Lonicera periclymenum - Honeysuckle

Phylum: Magnoliophyta - Class: Equisetopsida - Order: Dipsacales - Family: Caprifoliaceae

This sweetly scented climber graces the hedgerows with its attractive flowers in summer and occasionally climbs to a height of 6 metres. Wild Honeysuckle (also referred to by the common name Woodbine) is most strongly scented in the evening and attracts moths, which polinate the flowers as they gather nectar.

Description

This deciduous climber has oval grey-green leaves and trumpet-shaped flowers in flat clusters. The flowers vary in colour from white or yellow through to pink or red.

Distribution

Honeysuckle is common throughout the UK and Ireland.

Honeysuckle is a clockwise climber and can rapidly cover trees up to six metres tall.

Flowering times

Honeysuckle can be seen in flower between late May and the end of October, and it is quite common to see the red fruit berries alongside fresh Honeysuckle blooms during late summer and autumn.

Etymology

The genus name Lonicera honours the 16th century German botanist Adam Lonitzer, while the specific epithet periclymenon comes from Greek mythology and is a reference to the argonaut Periklymenon, who ewas reputed to be able to change his shape. Both the shape and the colour of Honeysuckle flowers change considerably as they open and mature.