Honeysuckle is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicinal herb for clearing heat and detoxifying. It consists of the dried flower buds or partially opened flowers of plants belonging to the genus Lonicera in the Caprifoliaceae family, including Lonicera japonica Thunb., L. hypoglauca Miq., L. confusa DC., or L. dasystyla Rehd. It has the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, and dispersing wind-heat.It is primarily used to treat abscesses, boils, and carbuncles; sore throat; erysipelas; bloody dysentery caused by heat toxins; wind-heat common cold; and fever associated with warm diseases.
Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicinal herb for clearing heat and detoxifying. It consists of the dried flower buds or partially opened flowers of plants belonging to the genus Lonicera in the Caprifoliaceae family, including Lonicera japonica Thunb., L. hypoglauca Miq., L. confusa DC., or L. dasystyla Rehd. It has the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, and dispersing wind-heat.It is primarily used to treat abscesses, boils, and carbuncles; sore throat; erysipelas; bloody dysentery caused by heat toxins; wind-heat common cold; and fever associated with warm diseases.
Chinese Name : 金银花
Latin Name : Lonicerae Japonicae Flos
Aliases : Honeysuckle Flower, Egret Flower, Silver Flower, Double Flower, Two-Flower, Golden Vine Flower, Double-Bud Flower
Authentic Producing Area : Mainly produced in Henan and Shandong
Nature, Flavor & Meridian Tropism : Sweet in taste, cold in nature; enters the Lung, Heart, and Stomach meridians
Benefits & Efficacy
Benefits
This herb has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, as well as dispersing wind-heat.
Indications
It is primarily used to treat abscesses, boils, and carbuncles; sore throat; erysipelas; bloody dysentery caused by heat toxins; wind-heat common cold; and fever associated with warm diseases.
Usage and Dosage
Internal use: Decocted, 6–15 g.
Precautions
Decocting honeysuckle and dandelion together may cause the solution to become turbid; therefore, this herb is not suitable for use in compound injections.
Chemical Constituents
This product contains essential oils, luteolin, inositol, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, and other compounds. The isolated chlorogenic acid and isochlorogenic acid are the main antibacterial components of this product.
Pharmacological Actions
This product exhibits antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-bacterial toxin effects, as well as antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.
Relevant Discussions
1. *Compendium of Materia Medica*: “All types of rheumatic conditions, as well as various swellings and toxic sores, boils, abscesses, scabies, and syphilitic ulcers. Dispels heat and detoxifies.”
2. *Supplement to the Materia Medica*: “Treats heat toxins, bloody dysentery, and watery dysentery; take as a strong decoction.”
Applications
Clinical Applications
1. To treat early-stage abscesses and sores characterized by redness, swelling, heat, and pain, this herb may be decocted and taken alone, with the residue applied topically to the affected area. It may also be combined with soapberry thorns, manchurian armadillo, and white angelica, as in the “Immortal Formula for Preserving Life Decoction” (*Effective Formulas for Women*);To treat carbuncles and swellings caused by toxins that are hard and deeply rooted, it is often combined with Viola yedoensis, dandelion, and wild chrysanthemum, as in the “Five-Flavor Disinfecting Decoction” (from *The Golden Mirror of Medical Orthodoxy*); to treat abdominal pain caused by intestinal abscesses, it is often combined with Angelica sinensis, Sanguisorba officinalis, and Scutellaria baicalensis, as in the “Intestinal-Clearing Decoction” (from *Records of Differentiation of Syndromes*);; for treating lung abscesses with coughing up pus and blood, it is often combined with Houttuynia cordata, Phragmites root, and Peach Kernel to clear the lungs and expel pus.
2. For treating exogenous wind-heat or the early stages of warm diseases, characterized by fever, headache, sore throat, and thirst, it is often combined with Forsythia, Peppermint, and Arctium seed, as in the Yinqiao Powder (*Treatise on the Differentiation of Warm Diseases*);This herb excels at clearing heat toxins from the Heart and Stomach and has the function of penetrating the Nutritive Level and regulating Qi. It is used to treat conditions where heat has entered the Nutritive Level and Blood, presenting with a crimson tongue, mental confusion, restlessness, and insomnia. It is combined with herbs such as Water Buffalo Horn, Raw Rehmannia, and Coptis, as in the Qingying Decoction (*Treatise on the Differentiation of Warm Diseases*);To treat summer-heat syndrome characterized by fever, restlessness, thirst, headache, and absence of sweat, it is used in combination with Xiangru, Houpo, and Lianqiao, as in the Newly Added Xiangru Decoction (*Treatise on the Differentiation of Warm Diseases*).
