Japanese honeysuckle (Photo: Karen McDonald)
What Makes Japanese Honeysuckle Flowers Unique?
Living in the Eastern US, we encounter various native vines, as well as introduced and invasive ones. Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) falls into the latter category. As a child, plucking the yellow and white flowers and tasting the sweet nectar was a delightful pastime. Now, as an adult, I find myself fighting its relentless growth as it engulfs my backyard fence. Amidst this battle, a fundamental question piques my curiosity: Why does Japanese honeysuckle have two different flower colors?
Nature follows a purpose in everything it does. Observing the honeysuckle vines, one can quickly notice that the golden flowers are positioned farther back on the vine, while the white flowers (and unopened greenish/white ones) appear near the end. This observation hints at colors playing a role in the plant’s life cycle or in attracting its pollinators.
You're reading: The Fascinating Story Behind Japanese Honeysuckle Flowers
Japanese honeysuckle vine (Photo: Bill Johnson Beyond Butterflies.com)
Decoding the Role of Colors in Japanese Honeysuckle
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Japanese honeysuckle spreads through vines and fruits. However, each flower needs to be pollinated by a genetically distinct flower for successful fruiting. That’s why the vine relies on wasps, flies, hummingbirds, and hawk moths for pollination rather than the wind.
The pollinators mentioned above are all diurnal, meaning they are active during the daytime and rely on vision and scent to locate the vine’s flowers. On the other hand, hawk moths are nocturnal pollinators who depend on scent cues. The color variation of the flowers is closely linked to the amount of nectar each holds.
Hawk moth (Photo: US. FS.com)
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If you step outside and conduct a small experiment, you’ll discover that the golden flowers contain the most nectar, followed by the white flowers with less nectar, and the unopened flowers with hardly any nectar. Many insects, including pollinators, find yellow flowers more attractive than white ones. Hence, the golden color, accompanied by the richest nectar, is appealing to bees, wasps, hummingbirds, flies, butterflies (they generally prefer yellow over white), and other visual pollinators. The white and yellow colors may also provide some light reflection at night for the moths.
Moreover, the two distinct flower colors can act as a signal to the pollinators, indicating that visiting older flowers first will yield greater rewards. These flowers only last for approximately three days, with Day 1 displaying white blooms, Day 2 showcasing golden hues, and Day 3 revealing deep gold before disappearing. The coloration of the flowers indicates the nectar quantity in the corolla (nectar tube) and which flowers require immediate pollination.
Japanese honeysuckle (Photo: Karen McDonald)
The Tale of Japanese Honeysuckle’s Beauty and Invasion
Japanese honeysuckle’s invasive nature is no secret, as it overruns native plant habitats. Nevertheless, it remains a cherished part of many summer childhood memories, as we savor its sweet nectar. The next time you find yourself in a garden or along a trail, take a moment to carefully observe this plant and study its fascinating blooming pattern. Despite its alluring beauty, remember to remove it when possible and avoid planting any vine, tree, or shrub named after a foreign country—such as Japanese honeysuckle or English ivy—since they can harm your local ecosystems.
Japanese honeysuckle (Photo: Karen McDonald)
Source: https://designsofapril.com
Category: Snake Plant
