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Honeysuckle

©Ross Hoddinott/2020VISION

Honeysuckle

A true wildlife 'hotel', Honeysuckle is a climbing plant that caters for all kinds of wildlife: it provides nectar for insects, prey for bats, nest sites for birds and food for small mammals.

Enw gwyddonol

Lonicera periclymenum

Pryd i'w gweld

February to November

Gwybodaeth am rywogaethau

Ystadegau

Height: up to 5m
Common.

Ynghylch

The sweet, heady scent of Honeysuckle, carried on a warm summer breeze, is one of the most delightful experiences of the season. Strongest at night, in order to attract pollinating moths, this scent is a happy addition to any garden. Honeysuckle is a climbing plant, common in hedgerows, scrub and woodlands, where it twines itself around other shrubs and trees. Whorls of trumpet-shaped flowers appear from June to August and clusters of red berries ripen in the autumn.

Sut i'w hadnabod

Honeysuckle has climbing, twining stems that are red when young; they climb clockwise around the branches and stems of other plants, sometimes distorting them. Its grey-green, oval leaves appear from February and stay on the plant until autumn, or even over winter. In summer, white or yellow, red-flushed, tubular flowers appear in clusters; red berries ripen in autumn.

Dosbarthiad

Widespread.

Roeddech chi yn gwybod?

Honeysuckle is a true wildlife 'hotel': its nectar-rich, scented flowers attract moths like the impressive Elephant Hawk-moth which are, in turn, preyed upon by bats; new shoots attract blackfly which bring hungry Blue Tits, lacewings and ladybirds; its climbing stems provide nest sites and material for birds, such as Blackbirds and Pied Flycatchers, and small mammals like Dormice; and its juicy red berries are eaten by everyone from Song Thrushes to squirrels.