Is honeysuckle plant poisonous?

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While most honeysuckle species are not poisonous, some varieties contain glycosides in the stems or vines, and carotenoids in the berries.



Also to know is, is it safe to eat honeysuckle?

Honeysuckle has a beautiful aroma when in bloom. The flowers have a sweet nectar that is delicious, but that is the only part of the plant you should eat. The berries are poisonous.

Furthermore, is Japanese honeysuckle poisonous? Many species of honeysuckle are toxic to one degree or another, and this includes Japanese honeysuckle. This plant contains carotenoids in the berries and glycosides in the stems and vines. These are considered mildly toxic, and symptoms can include stomach pain, diarrhea, irregular heartbeat, and vomiting.

Accordingly, is Honeysuckle toxic for dogs?

Cause: English honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) is the only species recognized to have any toxicity (low) Honeysuckle (Lonicera spp). It is claimed to be poisonous in large doses, having only a very mild action. Unlikely to cause poisoning in the dog as large quantites must be consumed to cause ill effects.

Can honeysuckle make you sick?

If the berries of honeysuckle plants are ingested in large quantities, they can cause illness. Symptoms of mild poisoning by honeysuckle berries include vomiting, diarrhea, sweats, dilated pupils and increased heartbeat. If ingested in large quantities, respiratory failure, convulsions and coma may occur.

35 Related Question Answers Found

What are the benefits of honeysuckle?

Honeysuckle is used for digestive disorders including pain and swelling (inflammation) of the small intestine (enteritis) and dysentery; upper respiratory tract infections including colds, influenza, swine flu, and pneumonia; other viral and bacterial infections; swelling of the brain (encephalitis); fever; boils; and

What is another name for honeysuckle?

Widely known species include Lonicera periclymenum (common honeysuckle or woodbine), Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle, white honeysuckle, or Chinese honeysuckle) and Lonicera sempervirens (coral honeysuckle, trumpet honeysuckle, or woodbine honeysuckle).

Is Honeysuckle edible for humans?

There is no danger in sucking or drinking nectar from honeysuckle flowers. Eating a few honeysuckle berries will likely only result in a bit of stomach upset. If large quantities of potentially poisonous berries are ingested, you may experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and rapid heartbeat.

Can you cook with honeysuckle?

Honeysuckle as Food
Honeysuckle is naturally sweet and full of amazing floral flavor making it a perfect flower to bring into the kitchen. Give it a try in these recipes: It's never a bad idea to home brew those wildflowers into some tasty wine.

What does the Japanese honeysuckle eat?


The foliage of Japanese Honeysuckle is eaten by many mammalian herbivores, including the Cottontail Rabbit and White-Tailed Deer. Its evergreen leaves are especially important to them during the winter, when other sources of food are more scarce.

What kind of honeysuckle can you eat?

Lonicera japonica: Sweet Treat. The honeysuckle family is iffy for foragers. It has edible members and toxic members, edible parts, toxic parts, and they mix and match. Some are tasty, some can stop your heart.

What type of plant is honeysuckle?

Honeysuckle. Honeysuckle, (genus Lonicera), genus of about 180 species of ornamental shrubs and climbers of the family Caprifoliaceae. Honeysuckles are native to temperate zones of both hemispheres, but they also grow in the Himalayas, southern Asia, and North Africa; the majority of species are found in China.

Can you grow honeysuckle from cuttings?

Deciduous varieties of honeysuckle can be propagated through softwood cuttings in the summer and hardwood cuttings in the fall, with evergreen varieties faring best with softwood summer cuttings. Make tip cuttings of honeysuckle stems with pruning shears, taking at least 4 inches of growth with leaves.

Why do dogs eat honeysuckle?

All honeysuckle plant parts contain the toxins saponic and cyanogenic glycosides in the sap. In large doses, cyanogenic glycosides cause symptoms like cyanide poisoning causes, including vomiting, diarrhea, slow or fast heart rate, pale mucus membranes and respiratory failure.

Is bee balm poisonous to dogs?


It contains cardiac glycoside, a toxin that can cause severe heart problems in pets. Instead, try: Bee Balm.

Why is Japanese honeysuckle bad?

Even though Japanese honeysuckle is a highly desirable, highly utilized ornamental, it has quickly become a problem in the U.S. due to its fast growth rate and ability to displace native plant species. An established planting of honeysuckle is capable of engulfing small trees and shrubs, causing their collapse.

Which plants are toxic to dogs?

The 16 Most Common Poisonous Plants for Dogs
  • #1 Sago Palm. These ornamental palms are popular in warmer climates and every part of it is toxic to dogs.
  • #2 Tomato Plant. With summer comes tomato plants in the garden.
  • #3 Aloe Vera.
  • #4 Ivy.
  • #5 Amaryllis.
  • #6 Gladiola.
  • #7 American Holly.
  • #8 Daffodil.

What flowers are bad for dogs?

There are many house and garden plants that are poisonous to dogs, here are some of the most common ones:
  • Aconitum.
  • Amaryllis bulbs.
  • Asparagus fern.
  • Azalea.
  • Cyclamen.
  • Daffodil bulbs.
  • Day lilies.
  • Delphiniums.

Is Lavender toxic to dogs?

Is it safe for my dog to ingest lavender? Dogs can safely ingest diluted lavender; however, you should make sure to start them on low doses to gauge their reaction. As when using essential oils on people, you should always dilute the oils before using them on your pet or allowing your pet to inhale them.

What is the best time of year to plant honeysuckle?


The most common time to plant coral honeysuckle is during early spring, such as March or April. Mild temperatures and longer sunlit days provide a good combination for growing success. As long as your garden soil drains well, coral honeysuckle acclimates to many soil types.

What herbs are poisonous to dogs?

As far as we know, most herbs—your rosemary, thyme, basil and dill—are safe for cats and dogs, but there is one that frequently colors a person's garden that can cause a sometimes severe—and definitely strange— illness.

Should I prune honeysuckle?

Honeysuckles include both vines and shrubs. Prune honeysuckle bushes in the spring, as soon as the flowers drop off. You can prune honeysuckle vines lightly any time of year. Wait until fall or winter when the vine is dormant for major pruning jobs.