Edible Honeysuckle

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Video: Edible Honeysuckle

Video: Edible Honeysuckle
Video: Wild Edibles #14 Honeysuckle 2024, March
Edible Honeysuckle
Edible Honeysuckle
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Edible honeysuckle is one of the plants of the family called honeysuckle, in Latin the name of this plant will sound like this: Lonicera edulis Turcz. ex Freyn. As for the name of the edible honeysuckle family itself, in Latin it will be: Caprifoliaceae Juss.

Description of edible honeysuckle

Edible honeysuckle is a short perennial shrub whose height will fluctuate between sixty and one hundred centimeters. The leaves are on rather short petioles, the length of which is two to three millimeters. Such leaves will be oblong and linear-oblong, the length of the leaves will be about one and a half to five and a half centimeters, and the width will not exceed two centimeters. Such leaves of edible honeysuckle will be pubescent with hairs. At the same time, the underside of the leaf is paler, the flowers are numerous, they will bloom with not quite developed leaves. The length of the corolla of this plant is eight to thirteen millimeters, it will be funnel-shaped, completely pubescent outside, and the corolla is endowed with a short tube. The length of the edible honeysuckle fruit is nine to twelve millimeters, the inflorescence is highly elongated and endowed with a rather pleasant taste.

The flowering of edible honeysuckle falls on the period from the second half of May to the month of June. Fruiting in this case occurs at the end of June-July. It is noteworthy that the fruit of this plant tastes very much like blueberries: such fruit can be eaten and harvested in the form of jam. Under natural conditions, edible honeysuckle can be found in the Far East, as well as in the following regions of Eastern Siberia: in the south of the Leno-Kolymsky, in the Daursky and Angara-Sayansky regions. For growth, the plant prefers river valleys, undergrowth of floodplain forests, shrub tundra, as well as on coastal sands and the outskirts of swamps. The plant can grow both singly and in small groups. Edible honeysuckle is an ornamental plant.

Description of the medicinal properties of edible honeysuckle

Edible honeysuckle is endowed with very valuable healing properties, while for medicinal purposes it is recommended to use the berries, leaves, flowers and stems of this plant.

The presence of such valuable healing properties is explained by the content of starch in the buds and leaves, and the fruits of this plant contain carbohydrates, carbolic compounds, esters, fatty acids, betaine, alcohols, folic acid, catechins, tannins, vitamin C, leukoanthocyanins and anthocyanins.

As for traditional medicine, here a decoction of the branches is used for edema of any origin and for ascites, and also as a diuretic. A decoction of edible honeysuckle leaves should be used externally as an antiseptic for tonsillitis, as well as for rinsing the mouth. The crushed leaves of this plant can be used topically as a wound healing agent.

Edible honeysuckle fruits can be used for bradycardia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity and lack of vitamin C. Dried fruits of edible honeysuckle are a source of antibiotics, which is used by the inhabitants of the north. The juice of this plant is indicated for use in dermatoses. As for betaine, it has been experimentally proven that this substance lowers blood cholesterol. The fruits can be used fresh and processed as food: as jelly, preserves, fillings and juices.

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