HONEYSUCKLE: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, CULTIVATION, CARE - BIOLOGY - 2025

Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), is a species of creeper plant belonging to the Caprifoliaceae family. It is also commonly known as Japanese honeysuckle and sweet honeysuckle. It is the most widely cultivated species of honeysuckle because it is very often used to cover walls or fences.

Honeysuckle is a plant that looks like a deciduous shrub, but grows like a vine. Depending on where it is found, it can behave as a perennial or semi-deciduous. It has very showy and fragrant white flowers, as well as its fruits also produce a pleasant fragrance.

Lonicera japonica honeysuckle is used as a wall or fence cover. Source: SB_Johnny

-Species: Lonicera japonica

The honeysuckle Lonicera japonica has several synonyms such as Caprifolium brachypodum, Caprifolium flexuosum, Caprifolium japonicum, Caprifolium roseum, Lonicera brachypoda, Lonicera brachypoda var. repens, Lonicera cochinchinensis, Lonicera confusa, Lonciera diversifolia, Lonicera fauriei, Lonicera finlaysoniana, Lonicera flexuosa, Lonicera japonica var. brachypoda, Lonicera japonica var. flexuosa, Lonicera japonica var. hallinna, Lonicera japonica var. repens, Lonicera japonica var. sempervillosa, Lonicera longiflora, Lonicera nigra, Lonicera repens, Lonicera shintenensis, Nintooa japonica, Xylosteon flexuosum.

Native honeysuckle varieties can be differentiated by their upper leaves and berries. The upper leaves of Lonicera japonica show their separate pairs, while the native varieties show their pairs fused to form a single leaf.

Likewise, Lonicera japonica produces black berries, but the native varieties form red or orange berries.

Some honeysuckle also show variegation on their leaves. Source: User: SB_Johnny

Properties

In some places the leaves of this honeysuckle can be consumed as a vegetable, and in addition, the leaves together with the flower buds can be used to prepare tea.

Although it is a plant pollinated by insects, pollen can sometimes be dispersed through the wind. This can cause certain allergies or respiratory problems in people.

Plant parts like the stem, flower, and fruit of the Japanese honeysuckle have been used medicinally, for example to treat fever, hepatitis, and as an anti-inflammatory. However, using any part of the plant for consumption is not considered as various structures have slight toxicity.

On the other hand, the effects of honeysuckle are also known as an antidote, diuretic and tonic.

Anti-inflammatory activity

The anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity has been demonstrated in experiments where it has been possible to isolate some of the active components of this plant, being such that honeysuckle is recommended as a raw material to manufacture injectable analgesics and as a useful species in the field of herbal medicine..

However, it should be taken into account that not all plant compounds are beneficial, since some, such as saponins and tannins, can produce hemolysis and precipitation of proteins. Therefore, a drug must be formulated where these compounds are not present and thus guarantee a reliable injectable formulation.

Some of the studies have been done on inflammation induced in mice (writhing, hyperalgesia, edema) by arachidonic acid, acetic acid and carrageenan.

On such inflammations, the analgesic effect of saponin and tannin-free honeysuckle extract is comparable with certain doses of diclofenac and acetaminophen (100 mg / kg).

The fruit of the honeysuckle is a black berry. Source: Qwert1234

Antimicrobial activity

Several studies have been carried out in order to define the medicinal properties of Lonicera japonica. Among them, the antimicrobial properties of this plant have been determined, in order to use it as a natural preservative.

Indeed, studies show that the 50% ethanol extract of this honeysuckle generates antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, This antimicrobial effect can be attributed to the presence of caffeic acid, which has high polarity and by itself inhibits to these same strains.

In contrast, extraction with ethyl acetate produces antimicrobial activity against six strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans and Aspergillus brasiliensis).

Regarding this case, the antimicrobial effect is related to the presence of luteolin, a nonpolar component that produces inhibition against the mentioned bacteria.

Cultivation and care

Spread

This species can be propagated by seeds, underground rhizomes or by air corridors.

According to their sexual propagation, the seeds must undergo stratification for about 2 or 3 months at about 4 ° C. The seeds are sown in early spring.

