When Does Honeysuckle Bloom? Detailed Guide to Propagation Methods
Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), many people have surely seen it; it is quite common. When does honeysuckle bloom? How do you propagate it? When does honeysuckle bloom: Honeysuckle generally begins blooming in late May and finishes around mid-October, with a flowering period of about 150 days. Usually the first flush of flowers comes in late May, the second flush in mid-to-late July.
Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), many people have surely seen it; it is quite common. When does honeysuckle bloom? How do you propagate it?
When does honeysuckle bloom:
Honeysuckle generally begins blooming in late May and finishes around mid-October, with a flowering period of about 150 days. Usually the first flush of flowers comes in late May, the second flush in mid-to-late July, the third flush in mid-August, and the fourth flush in mid-October, with each flush lasting about 7 days. The peduncle of honeysuckle is usually solitary in the leaf axils of the upper part of the branchlets, equal to or slightly shorter than the petiole. The corolla is white, sometimes slightly reddish on the sun-facing side at the base, later turning yellow, bilabiate, with the tube slightly longer than the lips, and fragrant.
How to propagate honeysuckle:
1. Seed propagation
In autumn, when honeysuckle seeds are ripe, collect the mature fruits, rub them in clear water, skim off the fruit skin and impurities, scoop out the plump seeds that sink to the bottom, dry them and store them for later use. When planting, open furrows on the seedbed at a row spacing of [missing value] cm wide, scatter the seeds evenly into the furrows, cover with 3 cm of soil, press firm, and seedlings will emerge in about 10 days.
2. Cutting propagation
For cutting propagation of honeysuckle, select vines with vigorous growth, cut them into cuttings about 30 cm long, each with at least 3 nodes, remove the leaves, cut the lower end into a slanted cut, tie into small bundles, soak the cut ends in the plant hormone IAA at 500 mg/kg (500 ppm), and insert the cuttings while still fresh. Dig holes, insert 3-5 cuttings per hole, leave 1/3 of the stem above ground with at least one bud exposed above the soil surface, tread firm, water thoroughly, and roots and shoots will form in about 1 month.
Well, that covers the flowering period and propagation of honeysuckle. I believe everyone understands now.
When does potted honeysuckle bloom, and should honeysuckle be pruned after blooming (proper pruning)
Honeysuckle is a common flowering plant in daily life. Every year when honeysuckle is in full bloom, walking along country paths you can smell its faint floral fragrance. Honeysuckle's unique floral scent is deeply loved by people. But many people still do not know when honeysuckle blooms, or whether honeysuckle should be pruned after blooming. If you want your honeysuckle to grow luxuriant and robust, then you must prune it.
I. When does honeysuckle bloom, April—June
Honeysuckle is a beautiful yet unassuming flower. Earlier we discussed how to grow honeysuckle and the benefits and effects of honeysuckle. Now let us look at when honeysuckle blooms. Honeysuckle generally blooms from April——June, and its flowering period lasts only half a month. Many people ask: should honeysuckle be pruned after blooming? After the flowers fade, honeysuckle can be properly pruned, and pruning can make the main trunk of honeysuckle grow more robust.
Honeysuckle generally blooms from April——June each year, and some honeysuckle also blooms in autumn, but this situation is relatively rare. The best time for harvesting is early morning and forenoon; at this time the flower buds are less likely to open, are full of nutrients, have a strong scent, and good color. Afternoon harvesting should end before the sun sets, because the opening of honeysuckle is restricted by light, and after the sun sets the mature flower buds will open, affecting quality.
II. Honeysuckle should be properly pruned after blooming
1. As for whether honeysuckle should be pruned after blooming, many flower lovers dare not start, fearing they will prune incorrectly. When pruning honeysuckle, flower lovers should first be clear about what tree shape they want, and then, according to their own honeysuckle, they can begin. The key to pruning honeysuckle lies in the grower's own goals.
2. If you want to train honeysuckle into a tree-shaped structure with only one main trunk, then new shoots emerging from the bottom of the plant need to be cut off, while new shoots sprouting on the upper part of the main trunk can be left alone for the time being.
3. If the new branches emerging from the bottom of the main trunk are thick and strong and have useful value, then they can be retained as appropriate (how many to retain depends on personal preference), for future propagation. For example: a thick strong branch sprouting from the very bottom of the main trunk can be used later after it grows larger, propagated into a new plant by layering.
4. Honeysuckle should be pruned after blooming, and it should also be pruned before spring arrives the following year. For honeysuckle bonsai, planting, pruning and shaping can be carried out from winter until before bud break the next year. According to the shaping needs of the bonsai, generally 3-5 main branches are retained, each branch retaining 2-3 buds, and all other branches and vines are cut off; this is the key to ensuring rapid shaping. In addition, after each flowering, be sure to combine fertilization with timely pruning and shaping, so as to achieve the ornamental effect of multiple blooms. Now that you know when honeysuckle blooms and whether honeysuckle should be pruned after blooming, let us look below at the precautions for growing honeysuckle.
III. Precautions for growing honeysuckle
Honeysuckle has strong adaptability, likes sunlight, tolerates shade, has strong cold resistance, and also tolerates drought and waterlogging. It is not strict about soil requirements, but grows best in moist, fertile, deep sandy loam. It sends out shoots twice each year in spring and summer. Its root system is dense and well developed, with strong sprouting ability, and the stems and vines can take root as soon as they touch the ground.
Honeysuckle has a well-developed root system and extremely strong adaptability, is not strict about soil requirements, is easy to survive, and bonsai basically has no pests or diseases. Besides being planted in the ground, honeysuckle is also a rare good material for flower-viewing and trunk-viewing bonsai. Because its branches are relatively large, although the trunk shape is vigorous and antique, the branches are extremely brittle and easy to break and rot. For larger branches, do not easily change their shape and angle, and even less should you, as when making other miscellaneous-wood bonsai, twist the shape and angle of the main trunk and main branches. The above is all the content on whether honeysuckle should be pruned after blooming and when honeysuckle blooms. We hope it can help everyone.
