Most will recognize that lovely fragrance of a honeysuckle and children love to pull the stamen in order to enjoy a drop of sweet, edible nectar (hence the name: honeysuckle)!
Lonicera ciliosa, the orange honeysuckle or western trumpet honeysuckle is what we have growing here in North Idaho. The twining, trailing vines can climb up to 18 feet and are often found in open woods, or along edges of forests.
If you can work a few honeysuckles into your garden or landscaping, do it! The hummingbirds will thank you ❤️
Honeysuckles prefer full sun, but will tolerate a bit of shade. Plant them in well-draining soil amended with organic matter. Honeysuckles can also be grown in containers. They do best with some sort of support, either along a fence or on a trellis. We like to use a simple cattle panel arch like this one.
Without further adieu, meet the Honeysuckle Fairy:
The lane is deep, the bank is steep,
The tangled hedge is high;
And clinging, twisting, up I creep,
And climb towards the sky.
O Honeysuckle, mounting high!
O Woodbine, climbing to the sky!
The people in the lane below
Look up and see me there,
Where I my honey-trumpets blow,
Whose sweetness fills the air.
O Honeysuckle, waving there!
O Woodbine, scenting all the air!
Buy the book containing this fairy and the other fairies of summer:
P.S. To learn more about wildcrafting, check out our Fundamentals of Holistic Herbalism Program!
