Lonicera Fragrantissima Berries
The budded branches may be cut for fragrant indoor arrangements.
Lonicera fragrantissima berries. Lonicera fragrantissima a sweetly scented bush type honeysuckle. Always attracts attention when i have been taking photographs. Beloved for its extraordinarily fragrant winter blooms lonicera fragrantissima sweetest honeysuckle is a bushy deciduous shrub. Lonicera fragrantissima is a species of flowering plant in the honeysuckle family known by the common names winter honeysuckle fragrant honeysuckle january jasmine chinese honeysuckle kiss me at the gate and sweet breath of spring.
Faust park 15193 olive blvd. The winter honeysuckle bush lonicera fragrantissima was introduced from china in the mid nineteenth century and its delightfully fragrant flowers soon became a favorite with gardeners and landscapers. Orange honeysuckle lonicera ciliosa is a twining form. Lonicera fragrantissima plant finder.
The native trumpet honeysuckle also called coral honeysuckle lonicera sempervirens features small red berries that mature in autumn. In late winter to early spring a profusion of highly fragrant short tubed creamy white flowers line up along each stem before the leaves emerge. It can form a dense understory thicket restricting native plant growth and tree seedling establishment. The winter honeysuckle produces wonderfully scented creamy white flowers during the winter months upon semi bare branches sometimes also followed by red berries.
Creamy white scented flowers on this shrubby honeysuckle throughout much of the winter through to early spring. It spreads by suckers so it is easy to dig up some and transplant them to other locations. The easy to grow winter honeysuckle thrives in well drained soil and full sun. It has yellow white flowers and black berries.
Not a climber though can be grown against a wall or trellis. Come spring the leaves of lonicera fragrantissima will appear a deep rich green with a purple bronze flush to them. I read in english gardening books that they suggest planting lonicera fragrantissima in a mixed hedge to provide the fragrance while other shrubs provide the interesting leaves and structure. Lonicera fragrantissima is considered invasive in many states.
You can still find unattended stands thriving at crumbling old homesteads and graveyards. The seeds are dispersed by birds and mammals that eat the berries. Consider planting native plants. In a 2018 research study these honeysuckle berries demonstrated their ability to aid immune system function.
Lonicera fragrantissima is tough and handles our dry summers with only very occasional watering. Faust park 15193 olive blvd. The japanese honeysuckle lonicera japonica is a variety commonly used in traditional chinese medicine. 314 577 5100 hours and admission.