Honeysuckles

Description

Honeysuckles are shrubs or vines with opposite oval-shaped leaves and its signature sweet-smelling tubular flowers. The flowers contain sweet nectar, but the fruit is poisonous.

Growing Honeysuckle

Many exotic honeysuckles are considered invasive noxious weeds, so check the DNR or Department of Conservation to see what species are native to your area and consider planting those instead.

Wild-crafting Honeysuckle

Because invasive honeysuckles are such a problem in many areas, it is recommended that you take care when wild-crafting to leave the native honeysuckles alone and make free with the exotic ones.

A Few Honeysuckle Varieties
Japanese Honeysuckle L. japonica is a vine with white flowers, sometimes tinted purple that change to yellow as they mature and small black fruit. It is native to Japan and was once used in the US as an ornamental ground cover and may also have been imported for its medicinal qualities. It has since escaped cultivation and is now considered an exotic weed and its sale is prohibited in some areas in some areas particularly in the Midwest United States.

Bush Honeysuckle L. tatarica L. (Tartarian), L. morrowii Gray (Marrows), L. x bella (Belle), L. maackii (Amur) Are native to Asia and Western Europe and considered to be dangerous invasive species in much of the united states. They are very pretty plants and were once popular ornamental.

Grape Honeysuckle L. reticulata A woody vine native to the United States. It is found along forest boarders and woody slopes. It is considered endangered in Kentucky and Tennessee and should not be wild-crafted there but can be cultivated in a sunny spot in sandy or loamy soil with moderate moisture. Tubular yellow flowers, sometimes tinged orange or pink at the tips, appear in May and June followed by red berries.

Yellow Honeysuckle L. flava

Limber Honeysuckle L. dioica

European Honeysuckle L. periclymenum also known as Woodbine

Coral Honeysuckle L. sempervirens

Common Honeysuckle L. caprifolium aka Dutch honeysuckle, Italian honeysuckle, woodbine. This is the honeysuckle most of the old European herbalists are talking about when they recommend honeysuckle for healing.

Honeysuckle in Magick

Honeysuckle flowers may be used in spells designed to determine the true worth of a person or thing. They may be burned in a censer or steep the flowers in wine, strain and drink.

Honeysuckle flowers may also be added to a Honey Jar.

The vines of the honeysuckle plant may symbolically twined together to bind two lovers to ensure fidelity and desire for each other.

Create a wreath of the flowering vines to encircle a money-drawing candle to increase its effectiveness. Or burn honeysuckle to support any money drawing spell.

Honeysuckle brought into a home will help ensure a good marriage for the people who live there.

Grow honeysuckle near your home to attract love, luck and wealth and to protect your garden from negative influences.

The scent of honeysuckle is said to clear the mind, stimulate psychic powers, sharpen intuition, encourage psychic dreams, sweeten any mood and stimulate generosity. A flower rubbed on the forehead is said to increase psychic abilities.

Honeysuckle Correspondences

Planet: Venus or Mercury
Astrological Sign: Cancer
Element: Earth
Gods/Goddesses: The Maiden Goddess
Season: Spring, Summer
Feast Days: Ostara

Honeysuckle for Healing

Common Honeysuckle L. caprifolium has been recommended by many ancient healers for coughs, asthma and other lung complaints. For asthma, an infusion is recommended. For coughs and other lung complaints an expectorant syrup or decoction may be prepared from the flowers. Common honeysuckle is also diuretic. The flowers may also be steeped in oil to make a vasodilating massage oil that encourages blood flow to the dermis.

Japanese honeysuckle is used to treat a number of infections and inflammations. And infusion of the stems may be used to clean minor abrasions to prevent infections or a poultice may be used to treat skin infections, inflammations and rashes such as those caused by contact dermatitis.

WARNING: Despite honeysuckles traditional medicinal uses and sweet reputation, some people have been known to develop contact dermatitis from handling the plant. There have also been cases of people developing gastrointestinal distress after sipping the nectar out of the flowers.