3. To treat heat-toxin dysentery with bloody and purulent diarrhea, a concentrated decoction taken orally alone is effective; it may also be combined with herbs such as Huangqin, Huanglian, and Baitouweng to enhance the anti-dysentery effect.
Related Compatibility
1. Honeysuckle Combined with Forsythia: Both have the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying. Honeysuckle has a fragrant aroma; it can clear wind-heat and eliminate toxins from the blood, and is particularly effective at dispersing heat from the upper body. Forsythia is light, clear, and floating; it excels at clearing the heart and removing various types of heat from the upper jiao, as well as dispersing nodules, reducing swelling, and treating sores. It is particularly effective at dispersing heat throughout the entire body.When used in combination, the heat-clearing and detoxifying effects of these two herbs are greatly enhanced. They can not only dispel heat and resolve exterior syndromes but also clear internal heat and toxic pathogens. Furthermore, they regulate qi and blood, unblock stagnation and blood stasis in the Twelve Meridians, thereby achieving the effects of reducing swelling, dispersing nodules, and relieving pain. This formula is suitable for cases of exogenous wind-heat or the early stages of warm diseases characterized by heat in both the exterior and interior;wind-heat patterns in seasonal colds; skin ulcers and abscesses with redness, swelling, heat, and pain characteristic of yang-type conditions; and conditions caused by wind-heat ascending to the head, such as headaches, sore throat, red and watery eyes, and itchy rashes due to wind-heat.
2. Honeysuckle combined with Astragalus: Honeysuckle excels at clearing heat and detoxifying; Astragalus excels at tonifying qi, promoting the healing of sores, and regenerating tissue. When used in combination, they synergistically detoxify, reduce swelling, and promote the healing of sores and tissue regeneration. This combination is suitable for individuals with qi deficiency suffering from abscesses and swellings.
3. Honeysuckle combined with Isatis Leaf: Both possess heat-clearing and detoxifying properties. Honeysuckle can clear heat caused by wind-heat and eliminate toxins from the blood; Isatis Leaf can purge fire and cool the blood, excelling at clearing heat toxins from the nutritive blood. When used together, they complement each other, significantly enhancing their heat-clearing and detoxifying effects. This combination is suitable for fever associated with abscesses and swellings, as well as sepsis.
Medicinal Identification
Raw Honeysuckle, Charred Honeysuckle, and Honeysuckle Dew: Raw Honeysuckle is the most commonly used form. It is sweet, cold, and aromatic, with dispersing properties; it can both clear heat and eliminate toxins, as well as disperse wind-heat. It is particularly effective for treating all types of abscesses, boils, and carbuncles with yang-pattern symptoms, as well as external wind-heat invasions and the early stages of warm diseases.Charred Honeysuckle is made by roasting the raw herb until charred; its cold nature is slightly reduced, and it possesses a certain astringent effect. It primarily enters the Stomach and Large Intestine meridians, focusing on cooling the blood and stopping dysentery. It is often used for heat-toxin blood dysentery and cases involving pus and blood in the stool.Honeysuckle Dew is produced by distilling the raw herb with water. It clears heat and relieves summer heat, and clears and drains the head and eyes. It can be used for summer heat-induced restlessness and thirst, sore throat, as well as heat sores and prickly heat in children.
Related Medicines
1. Yin Huang Granules (oral solution, tablets, injection) (from *Guidelines for Clinical Medication: Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulations*, 2020 edition)
(1) Composition: Honeysuckle extract, Scutellaria baicalensis extract.
(2) Functions and Indications: Dispels wind and relieves exterior syndromes; soothes the throat and detoxifies.Indicated for dry throat, sore throat, enlarged tonsils, thirst, and fever caused by exogenous wind-heat or excessive heat in the lung and stomach; also for acute and chronic tonsillitis, acute and chronic pharyngitis, and upper respiratory tract infections presenting with the aforementioned symptoms.
