When the honeysuckle started blooming in May, I enjoyed taking in the smell. I showed the boys how to get the nectar out, and they wanted me to feed them blossoms all day. Which we didn’t do since I started getting eaten alive by mosquitos (note: buy bug spray). Then I came across the article Honeysuckle: Benefits and Uses, which said:
“In TCM, the honeysuckle flower is commonly used to help ease the flu, colds and sore throat. According to Science Alert, this plant has the ability to prevent the influenza virus from replicating.”
Oh my goodness, another backyard herb like dandelion, but one people didn’t really seem to know about! So I started researching, and there isn’t a lot online about honeysuckle. So let’s take a look at the delicious flower, honeysuckle!
***Information provided in this blog does not constitute medical advice and is for your informational purposes only***
Types of Honeysuckle
There are about 200 species of honeysuckle. The kind we see in the United States (where I am), is usually one of two varieties.
European Honeysuckle (aka Woodbine)
European honeysuckle or woodbine (lonicera periclymenum) was brought to the United States by settlers. I couldn’t find current information on this, but woodbine used to be used by western herbalists to treat asthma, urinary tract infections, and even women’s labor pains.
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese honeysuckle (lonicera japonica) is one of the most important herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine. A native plant in the Far East, japanese honeysuckle is considered an invasive plant in the United States. In some states, like New York and Texas, it’s illegal to sell japanese honeysuckle! I can attest to this here in Maryland because it is climbing on everything!
Japanese honeysuckle climbing a tree on our property
How to Harvest Honeysuckle
Michelle Van Doren, in a guest post on HealthyGreenSavvy.com cautions:
“Part of the fun of making honeysuckle recipes is harvesting honeysuckle. Take your time and enjoy the beauty of foraging wildflowers. Use caution when collecting wild plants and only collect from areas that aren’t treated with chemicals.
Honeysuckle flowers grow in pairs. If you want to keep the nectar inside, then be sure to clip below the green bud at the base of each flower. I just clipped low enough to get both flowers off of the vine. [click_to_tweet tweet=”Honeysuckle flowers grow in pairs. If you want to keep the nectar inside, then be sure to clip below the green bud at the base of each flower. #herbalremedies @annaruthus” quote=”Honeysuckle flowers grow in pairs. If you want to keep the nectar inside, then be sure to clip below the green bud at the base of each flower. “]
When you keep the green buds at the base of the honeysuckle blossoms on, the nectar stays in.
You’ll want to get as many white flowers as you can. I take the light yellow ones too. The lighter the color, the fresher the blossom. In case you’re wondering about the tool in my hand there, [amazon_textlink asin=’B01MU8CP1W’ text=’I use Fiskars clippers to cut all of my herbs’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’twoacresonadr-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’0c94017f-67e8-11e8-b45d-93a4a4dba814′] [<–affiliate link!]. I’ve had the same pair for years, and I love them 🙂
I just walked around the edge where our cleared property meets our woods and gathered blossoms. It was peaceful…. which is super important with four kiddos in my house now!
Medicinal Uses of Honeysuckle
OrganicFacts.net lists the medicinal uses of honeysuckle as:
- Soothe inflammation in the body, thus reducing the risk of chronic diseases.
- Optimize the digestive system and treat symptoms of nausea, indigestion, constipation, enteritis, and bloating.
- Treat pneumonia, swine flu, and swelling of the brain (encephalitis).
- Reduce your risk of cancer thanks to the extensive antioxidant profile found in these flowers and berries.
- Clear up skin inflammation and conditions [3], such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, and rosacea.
- Improve the body’s immune response to reduce infection and vulnerability to disease.
- Quickly remedy cold and flu symptoms when consumed as a tea.
Honeysuckle Recipies and Remedies
Honeysuckle Jelly from the Live the Old Way Blog
Honeysuckle Ice Cream from the View From Great Island Blog
Honeysuckle Simple Syrup from the Bell’alimento Blog
You can use the blossoms in combination with other herbs in teas and syrups, but look into any contraindications!
Have you used honeysuckle? If you have any recipes to share, please put them in the comments! If you have a review, I’d love to feature your comments in this blog post (I would edit you in 🙂 )
Great article! I tend to forget that a lot of flowers can actually be eaten in different forms, even though I know a lot of them has great health benefits. Will look out for this one – I just found out theres 20 species in India where I live!
You should check out my herbs for fibromyalgia post. Most of the recommended herbs are flowers!
https://twoacresonadream.com/herbs-for-fibromyalgia-herbs-for-my-mom/
Not in the fibromyalgia article, but I love chamomile flowers.
And I’m impressed with the number of honeysuckle varieties you could have access too! Let me know if you come across local recommendations for certain types! That would be interesting!
I grew up eating these as a kid and am glad you provided more information about them. They taste wonderful!
My grandma showed me how to get the nectar when I was young. To know they have all of these medicinal benefits as well…. Is just wonderful. I’m happy you found this article so helpful!!!
Thanks for the reminder to do something with all this honeysuckle! I’m going to forage some with the kids this week to make a glycerite for coughs.
Yes! A great choice! I have some extra thyme right now that would go really well in a glycerite for coughs too!