Lonicera japonica
| Lonicera japonica | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 4 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 16' |
| Width: | 16' |
| Speed: | Fast |
| Blooms: | Early Summer-Mid Summer |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Lonicera japonica (common name: japanese honeysuckle)
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 2 months cold stratification[1] and should be sown as soon as possible in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with or without a heel, July/August in a frame. Good percentage[2].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, 15 - 20cm with or without a heel, November in a cold frame. Good percentage[2].
Layering in autumn[3].
Cultivation: Prefers a good moist soil with its roots in the shade and its top climbing into the light[3]. Succeeds in any soil in part shade[4]. Established plants are drought tolerant[5]. They succeed in dry shade, the cultivar 'Halliana' is especially recommended for such a situation[6].
Plants are hardy to about -20°c[4]. The foliage can be damaged in severe wind-chill conditions but the plant usually recovers in the spring[7]. Fruit is only formed after a hot summer[7].
A rampantly growing plant[5], it climbs by twining around other plants[8] and makes an excellent screen for a north or east facing fence or an unsightly object[5]. This species has the potential to become a rampant weed, it has escaped from cultivation in N. America whre it can outcompete native species[9].
The plant has powerfully scented flowers. The white-flowered cultivar 'Halliana' has a pronounced lemon-like perfume[10].
There are several named varieties, developed for their ornamental value[8][3].
Range: E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea. Locally naturalized in Britain[11].
Habitat: Thickets in hills and mountains all over Japan[12]. Woods in the mountains and lowlands of Korea[13].
Edibility: Leaves - cooked. The parboiled leaves are used as a vegetable[14]. Some caution is advised, see notes above on toxicity.
Flowers - sucked for their sweet nectar[14], used as a vegetable or made into a syrup and puddings[14].
A tea is made from the leaves, buds and flowers[15][14].
Medicinal: The stems and flower buds are alterative, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, depurative, diuretic, febrifuge[16][17][18][19][20]. The plant is also used to reduce blood pressure[17][18][20].
The stems are used internally in the treatment of acute rheumatoid arthritis, mumps and hepatitis[20]. The stems are harvested in the autumn and winter, and are dried for later use[20].
The stems and flowers are used together as an infusion in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections (including pneumonia) and dysentery[20].
An infusion of the flower buds is used in the treatment of a wide range of ailments including syphilitic skin diseases and tumours, bacterial dysentery, colds, enteritis, pain, swellings etc[17][18][21][22][20][13]. Experimentally, the flower extracts have been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels and are antibacterial, antiviral and tuberculostatic[22][13]. Externally, the flowers are applied as a wash to skin inflammations, infectious rashes and sores[20]. The flowers are harvested in early morning before they open and are dried for later use[20]. The plant has a similar action to Forsythia suspensa and is usually used in combination with that species to achieve a stronger action[18].
This plant has become a serious weed in many areas of N. America, it might have the potential to be utilized for proven medical purposes[22].
Usage: A very vigorous climbing plant, it makes a good dense ground cover plant where it has the space to run over the ground but it will swamp smaller plants[23][3]. The sub-species L. japonica repens is especially used for this purpose on the continent[8]. The cultivar 'Halliana' has also been recommended[6][23]. This cultivar should be clipped back severely in the spring if it gets untidy, it responds well to such conditions[24]. Plants should be spaced about 1 metre apart each way[24].
The plant is said to be insecticidal[21].
The stems have been used in making baskets[25].
Pollinators: Moths
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: The leaves contain saponins[26]. Saponins are quite toxic but are poorly absorbed by the human body and so most pass through without harm. They can be found in many common foods such as some beans. Thorough cooking, and perhaps changing the cooking water
Also Known As: Nintooa japonica. (Thunb.)Sweet.
Links
References
- ↑ Dirr, Michael and Charles Heuser. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press, 1987.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Shrubs. Pan Books, 1989.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Chatto, Beth. The Damp Garden. Dent, 1982.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Davis, Brian. Climbers and Wall Shrubs. Viking, 1990.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
- ↑ Diggs, George and Barney Lipscomb. Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas. Botanical Research Institute, 1999.
- ↑ Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ Ohwi, Jisaburo. Flora of Japan. Smithsonian Institution, 1965.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Medicinal Plants in the Republic of Korea. World Health Organisation, 1998.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Revolutionary Health Committee of Hunan Province. A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Kariyone, Tatsuo. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Yeung, Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, 1985.
- ↑ Stuart, George. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei Southern Materials Centre.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 20.7 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Foster, Steven and Billy Tatum. Medicinal Plants of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin, 1990.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Napier, Elspeth. Ground Cover Plants. Cassells, 1989.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Thomas, Graham. Plants for Ground Cover. Everyman, 1990.
- ↑ Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Read, Bernard. Famine Foods Listed in the Chiu Huang Pen Ts'ao. Taipei Southern Materials Centre, 1977.