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Italian Woodbine Wikimedia Commons
Caprifoliaceae

Italian Woodbine

Lonicera caprifolium

Devoted love and bonds of affection.

Family
Caprifoliaceae
Genus
Lonicera
Native to
Southern Europe, Western Asia
Bloom season
Late Spring, Early Summer
Type
deciduous vine
Height
300-600 cm
Sunlight
full sun to partial shade
Soil
moist, well-drained
Water
moderate
Hardiness
5-9
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • The species name 'caprifolium' means 'goat leaf' because goats were observed eagerly browsing the foliage.
  • The flowers change color from white to yellow as they age, so the plant displays multiple colors simultaneously.
  • The intensely sweet fragrance becomes strongest in the evening to attract hawkmoth pollinators.
  • Shakespeare referenced honeysuckle in A Midsummer Night's Dream as a symbol of intertwining lovers.
  • The flowers produce abundant nectar at the base of their long tubes, accessible mainly to long-tongued insects.

Color meanings

0

devoted love

1

fidelity

2

sweetness

Uses

  • ornamental vine
  • fragrance gardens
  • arbor coverage
  • wildlife habitat