Herb: Fly Honeysuckle


Latin name: Lonicera canadensis


Synonyms: Lonicera ciliata


Family: Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family)



Medicinal use of Fly Honeysuckle:

The steeped branches are a very effective diuretic. A decoction of the shoots is used in the treatment of chancres caused by syphilis. The bark is sedative. An infusion has been given to children who cry all night.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
150 cm
(5 feet)

Flowering:
April
to May

Habitat of the herb:

Cool moist woods.

Edible parts of Fly Honeysuckle:

Fruit. It is possibly edible. The fruit is about 6mm in diameter.

Propagation of the herb:

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 Fly Honeysuckle:

Cool moist woods.

Known hazards of Lonicera canadensis:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.