2. Shuanghuanglian Oral Solution (granules, tablets, syrup, compound solution, capsules) (2020 Edition of *Clinical Guidelines for the Use of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulations*)
(1) Composition: Honeysuckle, Scutellaria baicalensis, Forsythia.
(2) Functions and Indications: Dispels wind and relieves exterior symptoms; clears heat and detoxifies. Indicated for common colds caused by exogenous wind-heat, presenting with fever, cough, and sore throat.
3. Pediatric Exterior-Relieving Granules (from *Clinical Guidelines for the Use of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulations*, 2020 Edition)
(1) Composition: Honeysuckle, Forsythia, Schizonepeta Spikes, Fangfeng, Perilla Leaf, Pueraria Root, Dandelion, Scutellaria, Roasted Burdock Seed, Artificial Calamus.
(2) Functions and Indications: Dispels wind from the lungs and relieves exterior symptoms; clears heat and detoxifies. Indicated for colds in children caused by external invasion of wind-heat, presenting with fever, aversion to wind, headache, cough, nasal congestion, runny nose, and sore or itchy throat.
4. Heat-Clearing and Detoxifying Oral Solution (from *Clinical Guidelines for the Use of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulations*, 2020 Edition)
(1) Composition: Honeysuckle, Forsythia, Anemarrhena, Gypsum, Scutellaria, Gardenia, Sweet Dandelion, Gentiana, Isatis Root, Ophiopogon, Rehmannia, and Scrophularia.
(2) Functions and Indications: Clears heat and detoxifies. Indicated for fever with facial flushing, restlessness, thirst, and sore throat caused by excessive heat-toxin;influenza, and upper respiratory tract infections presenting with the aforementioned symptoms.
5. Honeysuckle Cold Granules (Pharmaceutical Standards of the Ministry of Health of the People’s Republic of China: Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulated Preparations)
(1) Composition: Lonicera japonica, Forsythia suspensa, Saposhnikovia divaricata, Platycodon grandiflorus, Glycyrrhiza uralensis.
(2) Functions and Indications: Clears heat, relieves exterior symptoms, and soothes the throat. Indicated for common cold with fever, headache, and sore throat.
Related Prescriptions
1. Yinqiao Powder (from *Treatise on the Differentiation of Warm Diseases*)
(1) Composition: Lonicera japonica, Forsythia suspensa, Mentha haplocalyx, Platycodon grandiflorus, Bambusa vulgaris leaf, raw Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Schizonepeta tenuifolia spikelets, fermented soybean, Arctium lappa seeds, and Phragmites communis rhizome.
(2) Functions and Indications: Dispels exterior pathogens with pungent-cool properties; clears heat and detoxifies. Indicated for the early stage of warm diseases.Fever without sweating, or sweating that is not profuse; slight aversion to wind and cold; headache and thirst; cough and sore throat; red tip of the tongue; thin white or thin yellow coating; floating and rapid pulse.
2. Qingying Decoction (*Treatise on the Differentiation of Warm Diseases*)
(1) Composition: Raw Rehmannia, Scrophularia, Ophiopogon, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Lonicera, Coptis, Forsythia, rolled bamboo leaves, etc.
(2) Functions and Indications: Clears the Ying layer and eliminates toxins; disperses heat and nourishes Yin. Indicated for pathogenic heat transmitting to the Ying layer. Symptoms include fever that worsens at night, restlessness and insomnia, occasional delirium, thirst or absence of thirst, faint rashes, a rapid pulse, and a dark red and dry tongue.
3. Xianfang Huoming Decoction (*Effective Formulas for Women*)
(1) Composition: Honeysuckle, licorice nodes, red peony root, manchurian armadillo scale, soapberry thorn, white angelica root, fritillary bulb, saposhnikovia root, angelica root tail, frankincense, myrrh, tangerine peel, and trichosanthes root.
(2) Functions and Indications: Clears heat and detoxifies; reduces swelling and resolves hardened abscesses; promotes blood circulation and relieves pain. Indicated for the early stages of boils, abscesses, and toxic swellings characterized by stagnation of heat-toxin and qi stagnation with blood stasis. Symptoms include redness, swelling, burning pain, or fever with chills; a thin white or yellow tongue coating; and a rapid, forceful pulse.
