Chinese honeysuckle, Japanese Honeysuckle
Lonicera japonica

Family: Caprifoliaceae

What it is like

An evergreen climber which grows 7.5-9 m long. It can be 15 m long. The young stems are hairy. The leaves are hairy underneath. The leaves are dark green on the upper surface and light green below. The leaves sometimes have lobes. They are 2.5-10 cm long by 1.5-4.5 cm wide. The flowers are white tubes with a sweet smell. They occur in pairs in the axils of leaves. The flower stalk is 1-2.5 cm long. The flower tube is 2-3 cm long. The fruit are blue-black berries. They are 5-7 mm across.

There are about 150 Lonicera species. It has become a weed in cool moist locations. Plant contains saponin. It is available dried in Chinese stores in Australia. It can be invasive.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It will grow on most well-drained soils. It grows in scrub and mountain slopes between 800-1,500 m above sea level in China. In Argentina it grows below 500 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 4-11. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Algeria, Argentina, Asia (country/location of origin), Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Britain, Central America, Central Asia, China (country/location of origin), Colombia, Congo DR, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, France, Germany, Guatemala, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iraq, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Manchuria, Marquesas, Mauritius, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, North America, Pacific, Pakistan, Peru, Pitcairn Is., Puerto Rico, Romania, Rotuma, Rwanda, SE Asia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South America, Spain, St Helena, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Thailand, Trinidad-Tobago, Tunisia, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Indies

How it is used for food

CAUTION: The berries are poisonous. The young leaves are used as a vegetable. The flowers and leaves are dried and used to make drinks. The flowers are used to flavour tea. A sweet nectar can be sucked from the base of the flower. The roots have also been described as eaten in times of food shortage.

It is sold in local markets in China. It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Leaves, flowers, flower nectar, leaves - tea

How it is grown

It can be grown by seed and by vegetative means. Plants can be sown 1-2 m apart.

Its other names

Local names

Bunga madu jepang, Gold and Silver Flower, Gold-and-silver vine, Hall's honeysuckle, Indongdeonggul, Jinyinhua, Kinginka, Leihruisen, Madreselva, Nindo, Sai-nam-saeng, Suikazura

Synonyms

Caprifolium chinense S. Watson ex Loudon; Caprifolium japonicum (Thunb.) Dum.Cours.; Caprifolium roseum Lam.; Lonicera confusa Miq.; and many others