Either Latin for honeysuckle, though this is not a “true” honeysuckle; or named for Adam Lonitzer (1528-1586), a German herbalist, physician and botanist who wrote a standard herbal text that was reprinted many times between 1557 and 1783
Species
tatarica
Tartaria was the name for a great tract of northern and central Asia
Tatarian honeysuckle is native to central Asia through southern Russia. Introduced to North America
as an ornamental,
this aggressive plant has become naturalized and widespread, and is a borderline invasive in some regions.
Here are some honeysuckles:
6/27/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 3″ (12 × 8.4 cm)
5/9/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 3″ (11 × 7.9 cm)
Densely branched shrub, up to 10-12′ (3-3.7 m) around
3-4′ (91-121 cm) high and 4-6′ (1.2-1.8 m) around
Flowers
Pairs of flowers, each about ¾″ (1.9 cm) around, may be white, pink, or rose. Each flower has five spatula-shaped, somewhat unruly-looking petals, and five anthers
Bright orange, tubular in shape
Leaves
Leaves are oval in shape, with smooth edges and a bluish cast, 1½-2½″ (3.8-6.3 cm) long × 1-1½″ (2.5-3.8 cm) wide, in opposite pairs
Roughly oval, soft and velvety, up to 3″ (7.6 cm) long
Fruit
Berries are orange to red, about ¼″ (6.3 mm) in diameter, often lasting through the winter
Range/ Zones
USDA Zones: 9-10
Type
Wild
Wild
Occurrence
Common to invasive
Identification: This honeysuckle grows into a large,
densely branched shrub, up to 10-12′ (3-3.7 m) around. Leaves are oval in shape, with smooth
edges and a bluish cast, 1½-2½″ (3.8-6.3 cm) long × 1-1½″ (2.5-3.8 cm) wide, in opposite pairs. Pairs of flowers,
each about ¾″ (1.9 cm) around, may be white, pink, or rose in color. Each flower has
five spatula-shaped, somewhat unruly-looking petals, and five anthers. Berries are orange
to red, about ¼″ (6.3 mm) in diameter, often lasting through the winter. (By contrast, Japanese honeysuckle has small black berries.)
5/7/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 14 cm)
These honeysuckle “raisins” resulted from a very dry summer. · 9/21/2010 · Unquetynasset Brook, Nashua River Rail Trail, Dunstable, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm) ID is uncertain