Honeysuckle
Lonicera japonica
Family: Caprifoliaceae · Also called Japanese Honeysuckle, Jinyinhua, Woodbine, Lonicera japonica var. aureoreticulata, Lonicera japonica f. aureoreticulata, Lonicera brachypoda var. aureoreticulata
Green & Fresh · Spring–Summer bloomer
Honeysuckle is the scent of summer evenings distilled into a flower. This vigorous climber wraps itself around fences, trees, and anything it can reach, producing tubular flowers that fade from white to gold over their lifespan. The fragrance intensifies dramatically at dusk, drawing in the hawkmoths that pollinate it by moonlight.
devoted affection, bonds of love, generosity
In the Victorian language of flowers, honeysuckle means “Bonds of devoted love”. In Chinese medicine, honeysuckle (jinyinhua, 'gold-silver flower') has been used for over 2,000 years as an anti-inflammatory. Children worldwide know the trick of pulling the stamen through the back of the flower to extract a tiny drop of nectar. The plant's habit of tightly twining around trees made it a Victorian symbol of devoted, clinging love.
Did You Know?
Honeysuckle flowers change color from white to yellow as they age, signaling to pollinators which blooms have already been visited (yellow = nectar depleted). The tiny drop of sweet nectar at the base of each flower gives the plant its name.
Forest edges, hedgerows, and fence lines, vigorous climber that spreads rapidly
Honeysuckle is native to East Asia. It naturally grows in forest edges, hedgerows, and fence lines, vigorous climber that spreads rapidly.
Scent Profile
“A warm, honeyed sweetness with green and creamy undertones, nostalgic and enveloping, strongest on warm summer evenings.”
Quick Reference
- Scientific NameLonicera japonica
- FamilyCaprifoliaceae
- Native ToEast Asia
- Bloom SeasonSpring–Summer
- LifespanPerennial
Cultural Significance
In Chinese medicine, honeysuckle (jinyinhua, 'gold-silver flower') has been used for over 2,000 years as an anti-inflammatory. Children worldwide know the trick of pulling the stamen through the back of the flower to extract a tiny drop of nectar. The plant's habit of tightly twining around trees made it a Victorian symbol of devoted, clinging love.