Honeysuckle Lonicera Japonica honeysuckle illustrated guide: how to grow honeysuckle / how to propagate honeysuckle
Honeysuckle ProfileHoneysuckle Lonicera Japonica
Honeysuckle cultivation methods and precautions, an introduction to honeysuckle
Honeysuckle is the collective name for a Chinese medicinal material and a plant. The plant honeysuckle is also called Japanese honeysuckle (Rendong), and is a perennial semi-evergreen twining woody vine of the Caprifoliaceae family. The name "honeysuckle" (Jinyinhua) comes from the Compendium of Materia Medica, because the flowers of Japanese honeysuckle first open white and later turn yellow, hence the name honeysuckle. The medicinal material honeysuckle consists of the dried flower buds or initially opened flowers of the Caprifoliaceae plant Lonicera japonica and plants of the same genus. Since ancient times, honeysuckle has been praised as a good medicine for clearing heat and detoxifying. It is sweet in nature and cold in property, aromatic, sweet and cold to clear heat without injuring the stomach, and its aroma can penetrate and dispel pathogenic factors. Honeysuckle can both dispel wind-heat and is good at clearing and resolving blood toxins. It is used for various febrile diseases, such as fever, rash, macules, heat-toxin sores and carbuncles, sore throat and swelling, and other syndromes, all with notable effects.
Honeysuckle is one of the forty major cultivated medicinal materials, with a small amount of wild product. Honeysuckle has wide uses and huge consumption, and new uses are constantly being developed, causing its consumption to keep increasing. It is a household-known health and heat-clearing beverage. At the same time, honeysuckle is an important variety for epidemic prevention and control. In recent years, honeysuckle has often become a leading gainer in the market, with more frequent changes and astonishing ranges of change, and is one of the varieties with the strongest market popularity and the greatest attention. At present, the annual demand for honeysuckle should be above ten thousand tons, of which Hunan goods are about 6 thousand tons, Hebei goods close to 3 thousand tons, Shandong goods 3-4 thousand tons, Henan goods less than one thousand tons, and other production areas about 2 thousand tons.
Honeysuckle begins its new production in May. First are the wild goods from Hubei and Guangxi and the Henan production area, followed closely by the Hebei goods production area, and then the Shandong production area begins new production (about half a month later), while Hunan goods are the latest.
The development of honeysuckle production is relatively slow. If plants age and are not replanted in time, production will be affected. The picking and processing of honeysuckle is one of the varieties that are especially labor- and time-consuming. In recent years, the number of rural people going out to work has been huge, labor costs have risen sharply, and the number of pickers has dropped greatly, causing a severe decline in honeysuckle production capacity. The development of related brand herbal teas such as Wanglaoji quickly opened up sales and also caused a surge in honeysuckle consumption. At the same time, because production did not keep up with the growth in demand, plus the emergence of epidemics such as SARS and H1N1, not only was a large amount of stock consumed, but sky-high market conditions were also triggered, causing honeysuckle's position in the market to soar. It should be noted: in the last two years, as prices continued to climb, this has stimulated the enthusiasm for planting in various production areas, and also prompted farmers to strengthen management and pay attention to harvesting. The future sales volume of the herbal tea series will play an important role in honeysuckle's market conditions, and should be closely observed, and the emergence of epidemics should also be paid special attention to.
Once the opportunity matures, honeysuckle fluctuates violently, but often does not last long. Urgent buying and rushed selling cannot be done for long! It is a typical popularity-driven variety, suitable for short-term operations. Long-term storage of honeysuckle affects quality.
Specifications and quality: Henan goods are the best in quality, Shandong goods rank second, followed by Hebei goods (green flower is better), and Hunan goods have the largest volume and relatively good quality.
Keywords: epidemic, herbal tea sales, price level, production, rising labor costs, changes in production capacity.
Morphological characteristics of honeysuckle
Honeysuckle is the dried flower buds or initially opened flowers of the Caprifoliaceae plant Lonicera japonica. It is rod-shaped, thick at the top and thin at the bottom, slightly curved, 2-3 cm long, 3 mm in diameter at the upper part, 1.5 mm in diameter at the lower part, with a yellow-white or green-white surface, densely covered with short soft hairs. Leaf-like bracts are occasionally seen. The calyx is green, with 5 lobes at the tip, the lobes have hairs, about 2 mm long. In opened flowers the corolla is tubular, with two lips at the tip, 5 stamens attached to the tube wall, yellow; 1 pistil, ovary hairless, with a clear fragrance, taste bland and slightly bitter. Honeysuckle contains chlorogenic acid. The 2010 edition of the Pharmacopoeia stipulates: "Chlorogenic acid is determined by high-performance liquid chromatography: calculated on the dried product, it must contain no less than 1.5% chlorogenic acid." Honeysuckle contains luteoloside. The 2010 edition of the Pharmacopoeia stipulates: "Luteoloside is determined by high-performance liquid chromatography: calculated on the dried product, it must contain no less than 0.05% luteoloside";
Shanyinhua is the dried flower buds or initially opened flowers of the Caprifoliaceae plants Lonicera macranthoides, Lonicera hypoglauca, or Lonicera confusa. Lonicera macranthoides is rod-shaped and slightly curved, 3-4.5 cm long, 2 mm in diameter at the upper part, 1 mm in diameter at the lower part, with a green-brown to yellow-white surface. The peduncles gather in clusters. In opened flowers the corolla lobes are less than half the total length, the texture is slightly hard, and it feels slightly elastic when pinched by hand, with a clear fragrance and a slightly bitter-sweet taste.
Lonicera hypoglauca is 2.5-4.5 cm long, 0.8-2 mm in diameter, with a yellow-white to yellow-brown surface, hairless or sparsely hairy, and the calyx tube hairless.
