Lonicera japonica
Common Name(s):
- This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
- Description
-
Japanese Honeysuckle is an evergreen to semi-deciduous (in the south), naturalized, twining and rampant vine that is difficult to control and grows between 16-291⁄2'. It is capable of growing over plants and smothering them. Remove where possible and keep it away from landscape plants. It flowers in the late spring to fall and is very fragrant. It has dark green foliage, and the first leaves of the season exhibit a lobed condition. It is tolerant of wet conditions, and is a rapid and invasive grower.
NC State Weed Specialist Classified as Highly Invasive.
The edible flowers are sweet. Do not use flowers from other types of honeysuckle.
Quick ID Hints:
- Twining vines have opposite, dark green leaves
- First leaves to appear are lobed, while others are entire
- Stems are reddish-brown to brown
- White, fragrant, flowers turn creamy-yellow
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Aureorecticulata'
- 'Hall's Prolific'
- 'Michell's Rose'
- 'Purpurea'
- 'Aureorecticulata'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Aureorecticulata'
- 'Hall's Prolific'
- 'Michell's Rose'
- 'Purpurea'
- 'Aureorecticulata'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Lonicera
- Species:
- japonica
- Family:
- Caprifoliaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Asia
- Climbing Method:
- Twining
- Edibility:
- Nectar can be sucked from flowers without harm.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Poisonous
- Vine
- Weed
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Fine
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Usda Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Fruits are rounded, small, glossy black berries that are less than an inch in size.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Irregular
- Tubular
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- White, fragrant flowers that fade to a creamy yellow and bloom for most of the summer. They are fragrant, 1-1.5" in size, and are borne in peduncled pairs in axils.
-
-
Leaves:
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are opposite, simple ovate to oblong-ovate, and entire. They have lobed margins and are finely pubescent on both sides in the juvenile stage.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stems are twining and reddish-brown to brown in color. New growth is finely pubescent.
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Songbirds
- Problems:
- Invasive Species
- Poisonous to Humans
- Weedy
-
-
Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Medium
- Poison Symptoms:
- Vomiting, diarrhea, pupil dilation, cold sweat, rapid heartbeat, respiratory failure, convulsions, and coma. TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Vine with saponic and cyanogenic glycosides; fruits with carotenoids.
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Fruits