After initial growth, the plants should be separated into small pots until they are large enough to be transplanted outdoors.

As for its asexual propagation, honeysuckle can multiply by wooden stakes. If the wood is hard it is recommended to propagate it during the spring, while if the wood is soft it can be propagated in the summer.

Another recommended way for its propagation is by layering, since the guides easily develop roots as soon as they make contact with the earth.

Floor

This plant is not demanding regarding the type of soil, however, it develops much better in those that contain organic matter and have good drainage.

Light

This species can grow both in a sunny place and in a place where it gives shade.

Temperature

This plant grows between 10 ° C and 25 ° C.

Irrigation

Honeysuckle is a drought resistant plant, therefore its watering regimen is not very demanding. It is necessary to wait for the soil to dry out between each watering, as a high moisture content could stimulate the development of fungal diseases.

Honeysuckle is a plant with many medicinal properties. Source: wikimedia commons.

Pruning

Honeysuckle is a climbing plant, resistant to pruning, but this does not mean that it should be done very frequently. In fact, it is recommended to prune it vigorously every 3 or 4 years as a kind of rejuvenation without depopulating it from the inside.

On the other hand, pruning is also carried out after flowering, the outer foliage is removed so that the inner foliage does not die, and in this way stimulates the growth of new stems.

Pruning at another time and not after flowering will create a very lush plant with messy and drained growth.

Fertilization

With regard to nutrients, this plant does well with a basic fertilization such as that given to garden plants during maintenance, or simply fertilizing it with organic matter such as compost, humus or manure during the fall is sufficient.

Diseases

Leaf wilt

This disease is caused by a fungus (Glomerularia lonicerae) during rainy seasons, both in this species and in others. It is recommended to prevent this disease with the use of fungicides based on zineb and copper oxychloride.

Leaf spots

This infection is usually caused by fungi of the genera Marssonina, Cercospora, Septoria, among others.

This infection does not significantly affect the viability of the plant, but it is recommended to avoid a strong attack with the use of preventive fungicides.

Powdery mildew

It is a disease caused by the Erysiphe phytopathogen, which covers both young shoots and leaves of honeysuckle in general, and produces a white mycelium. The recommended fungicide is sulfur.

Other diseases attack Lonicera japonica such as rust, which is caused by Puccinia spp., The wilt of the branches caused by Phoma sp., And bacteria such as Agrobacterium tumefaciens can also cause damage to this species.

However, not only diseases can attack honeysuckle, but it can also be affected by pests such as mealybugs, aphids, or the cigarette caterpillar (Cacoecia rosana).

References

1. Ryu, KH, Rhee, HI Kim, JH, Yoo, H., Lee, BY Um, KA, Kim, K. Noh, JY, Lim, KM, Chung, JH 2010. Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Activities of SKLJI, a Highly Purified and Injectable Herbal Extract of Lonicera japonica, Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, 74:10, 2022-2028.
2. Xia, H., Zhang, L., Wu, G., Fu, Ch., Long, Y., Xiang, J., Gan, J., Zhou, Y., Yu, L., Li, M. 2016 Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of MicroRNAs and Target Genes in Lonicera japonica. PLoS ONE 11 (10): e0164140.
3. Lee, YS, Lee, YL, Park, SN 2018. Synergistic Antimicrobial Effect of Lonicera japonica and Magnolia obovata Extracts and Potential as a Plant-Derived Natural Preservative. J. Microbiol. Biotechnol 28 (11): 1814-1822.
4. Catalog of Life: 2019 Annual Ckecklist. Species details: Lonicera japonica Thunb.
5. Nuzzo, V. 1997. Element Stewardship Abstract for Lonicera japonica. The Nature Conservancy. Randall, JM University of California. Taken from: invasive.org
6. López González, G. 2004. Guide to the trees and shrubs of the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. 2nd ed. Editions Mundi-Prensa. Madrid. 894 p. Taken from: books.google.co.ve
7. Infojardín. 2019. Honeysuckle, Japanese Honeysuckle. Taken from: chips.infojardin.com
8. Check plants. 2019. Caring for the Lonicera japonica or Japanese Honeysuckle plant. Taken from: consultaplantas.com