Lonicera confusa is 1.6-3.5 cm long, 0.5-2 mm in diameter, with the calyx tube and corolla densely covered with gray-white hairs, and the ovary hairy.
The flower buds of Lonicera acuminata are 1-5 cm long, about 0.8-2 mm in diameter, yellow-brown or cinnamon-brown; the calyx tube is hairless, the calyx teeth are hairy; the outside of the corolla is hairless, or the wide tube has a few reversed slightly appressed hairs, without glandular hairs.
The flower buds of Lonicera fulvotomentosa are about 3.5 cm long, brown-yellow or yellow-green; the calyx tube is brown-yellow or gray-green, the calyx teeth are hairy; the outside of the corolla is covered with yellow-brown reversed short coarse hairs.
Shanyinhua contains chlorogenic acid. The 2010 edition of the Pharmacopoeia stipulates: "Chlorogenic acid is determined by high-performance liquid chromatography: calculated on the dried product, it must contain no less than 2.0% chlorogenic acid." In the 2010 edition of the Pharmacopoeia, the revision of clinical standards for Chinese medicinal materials and decoction pieces stipulates: the nature, flavor, and meridian entry, functions and indications, and usage and dosage of honeysuckle and Shanyinhua are completely identical.
Ecological habits of honeysuckle
Native to our country, distributed in all provinces. It is a temperate and subtropical tree species with very strong adaptability, likes sunlight, tolerates shade, has strong cold resistance, and also tolerates drought and waterlogging. It is not strict about soil requirements, but grows best in moist, fertile, deep sandy loam. It sends out shoots twice each year in spring and summer. Its root system is dense and well developed, with strong sprouting ability, and the stems and vines can take root as soon as they touch the ground. It likes sunlight and a mild, moist environment, has strong vitality, wide adaptability, and tolerates cold and drought. It forms buds and blooms on new branches of the current year. It is not strict about soil requirements and can grow in acidic and saline-alkali land. It has a well-developed root system and strong rooting ability, and is a very good plant for soil fixation and water conservation, and can be planted on hillsides, riverbanks, and other places. In our country, it is distributed from the three northeastern provinces in the north, to Guangdong and Hainan in the south, from Shandong in the east, to the Himalayas in the west. Therefore, the farming proverb says: "Waterlogged crops die, drought kills grass, freezing kills pomegranates, sunburn injures melons, but none of this affects honeysuckle." In shaded places, it grows poorly.
Medicinal dietary or medicinal value of honeysuckle
The medical information and health dietary information on Hugarden are for reference only and cannot be used as a basis for diagnosis or medical treatment. Any health problem should be consulted with professional medical personnel, and the treatment of any disease should follow medical advice.
Ultimate flower-protecting mission: to love yourself, start from reality and follow medical advice. Toward illness, do not be careless, do not delay, do not give up hope, face it bravely, use love to warm the silent world, and use your heart to care for the flower field within.
Honeysuckle is cold in nature, sweet in flavor, and enters the lung, heart, and stomach meridians. It has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, resisting inflammation, tonifying deficiency, and treating wind. It mainly treats distension and fullness with downward flow disorders, warm disease with fever, heat-toxin carbuncles and sores, tumors, and other conditions. It also has a certain therapeutic effect on dizziness, dry mouth and thirst, excessive sweating and restlessness, enteritis, bacillary dysentery, measles, pneumonia, Japanese encephalitis, epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, acute mastitis, septicemia, appendicitis, skin infections, carbuncles, cellulitis, mumps, suppurative tonsillitis, and other diseases.
At the same time, honeysuckle tea has a unique weight-loss function and can also inhibit and kill pathogenic bacteria in the throat, with anti-infection effects for the elderly and children. Therefore, regularly taking honeysuckle infusion or decoction is beneficial for the treatment and recovery of wind-fire red eyes, sore throat and swelling, obesity, liver-heat syndrome, and liver-heat type hypertension.
In addition, a honeysuckle decoction made with Forsythia and Isatis root can treat mumps; honeysuckle tea can relieve summer heat and improve eyesight; Forsythia and honeysuckle cool decoction can treat exogenous fever and cough. At the same time, boil honeysuckle, chrysanthemum, Platycodon root, and licorice in water for 10 minutes, let it cool, and drink it as a beverage to treat pharyngitis and tonsillitis.
Processing and preparation
Raw drug (raw honeysuckle): remove impurities from the original drug and sieve out dust, and it is ready; fried drug (fried honeysuckle): take clean raw honeysuckle and place it in a pot, stir-fry over gentle heat until it turns light brown; charcoal drug (honeysuckle charcoal): take clean raw honeysuckle and place it in a pot, stir-fry over high heat (but the heat must not be too strong, otherwise the material is likely to catch fire) until it is scorched brown and charcoal-like.
Tea drinking effects
1. Anti-pathogenic microorganism effect. It has a certain inhibitory effect on many pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, hemolytic Streptococcus, Escherichia coli, Shigella, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella paratyphi, and others.
2. It has bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects on Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Shigella dysenteriae, Streptococcus mutans, and others, and has inhibitory effects on influenza virus, orphan virus, herpes virus, and Leptospira.
3. Anti-inflammatory and detoxifying effect. It has a strong effect in dispersing carbuncles and reducing swelling, clearing heat and detoxifying, and reducing inflammation for carbuncle swelling, furuncles, intestinal carbuncles, and lung carbuncles.
4. Heat-dispersing and pathogen-dispelling effect. It has a certain effect on exogenous wind-heat or the early stage of warm disease, with symptoms such as body fever, headache, vexation and poor sleep, mental confusion and crimson tongue, and dry throat and mouth.
5. Blood-cooling and dysentery-stopping effect. It has the effects of detoxifying and stopping dysentery, cooling blood, and soothing the throat for heat-toxin dysentery, dysentery with pus and blood, damp-warm obstructing the throat, sore throat and swelling, and others.
