The Interest Of Going And Growing Green

With so many people interested in going green and also planting a “more native” flower garden it is no wonder people love wild flowers. Let’s look at the the honeysuckle.

The Lonicera or honeysuckle, named for Adam Lonieer, a German physician and naturalist, is a numerous tribe. About 140 species are found in the northern hemisphere, with more than 60 in cultivation. There are the bush honeysuckles, perhaps the most familiar of which is the tatarian species. In one place it was planted 80 years ago as an ornamental shrub, and it has now sowed itself far and wide. It has small pink or yellow flowers followed by red currant-like berries which mature early and are quickly devoured by the birds, especially the catbirds.

The twin-flowered honeysuckle is an inconspicuous native plant found in moist woods. Its yellow flowers grow in pairs and are followed by pairs of light red berries.

We are all familiar with the Japanese honeysuckle, with its delicious fragrance, almost evergreen leaves and black berries. Fortunately it kills back somewhat in Winter, for in the Carolinas it forms impenetrable thickets.

The Italian or perfoliate honeysuckle is another strong vine escaped from Europe and naturalized here. It has fragrant. pink flowers.

Many of us are particularly fond of the coral honeysuckle which has a red tubular flower and like most of the honeysuckles is well supplied with nectar. While it has no fragrance to attract the bees, no insect would be able to reach the nectar in the blossoms an inch and a half long, so it relies on the ruby-throated hummingbird for its fertilization, as does the trumpet flower. Later, when the spikes of the deep orange red berries develop they are eaten and widely scattered by other birds. Is there any flower so wholly dependent on the birds for its continued existence?

Discover 100’s of Topics – 1000’s of Articles at Plant-Care.com for example:

• Madagascar Jasmine Plant Care
• Bromeliads Flowers
• How To Care For Mandevilla Red Riding Hood