4. Honeysuckle Detoxifying Decoction (from *Collected Insights on Surgical Diseases*)
(1) Composition: Honeysuckle, Groundsel, Red Poria, Forsythia, Peony Bark, Coptis, Summer Deadnettle, etc.
(2) Functions and Indications: Clears heat and detoxifies; cools the blood and reduces swelling. Indicated for heat-toxin stagnation in the collaterals, abscesses, and the treatment of skin ulcers.
5. Tuoli Detoxifying Decoction (from *New Compilation of Proven Formulas*)
(1) Composition: Astragalus, Angelica sinensis, Sapindus thorn, Red Peony Root, Honeysuckle, Scutellaria baicalensis, Rhubarb, Trichosanthes root, Fructus Aurantii, Oyster shell, Raw Licorice.
(2) Functions and Indications: Tonifies qi and promotes blood circulation; expels toxins and drains pus. Indicated for abscesses and ulcers where pus has formed and is about to rupture, accompanied by local redness, swelling, and pain.
6. Si Miao Yong’an Decoction (*New Compilation of Proven Formulas*)
(1) Composition: Honeysuckle, Scrophularia, Angelica sinensis, Licorice.
(2) Functions and Indications: Clears heat and detoxifies; promotes blood circulation and relieves pain. Indicated for gangrene caused by intense heat-toxin. The affected limb appears dark red, slightly swollen, and hot to the touch, with ulceration and a foul odor, accompanied by severe pain; or fever and thirst may be present, with a red tongue and rapid pulse.
Medicinal Diet Therapy
1. Honeysuckle Wine
(1) Efficacy: Clears heat and detoxifies. Primarily treats abscesses, lung abscesses, and intestinal abscesses.
(2) Ingredients: 50 grams of honeysuckle, 10 grams of licorice, and 0.15 liters of white liquor.
(3) Preparation: Decoct the two herbs in 1 liter of water to obtain 250 milliliters of decoction. Add 150 milliliters of white liquor, simmer briefly, then divide into three portions.
2. Honeysuckle Porridge
(1) Effects: Clears heat, detoxifies, and dispels wind-heat. Primarily used to treat all types of rheumatic conditions, as well as various swellings and toxic sores, abscesses, and skin conditions such as scabies and tinea.
(2) Ingredients: 15 g honeysuckle, 100 g rice, white sugar to taste.
(3) Preparation: Wash the honeysuckle flowers, add an appropriate amount of water, and soak for 5–10 minutes. Decoct to extract the liquid, then add the rice and cook into porridge. Stir in white sugar when nearly done.
3. Honeysuckle Dew
(1) Benefits: Clears heat, relieves summer heat, detoxifies, cools the blood, and quenches thirst. It can treat summer heat-induced thirst, heat-toxin sores and swellings, childhood boils, and heat rash.
(2) Ingredients: 50 grams of honeysuckle.
(3) Preparation: Add 50 grams of honeysuckle to 1,500 milliliters of water and soak for half an hour. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add rock sugar to taste, then refrigerate until ready to serve. With its sweet and refreshing aroma, this is an excellent health drink for summer.
4. Honeysuckle and Peppermint Drink
(1) Benefits: It clears heat, cools the blood, detoxifies, promotes fluid production, and quenches thirst. It is suitable for patients with wind-heat colds, the early stages of warm diseases, and those experiencing high fever and intense thirst.
(2) Ingredients: 30 grams of honeysuckle, 10 grams of peppermint, and 60 grams of fresh reed root.
(3) Preparation: First, add 500 milliliters of water to the honeysuckle and reed root and boil for 15 minutes; then add the mint and boil for another 3 minutes. Strain, add an appropriate amount of white sugar, and serve warm.
5. Honeysuckle and Lotus Seed Pudding
(1) Benefits: It clears heat, detoxifies, strengthens the spleen, and stops diarrhea.
(2) Ingredients: 25 grams of honeysuckle, 50 grams of lotus seeds, and an appropriate amount of white sugar.
(3) Preparation: First, rinse the honeysuckle. Soak the lotus seeds in warm water, then remove the skins and inner cores. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer until the lotus seeds are tender. Add the honeysuckle and simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the white sugar until well blended.
