Herb latin name: Lonicera villosa


Synonyms: Lonicera coerulea edulis


Family: Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family)



Edible parts of Lonicera villosa:

Fruit - raw or preserved. A milder flavour than most edible honeysuckles, they can be eaten raw but are mainly used in making jams, jellies and refreshing drinks. There is a distinct bitterness in the flavour, even when fully ripe.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
150 cm
(5 feet)

Flowering:
April
to May

Habitat of the herb:

Peaty or rocky barrens, bogs and bushy places, especially on limestone.

Propagation of Lonicera villosa:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 2 months cold stratification and should be sown as soon as possible in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with or without a heel, July/August in a frame. Good percentage. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, 15 - 20cm with or without a heel, November in a cold frame. Good percentage. Layering in autumn.

Cultivation of the herb:

Peaty or rocky barrens, bogs and bushy places, especially on limestone.

Medicinal use of Lonicera villosa:

None known

Known hazards of Lonicera villosa:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.