6. Honeysuckle tea is sweet in flavor and cold in nature, and has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, and dispersing wind-heat. Honeysuckle has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, soothing the throat, and relieving summer heat and restlessness. It can treat summer-heat syndrome, diarrhea and dysentery, influenza, sores, boils and swelling toxins, acute and chronic tonsillitis, periodontitis, and other diseases.
Pharmacological effects
1. Anti-pathogenic microorganism effect: In vitro experiments show that the flowers and vines have a certain inhibitory effect on many pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, hemolytic Streptococcus, Escherichia coli, Shigella, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella paratyphi, and others, and are also effective against Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Water infusion is stronger than decoction, and leaf decoction is stronger than flower decoction. If used together with Forsythia, the antibacterial spectrum can also be complementary; if used together with penicillin, it can strengthen penicillin's antibacterial effect against drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which may be due to a synergistic effect in inhibiting protein synthesis in bacterial cells.
2. Anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects: Intraperitoneal injection of honeysuckle extract 0.25 g/kg can inhibit carrageenan-induced foot swelling in rats. It has also been reported that honeysuckle injection 30-40 g/kg can reduce the degree of egg white-induced foot swelling. Intraperitoneal injection of honeysuckle extract 8 g/kg, 2 times/day, for 6 consecutive days, also has obvious anti-exudative and anti-proliferative effects on croton oil-induced granuloma pouches in rats. Early reports showed that honeysuckle has an obvious antipyretic effect, but when rabbits were given ear vein injections of cholera vaccine, Bacillus potato, or Bacillus subtilis infusion to induce fever, it was not confirmed that oral administration of honeysuckle decoction 5 g/kg had a fever-reducing effect. This is considered possibly related to differences in the honeysuckle preparation used, dosage, or rabbit tolerance.
3. Immune function-enhancing effect: Honeysuckle decoction diluted to a concentration of 1:1280 can still promote the phagocytic function of leukocytes. Intraperitoneal injection of honeysuckle injection in mice also has an obvious effect in promoting the phagocytic function of inflammatory cells.
4. Central excitatory effect: Through various experimental methods such as electroshock and rotating cage, it has been proven that oral chlorogenic acid can cause excitation of the central nervous system in rats, mice, and other animals, with a strength of 1/6 that of caffeine, and the two used together have no additive or enhancing effect.
5. Blood lipid-lowering effect: Oral administration of honeysuckle 2.5 g/kg in rats can reduce intestinal cholesterol absorption and lower plasma cholesterol content. In vitro experiments also found that honeysuckle can combine with cholesterol, but Simiao Yongan Decoction (honeysuckle, Xuanshen, Angelica, licorice) in the treatment of experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits did not show effects of lowering blood lipids or aortic wall cholesterol content.
6. Anti-endotoxin: Using the limulus test method to determine endotoxin content, 300% honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) injection diluted at 1:2-1:64, whether by the concave plate method or test tube method in in vitro tests, significantly reduced the endotoxin content in the test solution. Among them, the 1:2-1:8 dilution tubes were liquid like the negative control tube, while the positive control was gelatinous. Intravenous injection of honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) distillate 6 g/kg had an antagonistic effect on the decrease in rabbit body temperature and white blood cell count caused by intravenous injection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa endotoxin 2.8 mg/kg. Intraperitoneal injection of honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) distillate 7.5 g/kg or injection 2.5 g/kg had a protective effect on mice given intraperitoneal injection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa endotoxin 65 mg/kg, reducing mouse mortality.
7. Other effects: There was once an in vitro screening experiment reporting that the water and alcohol infusions of honeysuckle have obvious cytotoxic effects on sarcoma 180 and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma. Oral honeysuckle extract has a mild preventive effect on experimental gastric ulcers in rats. Oral large doses of chlorogenic acid can increase gastrointestinal peristalsis and promote gastric juice and bile secretion. Chlorogenic acid and its decomposition products have an excitatory effect on isolated rat uterus. In addition, chlorogenic acid can also slightly enhance the pressor effect of adrenaline and noradrenaline in cats and rats, but has no effect on the nictitating membrane response in cats.
Pharmacology of honeysuckle
Honeysuckle contains inositol cyclohexanehexol, flavonoids, inositol, saponins, tannins, and others, and has broad-spectrum antibacterial effects. It has relatively strong inhibitory effects on many pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Shigella, and also has inhibitory effects on various pathogenic microorganisms such as Leptospira, influenza virus, and pathogenic molds. In addition, honeysuckle also has obvious anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects, and honeysuckle water and alcohol infusions have obvious killing effects on experimental tumor cells. The distillate obtained by distilling the flowers and leaves of honeysuckle is called honeysuckle dew. Making it into a beverage in summer is not only sweet and tasty, but also has a very good effect in clearing heat and relieving summer heat. In the past, a porcelain jar containing honeysuckle dew was often placed on the counter of pharmacies. In the past, when beverage varieties were extremely scarce, that blue-and-white porcelain jar on the counter made many children envious and tempted. The wonderful uses of honeysuckle: honeysuckle has a very wide range of applications. Recently, many traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions for preventing and treating SARS have used honeysuckle. In daily life, people also often use honeysuckle steeped in water as tea to treat sore throat and prevent upper respiratory tract infections. The method is: take 20 grams of honeysuckle, decoct in water as tea or brew as tea, 1 dose per day. Honeysuckle also has the effects of whitening skin and reducing swelling and improving eyesight. The method is: put wolfberry, honeysuckle, and rock sugar together into a saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 20 minutes; after turning off the heat, wait for the soup to cool, then mix in honey.
Distribution areas of honeysuckle
Fengqiu in Henan, Pingyi in Linyi, Shandong, Julu in Hebei, Loudi in Hunan.
Tree-type honeysuckle
Tree-type honeysuckle is vine honeysuckle cultivated into an upright tree form, with the characteristics of high yield, labor-saving harvesting, long flowering period, and high medicinal content.
Yangling Jinshan Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. and experts and professors from Northwest A&F University successfully cultivated a fine, high-yield new honeysuckle variety: tree-type honeysuckle - Jinhua No. 3. Morphologically, compared with traditional honeysuckle varieties, "Jinhua No. 3" has cultivated traditional vine honeysuckle into tree-type honeysuckle, with large, thick leaves, pointed tips, and more hairs. The flowers are large, the honeysuckle flower wall is thick, and the hairs are about 0.22 cm long. Most flower needles have one pistil and five stamens; the flowers are generally 5.2-6.1 cm long, with the longest at 6.6 cm. The fresh flower weight of 1,000 needles of honeysuckle is 322 grams (large hairy flower 120.4 grams, chicken-claw flower 104 grams). There are few water shoots, and most naked buds are also short flowering branches; even with heavy water and heavy fertilizer, it does not produce excessive vine growth; the internodes are short, and most honeysuckle blooms from the first internode, with uprightness forming a 45-degree angle to the ground; it grows fast and can grow to 0.5 cm thick in 50 days; harvesting is labor-saving. The yield of "Jinhua No. 3" honeysuckle is 2 times that of traditional honeysuckle varieties. Honeysuckle "Jinhua No. 3" has extremely high economic traits: the flower buds are huge, the flower needles are 1 times larger than the parent, the petal thickness is 2.17 times that of the parent, the fresh weight of 1,000 buds is 2.19 times that of the parent, and the dry weight of 1,000 buds is 1.79 times that of the parent. The content of effective components such as chlorogenic acid in the honeysuckle flower buds is greatly increased by 30% compared with the parent. In addition to showing economic traits such as high yield and high quality, honeysuckle "Jinhua No. 3" also has extremely strong adaptability and stress resistance, with thick stems and leaves, dark green leaf color, strong photosynthesis, and thick, hard, long stem and leaf hairs. In particular, the young leaves of honeysuckle have thick, long hairs, making it extremely resistant to honeysuckle round-tail aphid. The leaf wax layer is thick and abundant, and the root system is well developed, with extremely strong drought resistance and barren tolerance, and very strong soil and water conservation and windbreak and sand-fixation capabilities.
Luotian honeysuckle
Luotian honeysuckle is a specialty of Luotian County, Hubei Province. Luotian County is located at the southern foot of the Dabie Mountains, with a mild climate and abundant rainfall. It is rich in honeysuckle resources, with a special appearance, rich fragrance, and high effective components. In 2011, it obtained China Geographical Indication Product Protection.
Luotian is located at the southern foot of the Dabie Mountains and has typical mountain climate characteristics, a mild climate, and abundant rainfall. Historically it has had abundant wild honeysuckle resources. The terrain of Luotian County is high in the north and low in the south, forming a mountain trend from north to south. The northeastern part has high mountains and ridges, surrounded by mountains, mostly high mountains above 1,000 meters above sea level. Tiantangzhai, the main peak of the Dabie Mountains at 1,729 meters above sea level, is located at the northeastern boundary, and the Baodaofeng Forest Farm at 1,404 meters above sea level is also in the northern mountainous area; the central terrain gradually opens up, and is a low mountain and hilly area between 200 and 500 meters above sea level; the south is a rolling shallow hilly area below 200 meters, with mountain flatlands of varying sizes and flat alluvial fields formed by river deposition, constituting the geographical characteristics of Luotian County's diverse landforms and rich natural resources. The whole county has a subtropical monsoon climate, with an average annual temperature of 16.4°C, a frost-free period of 228 days, and average annual rainfall of about 1,400 mm. The climate is mild and rainfall is abundant, with climatic conditions suitable for the growth of many agricultural and forestry crops. It is the nationally famous "home of silkworms," "home of chestnuts," "home of Poria," "home of sweet persimmons," and "home of honeysuckle."
Pingyi honeysuckle
Pingyi honeysuckle is a traditional authentic medicinal material of the Yimeng Mountain area. Because it is mainly produced in Pingyi County, Linyi, Shandong, it is called Pingyi honeysuckle. Pingyi County is the "China Honeysuckle Township" named by the Ministry of Agriculture. Pingyi County has a long history of cultivating honeysuckle, with superior quality. The number and content of effective components are higher than products from other areas. Its output accounts for more than 1/2 of China's total output, with annual transaction volume of more than 400 million yuan, ranking first in China, and it is China's largest honeysuckle distribution center.
Pingyi honeysuckle has large and plump flower buds, pure color, a delicate fragrance, and high chlorogenic acid content. According to determinations by the Shandong Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the volatile oil content of Pingyi honeysuckle is 1.8‰, while the content of similar products from other places is only 0.2-0.4‰. The chlorogenic acid content of honeysuckle reaches 5.87% (national standard content 1.5%), unique within China, and nearly 50 times the content of other natural populations. The honeysuckle produced in this county is rich in 32 elements, while honeysuckle produced elsewhere contains only two.
According to the Provisions on the Protection of Geographical Indication Products, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine organized an examination of the application for geographical indication product protection for Pingyi honeysuckle. After passing the examination, it approved the implementation of geographical indication product protection for Pingyi honeysuckle starting from September 6, 2007 (2007 No. 138).
Pingyi County is the original producing area and main producing area of Chinese honeysuckle. In 1993, honeysuckle was designated as the county flower of Pingyi County. In 1995, Pingyi honeysuckle was rated as a "China High-Quality Chinese Herbal Medicine Honeysuckle Product" by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture. In March 1996, Pingyi County was named "China Honeysuckle Township." In March 2000, it was named "China Famous, Special and Excellent Economic Forest Honeysuckle Township" by the State Forestry Administration of China. In September 2007, Pingyi honeysuckle passed the geographical indication product review of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China, becoming the first agricultural product in Linyi City to obtain national geographical indication protection.
Fengqiu honeysuckle
It has a planting history of more than 1,500 years, for which the famous medical scientist Tao Hongjing of the Liang Dynasty gave a clear record in his book Records of Famous Physicians. Fengqiu honeysuckle buds are thick, long, and plump, with bright color, and have high medicinal efficiency and health benefits. In 1980, after inspecting the soil, climate, and other conditions of Fengqiu, the former State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine invested heavily to establish a honeysuckle production base in Fengqiu. Honeysuckle is one of the first choices among Chinese patent medicines against "SARS." During the fight against "SARS," Fengqiu honeysuckle was highly favored by the medical community and consumers because of its good quality.
The unique geographical environment and unique management methods successfully domesticated the unique upright performance of Fengqiu honeysuckle, which is beneficial for ventilation and light transmission and nutrient absorption, making Fengqiu honeysuckle large with fat flowers, bright color and green goods, and high medicinal components. Its quality ranks first among similar products nationwide. The content of the important component chlorogenic acid reaches 4%-6%, and total flavonoids 2.14%. As an authentic product of Chinese medicinal materials, Fengqiu honeysuckle is also the authentic honeysuckle recorded in historical documents and a key collectible.
For many years, in order to improve the yield and quality of honeysuckle in Fengqiu County, ties with scientific research units have been strengthened, and multiple awards have been obtained. In January 2003, Fengqiu County honeysuckle obtained origin marking registration protection, has become a fine product of the Chinese nation, and will become an international famous brand product on par with South African diamonds and French wine.
However, in the southern market, "Jicaotang No. 1" honeysuckle is mainly characterized by thick stems and branches, thick and large leaves, dark green leaf color, many hairs, short internodes, few water shoots, and many flowering branches. Compared with traditional varieties, it has the characteristics of high yield, high content of effective components, high harvesting efficiency, and strong stress resistance and adaptability.
Landscape applications of honeysuckle
Because its creeping growth ability is stronger than its climbing growth ability, it is more suitable for ground cover cultivation under forests, at forest edges, and on the north side of buildings; it can also be used for greening low walls; its twining ability can also be used to make flower corridors, flower trellises, flower fences, flower columns, and to twine around rockery stones, and so on. The advantages are large vine growth and extensive management; the disadvantages are that vines become entangled with vines and the ground cover is uneven, giving a sense of disorder.
Cultivation techniques and propagation techniques of honeysuckle
Seed propagation: sow in April. Soak the seeds in warm water at 35-40°C for 24 h, take them out and mix with 2-3 times wet sand to promote germination, and sow when about 30% have cracked. On the bed, open furrows at a row spacing of 21-22 cm and sow, cover with 1 cm of soil, spray water once every 2 days, and seedlings will emerge in more than 10 days. Transplant after autumn or in the second spring, using about 15 kg of seeds per 1 hm2.
Cutting propagation: generally carried out in the rainy season. In cloudy and rainy weather in summer and autumn, select robust 1-2 year old branches free of pests and diseases, cut them into 30-35 cm lengths, remove the lower leaves, and use them as cuttings, using them as soon as they are cut. On the selected land, dig holes at a row spacing of 1.6 m and plant spacing of 1.5 m, with holes 16-18 cm deep, place 5-6 cuttings per hole, dispersed and slanted upright in the soil, with 7-10 cm exposed above ground, then fill with soil and press firm (sandy soil with good air and water permeability is best). Before the cuttings have rooted, attention should be paid to shading to avoid direct sunlight causing the cuttings to dry out. Cutting seedling raising can also be used; in July-August, open furrows at a row spacing of 23-26 cm, about 16 cm deep, with a plant spacing of 2 cm, place the cuttings slanted upright in the furrows, fill with soil and press firm. Using sandy soil with good air and water permeability as the seedling soil allows the fastest rooting and makes it less likely for the cuttings to rot due to pathogen infection. After planting, spray once with water. Thereafter, during drought, water once every 2 days, and roots can form in about half a month. Transplant in the second spring or autumn.
Shaping and pruning
Periods and methods for shaping and pruning honeysuckle:
1. Pruning periods for honeysuckle: divided into two periods. One is winter pruning, that is, pruning during the dormant period, which can be carried out from December to early March of the following year. The second is green-period pruning, that is, pruning during the growing period, which can be carried out from May to mid-August.
2. Methods for shaping and pruning honeysuckle:
A: The pruning method for 1-3 year old young clumps is mainly shaping, with flowering as secondary. The focus is on cultivating good first-, second-, and third-level skeleton branches to form a firm framework and lay the foundation for future high yield.
First winter: first plan the clump shape to be used, select robust branches, retain one main trunk for the natural round-headed form, retain 3 main trunks for the umbrella form, retain 3-5 nodes on each branch and cut off the upper part, and cut off all other branches. In future management, frequently remove branches growing from the roots in time to prevent excessive tillering from affecting the growth of the main trunk.
Second winter: the main task of pruning at this stage is to cultivate first-level skeleton branches. After last winter's pruning, under ordinary fertilizer and water management conditions, 6-10 robust purple-red branches will grow. For the natural round-headed form, select and retain 2-3 main trunks; for the umbrella form, select 6-7 main trunks as first-level skeleton branches, retain 3-5 nodes on each branch and cut off the upper part. The selection criteria are: first, basal diameter above 0.5 cm; second, branching angle of 30-40 degrees; third, uniform distribution, staggered growth, and avoiding crossing, overlapping, or all growing on one part as much as possible. Other branches, no matter where they grow, especially basal tillers, are all removed.