6. Honeysuckle and Hawthorn Drink
(1) Benefits: Clears heat, aids digestion, and promotes bowel movements.
(2) Ingredients: 30 grams of honeysuckle, 20 grams of hawthorn, and honey to taste.
(3) Preparation: Place the honeysuckle and hawthorn in a pot, add water, and bring to a boil over high heat for 15 minutes. Strain, then add honey.
Notes
Patients requiring treatment with Chinese herbal medicine should first consult a licensed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) hospital, where a TCM practitioner will conduct a professional pattern differentiation and prescribe an herbal formula.
Processing & Preparation
Harvesting & Processing
In late spring or early summer, after the morning dew has dried, harvest flower buds on the verge of blooming or newly opened flowers, and promptly sun-dry or dry them at a low temperature.
Processing Methods
1. Honeysuckle: Take the raw herb, remove any remaining stems, leaves, and impurities, and sift out ash and debris. The raw form is used to clear heat, eliminate toxins, dispel wind, and relieve exterior syndromes.
2. Roasted Honeysuckle: Take the cleaned honeysuckle, place it in a hot pan, and stir-fry over low heat until it turns yellow; remove, spread out, and allow to cool.Roasted honeysuckle is used to clear heat, relieve exterior symptoms, harmonize the stomach, and stop vomiting.
3. Charred honeysuckle: Take the cleaned honeysuckle, place it in a pan, and roast over medium heat until the surface turns dark brown. Spray a small amount of water to extinguish any embers, then continue roasting until completely dry. Remove and allow to cool thoroughly. Charred honeysuckle is used to clear heat, eliminate toxins, cool the blood, and stop dysentery.
Storage Methods
Store in a dry container in a cool, dry place, protected from moisture and insect infestation. Keep the charred honeysuckle away from heat to prevent reignition.
Crude Drug Identification
Identification
1. The powder of this product is light yellowish-brown or yellowish-green. It contains numerous glandular trichomes; the heads are inverted conical, circular, or slightly flattened circular in shape, consisting of 4–33 cells arranged in 2–4 layers, with a diameter of 30–64–108 μm; the stalks consist of 1–5 cells and can reach a length of up to 700 μm.There are two types of non-glandular trichomes: one is a thick-walled non-glandular trichome, consisting of a single cell, up to 900 μm in length, with minute wart-like or vesicular projections on the surface, some of which are spiral-shaped; the other is a thin-walled non-glandular trichome, consisting of a single cell, very long, curved or shriveled, with minute wart-like projections on the surface. Calcium oxalate cluster crystals range in diameter from 6 to 45 μm.Pollen grains are subglobose or triangular, with a surface bearing dense, short spines and fine granular sculpturing, and featuring three pore grooves.
2. Take 0.2 g of the powdered sample, add 5 mL of methanol, let stand for 12 hours, filter, and use the filtrate as the test solution. Separately, take a chlorogenic acid reference standard, dissolve it in methanol to prepare a solution containing 1 mg per mL, and use this as the reference solution.Perform the test by thin-layer chromatography (General Chapter 0502): pipette 10–20 μL of the test solution and 10 μL of the reference solution, and apply them separately to the same silica gel H plate. Develop the plates using the upper layer of a butyl acetate–formic acid–water (7:2.5:2.5) mixture as the developing solvent. Remove the plates, allow them to air-dry,examine under a UV lamp (365 nm). In the test solution chromatogram, fluorescent spots of the same color as those in the reference standard chromatogram appear at the corresponding positions.
Properties of Crude Drugs
1. Honeysuckle: The flower buds are slender and club-shaped, thicker at the top and thinner at the bottom, slightly curved, 2–3 cm long, with a diameter of approximately 3 mm at the top and approximately 1.5 mm at the bottom. The surface is yellowish-white or greenish-white (the color gradually deepens with prolonged storage) and densely covered with short, soft hairs. Leaf-like bracts are occasionally present. The calyx is green, 5-lobed at the apex, with hairy lobes approximately 2 mm long.When open, the corolla is tubular with a bilabiate apex; there are 5 stamens attached to the tube wall, yellow in color; there is 1 pistil, and the ovary is glabrous. It has a fresh, fragrant aroma and a mild, slightly bitter taste.
