How do you recognise Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)?

Leaf

Rob Hille, Wikimedia · Domaine public

Japanese honeysuckle

Lonicera japonica Thunb.

Family: Caprifoliaceae

twining climber, up to 6 m long

Fences, pergolas, walls, all soils

Flowering: June – September

Full sun

Part shade

Hardy to -15°C

❓ How do you recognise this plant?

Its flowers, very fragrant especially in the evening, change colour as they age, from white to golden yellow. Common honeysuckle is deciduous, with flowers tinged red-purple from the moment they open, whereas Japanese honeysuckle keeps semi-evergreen foliage in winter and its white flowers turn yellow after flowering.

🍃 Leaves

Evergreen or semi-evergreen, ovate, bright green, opposite

🌸 Flowers

Tubular, cream-white turning yellow, very fragrant

🍎 Fruits

Small black berries

🪵 Bark

Reddish brown twining stems winding around supports

🗺️ Distribution

East Asia (China, Japan); introduced in France, considered invasive in some mild-climate regions.

🐝 Value for pollinators

Long, very fragrant summer flowering, rich in nectar, appreciated by moths and bees.

✂️ Horticultural uses

Planted to cover pergolas and fences quickly, to be watched as it can become invasive.

⚠️ Possible toxicity

The berries must not be eaten; they can cause digestive upset. The plant is also liable to be invasive in some regions.

⚠️ Look-alike species

Japanese honeysuckle

Lonicera japonica

Common honeysuckle

Lonicera periclymenum

Common honeysuckle is deciduous, with flowers tinged red-purple from the moment they open, whereas Japanese honeysuckle keeps semi-evergreen foliage in winter and its white flowers turn yellow after flowering.

🌿 Other Caprifoliaceae to discover

Southern bush honeysuckle

Diervilla sessilifolia

ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.

🌱 This database is constantly evolving — species and information are added and corrected regularly. Spotted a mistake? Report it below.