Third winter: the main task is to select and retain second-level skeleton branches to make better use of space. The buds at the base of honeysuckle branches are very plump, with five or six buds surrounding a circle, and the shoots drawn out are also very robust, which can be used to adjust and replace the angle and extension direction of second-level skeleton branches. Retain 7-11 for the natural round-headed form and 12-15 for the umbrella form, retain 3-5 nodes on each branch and cut off the upper part of the tips as second-level skeleton branches. The methods and standards are the same as above, and all remaining branches are removed.
Fourth winter: first, select and retain third-level skeleton branches; second, use new shoots to adjust second-level skeleton branches. Retain 18-25 for the natural round-headed form and 20-30 for the umbrella form as third-level skeleton branches. The methods and standards are the same as above.
Fifth year: the framework has basically formed, and pruning shifts toward flowering. First, select and retain enough flowering mother branches; second, use new shoots to adjust the angle and direction of skeleton branches, distinguish effective branches from ineffective branches, and remove the weak while retaining the strong. The basal diameter of the selected flowering mother branches must be above 0.5 cm. Each second-level skeleton branch retains at most 2-3 flowering mother branches, each third-level skeleton branch retains at most 4-5, and the whole clump retains 80-120, with a distance of 8-10 cm between flowering mother branches, not too dense. The flowering mother branches are still retained with 2-5 nodes and the upper part cut off, and all others are removed.
B: Pruning method for mature clumps: after 5 years, honeysuckle has fully entered the peak flowering stage, shaping is basically complete, and it turns to the stage of high and stable yield. At this time, the main pruning task is to select and retain robust flowering mother branches. The sources of flowering mother branches are 80% primary branches and 20% secondary branches. Flowering mother branches need to be renewed every year, and the more robust the better. Only strong mother branches can produce more flowering branches and achieve the goal of high and stable yield. Second is to adjust and renew second- and third-level skeleton branches, remove the weak and retain the strong, and rejuvenate the clump vigor. The pruning steps are: first lower part, then upper part; first inside, then outside; first large branches, then small branches; first thinning, then heading back. Thin out crossing branches, drooping branches, dead and weak branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, and all ineffective branches. The retained flowering mother branches are headed back, retaining 3-5 nodes, with every branch cut, evenly distributed, reasonably arranged, and the branch spacing still maintained at 8-10 cm.
Pruning is greatly related to fertilizer and water. Land that is fertile and has good water and fertilizer conditions can be lightly cut, otherwise heavily cut. Under ordinary circumstances, robust clumps can retain 80-100 flowering mother branches, each plant can produce about 1,200 grams of dried flowers, and the yield per 667 square meters can reach about 260 kg.
C: Pruning method for old clumps: for honeysuckle after 30 years, the flower clumps gradually age. At this time, in addition to retaining enough flowering mother branches, pruning is mainly for renewing and rejuvenating skeleton branches, so as to produce more new branches and make the clump age old while the branch age remains young, only then can yield be maintained. The method is to combine thinning and heading, suppressing the front and promoting the back.
D: Green-period pruning method: the purpose of green-period pruning is to promote the formation of multiple flower flushes. The time is after each peak flowering period: the first pruning of spring shoots is in late May (after the first flower flush), the second is pruning summer shoots in mid-July (after the second flower flush), and the third is pruning autumn shoots in mid-August (after the third flower flush). First thin out all ineffective branches, retain 4-5 nodes on strong branches and 2-3 nodes on moderate branches for heading back, and the branch spacing is still maintained at 8-10 cm.
The life of honeysuckle is similar to that of grapes. There are quite a lot of root tillers, which is the fundamental cause of disordered tree shape and premature plant aging. Therefore, in the annual management of mature clumps, root tillers should be removed in time, and water shoots on the main trunk should be cleared in time.
Mixed planting
1. Interplanting licorice in the early growth stage of honeysuckle: according to the growth characteristics of honeysuckle varieties, adopt the cultivation method of appropriately expanding row spacing and reducing plant spacing for hole planting, which not only effectively uses the land, but also ensures enough plants in a certain area, enhances ventilation and light transmission conditions, and provides a good growing environment for light- and warmth-loving honeysuckle, thus laying a solid foundation for improving yield and quality. At the same time, within its row spacing, interplant the short-cycle, short-statured Chinese medicinal material licorice, achieving the purpose of using medicine to support flowers and using short-term crops to support long-term crops.
The specific cultivation method is as follows:
(1) Honeysuckle cultivation: can be cultivated throughout the year. On the selected plot, apply 5,000 kg of organic fertilizer, 100 kg of superphosphate, 30 kg of potassium sulfate, and 50 kg of ammonium bicarbonate per mu, plough fine and harrow evenly, make high beds 2 meters wide, and between beds make shallow ditches 30 cm wide and 10 cm deep. In the ditches, dig a square hole 30 cm deep every 100 cm, plant two flower seedlings in each hole, fill with soil and tread firm, and water. Plant 330 holes per mu of honeysuckle, totaling 660 plants. Keep the soil moist for 15 days after planting, and they will sprout and survive.
(2) Licorice cultivation techniques (refer to the cultivation method introduced above).
2. Using medicine to support flowers, with remarkable economic benefits: the planting model of interplanting medicinal materials between honeysuckle rows can significantly improve economic benefits. Interplanting licorice in the early growth stage of honeysuckle has basically the same economic benefits as the above analysis. At the same time, through fertilization and watering management for licorice, honeysuckle obtains sufficient nutrients from it and grows vigorously. In the first year, 20 kg of honeysuckle can be harvested, at a market price of 35 yuan/kg, giving an income of 700 yuan per mu. In the second year, 60 kg of honeysuckle can be harvested, with an income of 2,000 yuan per mu, plus the income from interplanted licorice, the benefit is quite considerable. In the third year, honeysuckle enters the high-yield period, with a dry flower yield of 150-200 kg per mu, and the benefit can reach more than 5,000 yuan. At the same time, a certain degree of shading is formed within the rows, providing natural living conditions for the moisture-loving, shade-tolerant Pinellia ternata, so Pinellia ternata grows well, and the benefit can be imagined. It can be said to achieve multiple benefits with one action.
