Features and rules for growing Japanese honeysuckle (varieties Aureoreticulata, Khaliana, Purpurea, Variegated)

Japanese honeysuckle, a semi-evergreen vine native to East Asia, attracts attention with its graceful shape of delicate leaves in a yellow mesh or purple hue and a unique floral aroma. Climbing shrubs are used to decorate fences, balconies, and arches. Young shoots grow quickly and create a green shield. Today we will talk about popular varieties, the method of growing from seeds and the use of the plant for medicinal purposes.

Description and characteristics of Japanese honeysuckle

Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) is a semi-evergreen plant from the genus Honeysuckle., family Honeysuckle. Natural habitat - East Asian countries (China, Japan and Korea). In 1806, the culture was resettled from the natural environment to Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, New Zealand, the USA, the islands of the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, European countries, Ukraine, Russia, and the Caucasus. In Central Asia, honeysuckle has gone wild and is out of color.

In the USA, the plant is included in the list of invasive - negatively affecting the local fauna and flora. Here, honeysuckle serves as a home for the causative agent of the viral Pyros disease, which affects grapes.

Other names: golden-silver honeysuckle, honey vine, Japanese honeysuckle, Caprifolium japonicum (Thunb.), Lonicera brachypoda Siebold, Lonicera shintenensis Hayata.

Distinctive characteristics of Japanese honeysuckle:

1. Climbing or trailing vine up to 10 m in length.Young shoots are covered with whitish edges.
2. Leaves are often ovate or ovate-oblong., less often oblong-elliptical, sharp or pointed at the edges. The base of the leaf blade is heart-shaped or rounded. Leaf length – 3-8 cm, width – 1.5-4.5 cm. Young leaves are pubescent on both sides, old leaves have a smooth top and a finely ciliated edge. The petiole is smooth or pubescent, 0.5 cm long. The color is dark green with bright golden veins. The drawing resembles a set of dots or a grid.
3. The flowers are paired, two-lipped, formed on peduncles with a pubescent edge.. The aroma is strong and pleasant. The color is white, with purple splashes. The ovaries are free, with a serrated calyx and long cilia on the edges. From below they are covered 1/3 by semicircular bracts. They have a leaf-shaped or ovoid shape. The length of the corolla is 3-5 cm. The outer, pubescent side of the corolla is lined with glands.
4. Flowering occurs 2 years after planting and lasts from June to September.
5. The berries are round, glossy, black. Diameter – 3-4 mm. Inside are black elliptical-shaped seeds with an islandy taste. Fruiting occurs in October – November.
6. Reproduction methods - layerings and seeds.

Japanese honeysuckle tolerates pruning and a haircut, it is used for vertical gardening, forming carpet-type flower beds, decorating fences, and creating a green shield. The plant is grown in winter gardens and indoor conditions.

Reference. The flowers are used in the production of perfume and folk medicine.

Japanese honeysuckle grows best in sandy, well-drained or loamy soils with neutral pH = 6.5-7.2.

Bushes need shaping, because young shoots quickly grow and become tangled.The support for the bush is a metal, nylon, wooden mesh or strong laces.

In temperate climates before winter branches bend to the ground, fixed with hooks and covered with fallen leaves or spruce branches.

In spring, do not rush to trim shoots. The buds on the vines are difficult to see and before the foliage appears it is impossible to determine which are the living and which are the dead shoots. Therefore, frozen shoots are removed after the buds have pecked.

Popular varieties

The most famous varieties of Japanese honeysuckle – Aureoreticulata, Haliana, Variegated and Purpurea.

Aureoreticulata

Japanese honeysuckle Aureoreticulata is a type of ornamental shrub. A distinctive feature is variegated leaves with a golden pattern on a green background.. Another name for the variety is Golden-netted honeysuckle. The liana is cultivated for vertical gardening. Successfully grown in regions with mild winters, in other regions the plant needs shelter.

Characteristics of the variety:

• single flowering;
• vine height – 4 m;
• needs sunlight;
• flowers at the beginning of flowering are white, as they fade they acquire a honey hue;
• the aroma is pleasant, unobtrusive;
• fruits are black, inedible.

Khaliana

Halliana – a variety ideal for creating a Garden of Eden. The flowers exude an incredible aroma that spreads over tens of meters. The plant withstands winter in regions with a temperate climate, and in cold areas it needs shelter and mulching of the soil.

Characteristics of the variety:

• flowering period – June – October;
• flowers are white, with yellow splashes, 8-10 cm in diameter;
• leaves are light green in color, round in shape;
• vine height – 6-7 m;
• per year the branches grow by 1-1.5 m;
• the best conditions for growth and development are fertile, breathable soil.

Purpurea

Purpurea – liana with decorative characteristics. Attracts attention with the unusual color of the foliage. It is green in summer and turns purple in autumn. The shrub is used for vertical gardening, decorating balconies and verandas.

Characteristics of the variety:

• flowers are white, gradually turning yellow;
• flower length – 8 cm;
• flowering period – July – September;
• flowering is abundant, once;
• berries are black, inedible;
• requires cover with spruce branches for the winter;
• vine height – 3-5 m;
• frost resistance is average.

Variegated

Variegated (Sherlite) – a highly decorative variety of Japanese honeysuckle. Occurs less frequently than others. The shrub is grown for vertical gardening and as a ground cover plant.

Characteristics of the variety:

• leaves are green, with cream edges;
• milky flowers;
• the aroma is subtle and pleasant;
• vine height – 10-12 m;
• requires annual pruning to maintain a neat appearance;
• planting is carried out in a sunny place without stagnant water;
• The berries are dark purple, inedible.

Interesting things on the site:

Honeysuckle honeysuckle: planting, care, reproduction

Wild honeysuckle: where it grows and what it is used for

Medicinal properties and indications for use

Despite the fact that Japanese honeysuckle berries are inedible, they are used to treat various diseases and pathological conditions. Traditional medicine uses berries to:

• increase the production of gastric juice and normalize digestion;
• relieve inflammation;
• increase immunity;
• remove excess fluid from the body;
• normalize blood pressure;
• reduce blood glucose levels;
• eliminate symptoms of indigestion;
• support the body during anemia;
• cure colitis and gastritis;
• reduce the frequency of migraines.

The most commonly prepared medicinal tea is: Place 25 g of berries in a thermos and add 250 ml of hot water. Leave for 3 hours and take 100 ml 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals.

An extract is obtained from honeysuckle flowers and add it to anti-wrinkle cosmetics and mouth rinses.

Pure honeysuckle essential oil mixed with coconut, almond or peach and applied to the pulsation zones. The result is a natural perfume with a refined aroma.

Reference. Japanese honeysuckle berries have an astringent, diuretic and anti-inflammatory effect.

In traditional Chinese medicine, Japanese honeysuckle flowers are used to treatment of diseases of the stomach, lungs and colon. Infusions and decoctions are prepared from the flowers. Ointments based on them help get rid of ulcers, skin infections, and erosions. An infusion of fresh honeysuckle leaves is used to heal wounds.

Growing from seeds

The method of growing decorative honeysuckle from seeds is the most profitable in terms of saving time and effort.. The plant adapts to the planting site and grows quickly.

Sowing is done with self-collected seeds or purchased ones. To collect seed material, overripe fruits are selected: small ones are discarded, only large ones are left. There are two ways to obtain seeds:

1. The berries are ground through a sieve and the pulp is soaked in water. The pulp will float to the surface, and the grains will remain at the bottom. Next, they are washed with running water and dried in the open air.
2. The fruits are pressed on a paper towel. After the moisture is absorbed, the seeds along with the pulp are dried and used for planting.

Packaged Japanese honeysuckle planting material is sold in the form of seeds and berries. The same is done with acquired fruits. When choosing ready-made seeds, pay attention to the expiration date and check information about the botanical name, species name and variety.

Seeds intended for sowing in the year of collection are stored at room temperature in a place protected from direct sunlight. Seed material for sowing next year is stratified - stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of +2...+5°C. Seeds retain germination up to 70% for two years.

Attention! For Japanese honeysuckle, spring sowing is preferable: the seedlings will have time to get stronger before the onset of cold weather. Sowing work is carried out in March - April.

Seeds are disinfected in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for 24 hours.

For sowing, take soil from a gardening store or loose soil from the garden.. The soil is prepared independently from equal parts of peat, humus and river sand. The substrate is poured with a strong solution of potassium permanganate or calcined in the oven, cooled and placed in containers without compacting.

The soil is moistened abundantly and seeds are laid out every 10 cm.. A thick layer of sand or a mixture of soil and sand 5-10 mm high is poured on top. The containers are covered with film or glass and placed on a sunny windowsill. The air temperature should not be lower than +20°C. The soil is watered 2 times a week through a sieve so as not to wash out the seeds.

Shoots appear 30-35 days after sowing. Stratified seeds germinate a week earlier.

In case of dense sowing, seedlings are planted in boxes, keeping a gap of 5-10 cm.

Seedlings are transferred to open ground in late May. – early June.

Violet LE-Japanese Honeysuckle

LE-Japanese Honeysuckle – a violet variety with flowers surprisingly similar to Japanese honeysuckle. The ornamental plant is characterized by abundant and long-lasting flowering.

The socket is neat, consists of green leaves with white-pink variegation.

The flowers are small, of unusual shape, with lacy edges. The color is white with a green border. The lower petals are longer than the upper ones, which, according to gardeners, gives them a resemblance to a wasp.

Conclusion

Japanese honeysuckle is one of the varieties of common honeysuckle. Fast-growing vines are used in landscape design to decorate walls, fences, and verandas. The plant is unpretentious in care and withstands cold weather. The flowers exude a pleasant aroma, the berries are black or dark purple.

The most popular varieties are Aureoreticulata, Khaliana, Variegated and Purpurea.

Honeysuckle is used to treat gastrointestinal tract, lungs, joints, diabetes, skin diseases, erosions and ulcers. The extract and essential oil are added to cosmetics.