter to promote new growth and flowers. Plants can be pruned back heavily if required, and will re-sprout. The application of a balanced fertilizer after pruning will enhance the growth and flowering.

Landscape Use

Japanese Honeysuckle is an attractive ornamental garden plant commonly used for screening and decorative purposes, and can also be trimmed to form a hedge.

Caution

A poisonous plant, be sure to keep children away from it: The berries are toxic if eaten.