European Honeysuckle
Lonicera periclymenum
- Native to:
- Albania, Austria, Belgium, Corse, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Michel Langeveld (www.inaturalist.org)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Caprifoliaceae
- Genus:
- Lonicera
- Species:
- Lonicera periclymenum
- USDA Symbol:
- LOPE4
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Vine
- Height:
- 700 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- white, yellow, pink, red
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Homohadena badistriga, Obliquebanded leafroller (Choristoneura rosaceana)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Moths:Honeysuckle Moth (Ypsolopha dentella)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, moths, butterflies, birds
- Fragrant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- good drainage preferred
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers woodland or hedgerow environments
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 30–180 days
- Notes:
- Germination can be erratic and slow. Fresh seed germinates better; dried seed benefits from cold stratification.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI