Honeysuckles (Lonicera spp) are shrubs or vines with opposite oval-shaped leaves and their signature sweet-smelling tubular flowers. The flowers contain sweet nectar, but the fruit is poisonous. There are more than 100 varieties of Lonicera.

Other Names: Goat’s leaf, woodbine

History and Folklore

The sturdy stems of honeysuckle have been used to make rope as far back as the Bronze Age, and in parts of Britain are still commonly made into bridles and harnesses for pack ponies. In Geoffrey Chaucer’s work, ‘wodebyne’ is a symbol of steadfastness in love [3], and Shakespeare wrote of it in Act IV, Scene i of A Midsummer’s Nights Dream:

Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms…
So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle
Gently entwist;

The name honeysuckle comes from the tradition of children biting off the ends of the flowers to enjoy the drops of nectar inside [3].

Honeysuckle in Spells, Magic & Witchcraft

Honeysuckle is associated by Culpeper with the planet Mercury and the sign Cancer [1]. According to other sources, it is associated with the planet Venus and the element of Earth. Honeysuckle flowers may be used in spells designed to determine the true worth of a person or thing. They may be burned in a censer or steep the flowers in wine, strain, and drink.

Honeysuckle flowers may also be added to a Honey Jar.

The vines of the honeysuckle plant may symbolically twined together to bind two lovers to ensure fidelity and desire for each other.

This abundant flower is a powerful component in sun spells, depression spells, and spells to draw prosperity.

It is also seasonal to the Summer Solstice and a perfect addition to your Litha altar if you celebrate!

Sun Magic

As noted above, honeysuckle literally tastes like sunshine.

Use it in sun magic as a symbol of the power of light.  

For example, surround a yellow candle or The Sun tarot card with honeysuckle garlands to draw worldly success into your life.  

Happiness & Spells to Dispel Depression

Honeysuckle dispels darkness and low mood, helping to usher in joy.  

In particular, it’s a great spell ingredient in magic intended to inspire childlike wonder and curiosity.  

So, if you’ve felt low, unmotivated or otherwise uninspired, try adding a handful of honeysuckle flowers to your ritual bath to immerse yourself in love, light, joy and wonder.

Faerie Magic & Gardens

Cultivate this flower in your magical garden to attract the fae or woodland spirits.

Or, leave it as an offering on a tree stump to the unseen spirit world to help you find a lost item or to be granted a small favor.

Your Litha Altar

Surround candles with this flower and place them on your Summer Solstice altar, or dry it and add it to your loose incense blend for ritual.

Beauty Spells

The ancient Greeks associated honeysuckle with eternal youth and beauty.

Add the dried flowers to oils, incense, or sachets to enhance natural allure and draw out your inner goddess.

Love Spells

Use all parts of this plant—from root to stem to flower, to love spells.  Particularly, it’s best used in love spells to encourage love to “blossom” or “flower” if in the early stages of romance.

Prosperity

Invasive plants like the honeysuckle lend themselves well to spells for wealth multiplication and success.

Burn it in dried form in your cauldron or boil it on the stove to attract abundance into your life.  

Healing Attributes

Common Honeysuckle L. periclymenum has traditionally been used for coughs, asthma and other respiratory complaints, as well as a diuretic and laxative, although its use is uncommon in modern herbalism due to the toxicity of the plant [3].

Japanese honeysuckle L. japonica is antibacterial and used to treat a number of infections and inflammations. An infusion of the stems may be used to clean minor abrasions to prevent infections or a poultice may be used to treat skin infections, inflammations and rashes such as those caused by contact dermatitis [4].

Propagation

Most varieties of honeysuckle grow well between zones 5 and 8. Many exotic honeysuckles are considered invasive noxious weeds, so check the DNR or Department of Conservation to see what species are native to your area and consider planting those instead.

Harvesting & Storage

Because invasive honeysuckles are such a problem in many areas, it is recommended that you take care when wild-crafting to leave the native honeysuckles alone and make free with the exotic ones.

Varieties

Japanese Honeysuckle L. japonica 

Is a vine with white flowers, sometimes tinted purple that change to yellow as they mature and small black fruit. It is native to Japan and was once used in the US as an ornamental ground cover and may also have been imported for its medicinal qualities. It has since escaped cultivation and is now considered an exotic weed and its sale is prohibited in some areas in some areas particularly in the Midwest United States.

Bush Honeysuckle L. tatarica L. (Tartarian), L. morrowii Gray (Marrows), L. x bella (Belle), L. maackii (Amur)

Are native to Asia and Western Europe and considered to be dangerous invasive species in much of the united states. They are very pretty plants and were once popular ornamental.

Grape Honeysuckle L. reticulata 

A woody vine native to the United States. It is found along forest boarders and woody slopes. It is considered endangered in Kentucky and Tennessee and should not be wild-crafted there but can be cultivated in a sunny spot in sandy or loamy soil with moderate moisture. Tubular yellow flowers, sometimes tinged orange or pink at the tips, appear in May and June followed by red berries.

Yellow Honeysuckle L. flava

Limber Honeysuckle L. dioica

European Honeysuckle L. periclymenum 

Also known as Woodbine

Coral Honeysuckle L. sempervirens

Common Honeysuckle L. caprifolium 

Aka Dutch honeysuckle, Italian honeysuckle, woodbine. This is the honeysuckle most of the old European herbalists are talking about when they recommend honeysuckle for healing.

Caution

Despite honeysuckles traditional medicinal uses and sweet reputation, some people have been known to develop contact dermatitis from handling the plant. Taken internally in large doses, the plant is emetic and toxic.

Bibliography

1. Culpeper, Nicholas.

Culpeper's Colour Herbal

• present-day uses of herbs
• real value of each plant

$10.34

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2. Grieve, Maud.

A Modern Herbal: The Medicinal, Culinary, Cosmetic, and Economic Properties, Cultivation, and Folklore of Herbs, Grasses, Fungi, Shrubs, and Trees with All Their Modern Scientific Uses

• Used Book in Good Condition
• Hardcover Book

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3. Hatfield, Gabrielle. Hatfield’s Herbal: The Secret History of British Plants. London: Penguin, 2008. Print.

4. Shealy, C. Norman.

The Healing Remedies Sourcebook: Over 1000 Natural Remedies to Prevent and Cure Common Ailments

• Used Book in Good Condition
• Shealy, C. Norman (Author)

$25.99

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