2. Red-gland Honeysuckle: 2.5–4.5 cm long, 0.8–2 mm in diameter.Surface yellowish-white to yellowish-brown, glabrous or sparsely hairy. Calyx tube glabrous, 5-lobed at the apex; lobes long-triangular, hairy. In open flowers, the lower lip of the corolla is reflexed; style glabrous.
3. Mountain Honeysuckle: 1.6–3.5 cm long, 0.5–2 mm in diameter. Calyx tube and corolla densely covered with grayish-white hairs; ovary hairy.
4. Hairy-styled Honeysuckle: 2.5–4 cm long, 1–2.5 mm in diameter. Surface pale yellow with a slight purplish tinge, glabrous. Calyx lobes are short-triangular. In open flowers, the upper lip of the corolla is often irregular, and the lower part of the style is usually densely covered with long soft hairs.
Properties of Processed Slices
1. Honeysuckle: Rod-shaped and curved, 20–30 mm long, thicker at the top and tapering toward the bottom, yellowish-white, greenish-white, or pale yellow, with short soft hairs. The calyx is green. It has a fresh aroma, a faint flavor, and a slightly bitter aftertaste.
2. Roasted Honeysuckle: Resembles fresh honeysuckle but is distinctly yellow.
3. Charred Honeysuckle: Resembles fresh honeysuckle but is charred brown and has a slight burnt aroma.
Botanical Information
Botanical Classification
Plants of the genus Lonicera in the family Caprifoliaceae, including Lonicera japonica, Lonicera rubroglabra, Lonicera montana, or Lonicera pilosa.
Morphological Characteristics
Honeysuckle is a perennial, semi-evergreen shrub with twining and creeping stems. The twigs are slender and hollow, and the vines range in color from brown to reddish-brown. The ovate leaves are opposite, and both the branches and leaves are densely covered with soft hairs and glandular hairs.It blooms in summer; the bracts are leaf-like, and the labiate flowers have a faint fragrance, with soft hairs and glandular hairs on the outside. Both the stamens and the style extend beyond the corolla. Flowers grow in pairs in the leaf axils; they are initially white and gradually turn yellow, creating a contrast of yellow and white. The fruit is a spherical berry that turns black when ripe.Young branches are pure reddish-brown, densely covered with yellowish-brown, spreading, stiff, rough hairs, glandular hairs, and short soft hairs; the lower part is often glabrous.Leaves are papery, ovate to oblong-ovate, sometimes ovate-lanceolate, rarely rounded-ovate or obovate, very rarely with 1 to several blunt notches; 3–5 cm long; apex acute or acuminate, rarely obtuse, rounded, or slightly emarginate; base rounded or nearly cordate, with rough marginal hairs; upper surface dark green,the underside pale green; leaves on the upper part of the twig are usually densely covered with short, rough hairs on both surfaces, while lower leaves are often smooth and glabrous, with the underside more or less bluish-gray; petioles 4–8 mm long, densely covered with short soft hairs.The inflorescence stalk is usually solitary in the axils of upper leaves on the twig, equal in length to or slightly shorter than the petiole; those lower down may reach 2–4 cm in length, densely covered with short soft hairs intermixed with glandular hairs; bracts are large, leaf-like, ovate to elliptic, up to 2–3 cm long, with short soft hairs on both surfaces or sometimes nearly glabrous;the small bracts are rounded or truncate at the apex, about 1 mm long, constituting 1/2–4/5 of the calyx tube, with short, rough hairs and glandular hairs; the calyx tube is about 2 mm long, glabrous; the calyx teeth are ovate-triangular or long-triangular, with a pointed apex and long hairs, and are densely hairy on the outer surface and margins;Corolla white, sometimes with a faint reddish tinge on the sun-facing side at the base, later turning yellow, (2–)3–4.5(–6) cm long, labial; tube slightly longer than the labellum, rarely nearly equal in length, externally covered with more or less decumbent, spreading or semi-spreading rough hairs and long glandular hairs; upper lip lobe blunt at the apex; lower lip strap-shaped and reflexed;Both the stamens and the style extend beyond the corolla. The flower bud is club-shaped, thicker at the top and tapering toward the base. The exterior is yellowish-white or pale green, densely covered with short soft hairs. The calyx is minute, yellowish-green, lobed at the apex, with the margins of the lobes hairy. The open flower is tubular, with a bilabiate apex; there are 5 stamens attached to the tube wall, yellow in color; and 1 pistil with a glabrous ovary.It has a fresh, fragrant aroma and a mild, slightly bitter taste. The best quality specimens are unopened flower buds that are yellowish-white or greenish-white in color and free of any stems, leaves, or impurities. The fruit is round, 6–7 mm in diameter, and glossy blue-black when ripe; the seeds are ovoid or elliptical, brown, about 3 mm long, with a prominent ridge in the middle and shallow transverse grooves on both sides.Flowering period: April–June (often blooms in autumn as well); fruit ripening period: October–November.
