File:スイカズラ (323896956).jpg

Common name: Japanese Honeysuckle, Suikazura 水鬘 or スイカズラ (Japanese), Halls honeysuckle, White Honeysuckle, Chinese Honeysuckle

Botanical name: Lonicera japonica Family: Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle family) Origin: Japan

The Japanese Honeysuckle is a species of honeysuckle native to eastern Asia including Japan, Korea, northern and eastern China, and Taiwan. It is a twining vine able to climb up to 10 m high or more in trees, with opposite, simple oval leaves 3-8 cm long and 2-3 cm broad. The flowers are double tongued, white to yellow, and sweetly scented. The fruit is a globose dark blue berry 5-8 mm diameter containing numerous seeds. This vigorous, heat-tolerant, and nearly indestructible vine is suited to a variety of applications. It can be grown as a loose groundcover or planted on banks for erosion control. It also grows quickly on a trellis, fence, or other framework, providing a fast wind screen or source of shade. The vine blooms heavily in spring and to some extent year round. It's easy to grow and nearly indestructible. The flashy and fragrant flowers will attract hummingbirds and butterflies all summer long. The resulting fruit of the Honeysuckle flower will provide a fall treat for your local songbirds as well. Many honeysuckles will thrive in containers.

Honeysuckles are also eaten by children, who remove the blossom by hand to suck at the sweet nectar in the center.

Medicinal use: The Japanese Honeysuckle flower is of high medicinal value in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is called rěn dōng téng (忍冬藤) or jīn yín huā (金銀花; lit. "gold silver flower"). It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and is used (often in combination with Forsythia suspensa) to dispel heat and remove toxins, including carbuncles, fevers, influenza and ulcers. It is, however, of cold and yin nature, and should not be taken by anyone with weak and "cold" digestive system. In Korean, it is called geumeunhwa. The dried leaves are also used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Trivia: During Victorian times, teenage girls were forbidden to bring honeysuckle home because it was thought to induce erotic dreams.

Courtesy: - TopTropicals - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia