Lonicera


LONICERA CAPRIFOLIUM.--Europe. This species resembles L. Periclymenum,

but is readily distinguished by the sessile flower-heads, and

fawny-orange flowers.



L. FLEXUOSA (_syn L. brachypoda_).--Japan, 1806. This is a pretty

species, and one of the most useful of the climbing section. By its

slender, twining, purplish stems, it may at once be distinguished, as

also by the deep green, purplish-tinted leaves, a
d sweetly-scented

flowers of various shades of yellow and purple. A native of China, and

perfectly hardy as a wall plant. L. flexuosa aureo-reticulata is a

worthy variety, in which the leaves are beautifully netted or variegated

with yellow.



L. FRAGRANTISSIMA.--China, 1845. This species is often confounded with

L. Standishii, but differs in at least one respect, that the former is

strictly a climber, while the latter is of bushy growth. The leaves,

too, of L. Standishii are hairy, which is not the case with the other

species. It is a very desirable species, with white fragrant flowers,

produced during the winter season.



L. PERICLYMENUM.--Honeysuckle, or Woodbine. An indigenous climbing

shrub, with long, lithe, and twisted cable-like branches, and bearing

heads of sweetly-scented, reddish-yellow flowers. This is a favourite

wild plant, and in the profusion and fragrance of its flowers it is

surpassed by none of the exotic species. There are several distinct

nursery forms of this plant, including those known as L. Periclymenum

Late Dutch, L. Periclymenum Early Cream, and L. Periclymenum

odoratissimum; as also one with variegated foliage.



L. SEMPERVIRENS.--Scarlet Trumpet Honeysuckle. A North American

evergreen species (1656), with scarlet, almost inodorous flowers,

produced freely during the summer. For wall covering it is one of the

most useful of the family. The variety L. sempervirens minor is worthy

of attention.



L. STANDISHII, a Chinese species (1860), has deliciously fragrant while

flowers, with a slight purplish tint, and is well worthy of attention,

it soon forming a wall covering of great beauty.



L. TATARICA.---Tartarian Honeysuckle. Tartary, 1752. This is a very

variable species, in so far at least as the colour of flowers is

concerned, and has given rise to several handsome varieties. The typical

plant has rosy flowers, but the variety L. tatarica albiflora has pure

white flowers; and another, L. tatarica rubriflora has freely produced

purplish-red flowers.



L. XYLOSTEUM (_syn Xylosteum dumetorum_).--Fly Honeysuckle. Europe

(England) to the Caucasus. The small, creamy-white flowers of this plant

are not particularly showy, but the scarlet berries are more conspicuous

in September and October. The gray bark of the branches has also a

distinct effect in winter when grown in contrast to the red-barked

species of Cornus, Viburnum, and yellow-barked Osier. It is one of the

oldest occupants of British shrubberies. L. Xylosteum leucocarpum has

white berries; those of L. Xylosteum melanocarpum are black; and in L.

Xylosteum xanthocarpum they are yellow.



The Honeysuckles are all of the readiest culture, and succeed well in

very poor soils, and in that of opposite qualities. Propagated from

cuttings or by layering.



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