LONICERA periclymenum Honeysuckle, Woodbine, Lady's Fingers ____________________________________ Type: Perennial Height: 10-20' (3-6 m) Flowering Time: Summer Flower Colour: yellow, orange ____________________________________ Botanical Classification: Class: Angiospermae (Angiosperms) Subclass: Dicotyledonae (Dicotyledons) Superorder: Asteridae (Daisy Superorder) Order: Dipsacales (Teasel Order) Family: Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family) Genus: Lonicera (Honeysuckle) Species: periclymenum ____________________________________

Lonicera periclymenum is a tough woody climber that can clamber high up into trees and bushes. It has deep bluish green rounded leaves in pairs up the stem, which twines clockwise around supporting plants, and flowers throughout the summer. The flowers are in flat clusters, each one with a long, thin tube and wide flared lips, with protruding stigmas and stamens, pale yellow with red streaks on the outside of the tube, with a delicate perfume. It grows mainly in broad-leaved woods and hedges. When I was a child, we used to pick the flowers and suck the nectar from the bottom of the tube!

Lonicera periclymenum has been used in herbal medicine as a muscle relaxant, emetic, laxative, antiseptic, mouthwash, to treat skin complaints and promote healing of wounds. It is referred to in a book about herbs written in AD 659. It was also used as a magical plant to protect against witchcraft.

SOME PARTS OF THIS PLANT MAY BE POISONOUS

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Harvesting and Growing from Seed:

				Germination: Seeds self-sown in autumn germinated in spring.
Seed Pod The seedpod is a waxy red berry. Seed The seeds are flattish oval woody discs. There are a few seeds in each berry. Seedling The seedling has rounded leaves.