Distribution Area
Honeysuckle is distributed in East China, Central and South China, Southwest China, as well as in Hebei, Shanxi, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Gansu, and other regions.
Growth Habits
Honeysuckle prefers sunny, mild, and humid environments; it is hardy, highly adaptable, cold-tolerant, and drought-tolerant, but grows poorly in shaded areas.
Propagation Methods
Propagated by seeds and cuttings.
Cultivation Techniques
1. Seed Propagation: Sow in April. Soak the seeds in warm water (35–40°C) for 24 hours, then remove and mix with 2–3 times their volume of moist sand to promote germination. Sow when about 30% of the seeds have cracked open.Sow in furrows on raised beds with a row spacing of 21–22 cm, cover with 1 cm of soil, and spray water once every two days; seedlings will emerge in about 10 days. Transplant in late fall or the following spring, using approximately 15 kg of seeds per hectare.
2. Propagation by Cuttings: This is generally carried out during the rainy season. During overcast and rainy weather in summer and fall, select healthy, pest- and disease-free 1- to 2-year-old branches, cut them into 30–35 cm lengths, remove the lower leaves, and use them as cuttings immediately after cutting.In the prepared soil, dig holes with a row spacing of 1.6 m and a plant spacing of 1.5 m. The holes should be 16–18 cm deep. Place 5–6 cuttings per hole, arranging them in a scattered, diagonal pattern and burying them in the soil so that approximately 7–10 cm remains above ground. Fill the holes with soil and firm it down (sandy soil with good air and water permeability is best).
Pest and Disease Control
1. Brown Spot Disease: Remove diseased leaves, then spray with Bordeaux mixture at a ratio of 1:1.5:200 once every 7–10 days for 2–3 consecutive applications;Alternatively, use a 500-fold dilution of 65% zinc mancozeb or a 1,000–1,500-fold dilution of thiophanate-methyl, spraying once every 7 days for 2–3 consecutive applications.
2. Powdery mildew: Clear the garden of diseased and dead plants; during the outbreak period, spray with a 1,000-fold dilution of 50% thiophanate-methyl or BO-10 biological control agent.
3. Aphids: Spray with a 1,000–1,500-fold dilution of 40% malathion or a 1,000–1,500-fold dilution of aphid-control agent (aphid-killer), repeating multiple times until the infestation is eradicated.
4. Geometer Moths: After spring arrives, dig up the soil within 1 meter of the plants to destroy pupae. At the early stage of larval emergence, spray a 400–600-fold dilution of 2.5% rotenone emulsifiable concentrate; alternatively, use pesticides such as DDVP or diazinon to control them, but discontinue spraying during the flowering period.
5. Anthracnose: Remove and burn all diseased plant debris and leaves; before transplanting, soak seeds in a 1:1:150–200 Bordeaux mixture for 5–10 minutes; during the disease outbreak period, spray with a 500-fold dilution of 65% zinc mancozeb or an 800–1,000-fold dilution of 50% thiram.
6.Longhorn Beetles: When adults emerge from the soil, douse the planting mounds with a 1,000-fold dilution of 80% diazinon. During peak egg-laying, spray a 800–1,000-fold dilution of 90% diazinon crystals once every 7–10 days; prune and burn any infested branches upon discovery; if borer holes are present, pack them with cotton soaked in undiluted 80% dichlorvos and seal with soil to kill the larvae.