Late summer is a great time to harvest, harvest, harvest! My number one tip for beginners is to harvest everything you know is medicinal or edible now or the plants listed in my articles and hang them up to dry in your house. You can use them for medicine as you learn about their uses all fall and winter until spring comes.

It can be frustrating to learn wild plants partly due to the necessity to harvest during the right time of year. For many years, I’d get the foraging bug in the winter, when it’s harder to learn new plants and harvest . . . but then I learned most of what I know through books.

 

So . . . let’s harvest some honeysuckle!

Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica):

Habitats

There are four species common in the United States: Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii), Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica), Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii), and Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica). All are invasive.

They grow well in similar habitats, including: abandoned fields; pastures; early successional, open canopy, and planted forests; along the edge of woodlots; floodplains; highway, railway and utility rights-of-way; open disturbed areas; vacant lots; edges of lawns; and, gardens. Lonicera japonica can also be found in agricultural fields.

Full sun is preferred. Lonicera japonica is the most shade-tolerant of the four, with Lonicera tatarica and Lonicera maackii being semi-shade tolerant.

These honeysuckle species are from Japan, China,

Smell: Very sweet when in bloom. You may be able to smell it just when you’re walking by.

Flower: Irregular, yellow or white.

Leaves: Ovate, smooth edges, hairless.

 

 

Medicinal Properties:

Honeysuckle has anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties that is very helpful in the treatment of headaches, including migraines. It also helps maintain your blood sugar level, boosts your immune system, and helps relieve nausea.

Arguably, the best medicinal uses is for headaches since most people get them from time to time and reaching for store-bought medicines adds food coloring and other additives into your body, which is not be ideal.

This remedy is surprisingly easy and quick.

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Please let me know how it goes next time you have a headache!