Trends in disease and pest occurrence and control of honeysuckle
Based on a comprehensive analysis of factors such as the current actual occurrence of honeysuckle diseases and pests, future weather forecasts, the overall layout and varietal resistance level of honeysuckle, and farmers' control techniques, it is expected that in 2012, honeysuckle aphids will occur heavily (level 4), with an occurrence area of 80,000 mu-times; red spider mites will occur moderately to heavily (level 4), with an occurrence area of 80,000 mu-times; powdery mildew will occur generally moderately (level 3) and locally moderately to heavily (level 4), with an occurrence area of 60,000 mu-times; brown spot disease will occur moderately (level 3), with an occurrence area of 50,000 mu-times. Other diseases and pests will occur lightly (levels 1-2), with an occurrence area of 20,000 mu-times.
Suitable control period
At present, red spider mites, powdery mildew, brown spot disease, and others in most honeysuckle plantations have reached the control threshold, and pesticide control must be carried out immediately. Brown spot disease and powdery mildew should be treated with pesticides at the early stage of onset, and the control threshold is a diseased plant rate of 3.0%.
I. Agricultural control: choose disease-resistant varieties, strengthen cultivation management, maintain reasonable close planting, prune and shape, and ensure ventilation and light transmission; fertilize scientifically, increase phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, improve plant disease resistance, and especially note not to apply too much nitrogen, so as to avoid overly dense plant growth and aggravated disease severity.
II. Chemical control: honeysuckle is a plant used both as medicine and food, so special attention must be paid to food (drug) safety. Highly toxic pesticides are prohibited in production, and chemical control agents must be used under the guidance of technicians from plant protection departments and agricultural technology departments.
1. Brown spot disease. A common leaf disease that weakens plant growth. It mostly occurs in the late growth stage, with the peak period from August to September, and is severe under rainy and humid conditions. In the early stage of the disease, small brown spots form on the leaves, then expand into round brown lesions or irregular lesions. Grayish-black mold grows on the underside of the lesions, and in severe cases it can cause the leaves to fall off. Control methods: prune diseased leaves, then spray with Bordeaux mixture at a ratio of 1:1.5:200, once every 7-10 days, for 2-3 consecutive times; or use a 500-fold dilution of 65% zineb or a 1000-1500-fold dilution of thiophanate, spraying once every 7 days, for 2-3 consecutive times.
2. Powdery mildew. The disease is severe under warm, dry conditions or when plants are shaded; excessive nitrogen application and dense plant growth also make it severe. In the early stage of the disease, small white spots appear on the leaves, then gradually expand into white powdery patches, continue to spread and cover the whole leaf, causing the leaves to turn yellow, shrink and deform, and finally causing flowers and leaves to drop and branches to dry up. Control methods: clean the garden and dispose of diseased and remnant plants; during the outbreak period, spray with a 1000-fold solution of 50% thiophanate or BO-10 biological preparation.
3. Aphids. They damage leaves and young shoots, causing leaves and flower buds to curl, growth to stop, and yield to drop sharply. The insect infestation is heavier from April to June, and spreads faster around "Lixia" (the Beginning of Summer), especially on rainy days. Control methods: spray with a 1000-1500-fold dilution of 40% dimethoate or a 1000-1500-fold dilution of menazon (mieyaling) to kill them, repeatedly until they are eliminated.
4. Inchworm. After the first flush of flowers, the larvae eat the leaves, causing reduced yield. Control methods: after spring begins, dig the soil within 1 m around the plants to destroy the pupae. In the early stage of larval occurrence, spray with a 400-600-fold solution of 2.5% derris extract emulsifiable concentrate; or spray with dichlorvos, trichlorfon, etc., but stop spraying during the flowering period.
Harvesting and processing: The best time to harvest honeysuckle is in the early morning and forenoon, when the flower buds are less likely to open and have sufficient nutrients, a strong fragrance, and good color. Harvesting in the afternoon should be finished before the sun sets, because the opening of honeysuckle is controlled by light, and after sunset the mature flower buds will open, affecting quality. Do not include young buds or leaves. After picking, place them in a wicker or bamboo basket. When gathering them, do not pile them into a large heap; spread them out, and do not leave them for more than 4 h.
The cultural background of honeysuckle
Honeysuckle can also be grown at home. It is a famous courtyard ornamental flower, with both beautiful flowers and leaves, evergreen and not withering. It is suitable as material for vertical greening on fences, balconies, green corridors, flower stands, shade sheds, etc., and can also be grown in pots. If some brightly colored flowers are added as well, then whether richly or lightly arranged, they complement each other and create a distinctive charm.
It is said that long ago in a mountain village in Zhejiang, there was a pair of lively and lovely twin sisters. The elder was called Jinhua, and the younger was called Yinhua. They had the same temperament and were often inseparable. One day Jinhua suddenly became feverish all over and covered with red spots. The doctor said it was "heat toxin disease" and could not be cured. When Yinhua heard this, she cried herself half dead. Jinhua told her to leave quickly to avoid infection. She said, "I am not afraid, I must stay with you." And she waited on her in front of the bed day and night. Before long, Yinhua also fell ill and could not get out of bed. The two said to their parents, "This is fate. After we die, we must surely become a medicinal herb that can cure 'heat toxin disease,' so as to save people suffering from this illness..." At this point, the sisters closed their eyes at the same time and passed away. Their parents, following their wishes, tearfully buried them together.
In the spring and summer of the following year, a green-leafed mountain vine unexpectedly grew on their grave and gradually grew strong... Three years passed, and the vine was lush and thick, producing flowers in summer that were first white and then yellow, alternating yellow and white. People picked the flowers for medicine and used them to treat heat toxin disease, and they were indeed remarkably effective. From then on, people called this flower "honeysuckle."
Honeysuckle pictures