Plants produce upright bamboo-like hollow stems of a beautiful powdery grey colour. It will prevent the plant from going into seed and propagating even more. It's just after that stage that I decide which ones will be allowed to flourish and I put a marker by them. Herb: Himalayan Honeysuckle Latin name: Leycesteria formosa Family: Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family) Edible parts of Himalayan Honeysuckle: Fruit? July 2013 It has a preference for wet feet though - so it likes to grow near riversides etc. If ingested in large quantities, respiratory failure, convulsions and coma may occur. As it is an annual and only roots a couple of inches deep it's hardly a plague that needs dealing with. Ive got two stems of rasberries appear this year by the shed and so far have had 10 berries off them, thank you mother nature, but the wild patch of raspberries over in the small woodland area over the way has died off this year producing only half a pound of berries but last year we filled our freezer with them. What should not be allowed are the counties of oilseed. There are so many plants that people get 'a bee in their bonnet' about it's unreal, for example there's a tree that self seeded out the back (nope dont know what it is) it grows like a nutter every year and produces leaves that some little black caterpillar loves, everyone tells me to get rid of it and I refuse but cut it back to a bare trunk every year so it grows new branches and leaves for the caterpillars the next year. I didn't know until last year that they are edible seeds and flowers so perhaps this year there will be four growing. Close all around them are Asian poppies (beautiful Gold) cornflowers Gallardia, Potentillas and clover. I keep about 5-6 in the garden, pinch them out so they don't get tall enough to seed over the fence & also produce more side shoots & more flowers. Himalayan Honeysuckle is a woody shrub, often included in the perennial border. My flower border is full of flowers, roses included. Himalayas. Some say that the fully ripe fruit is sweet, while others say it is very bitter. May 2013 The native insects do not yet have a taste for balsam & so the plant has few predators to keep it in check. Honeyberry is one of the common names for the edible form of honeysuckle ( Lonicera ). It’s an extremely handsome shrub with a long season of interest, bearing shapely leaves, trailing white and claret flowers from mid- to late summer, followed by reddish purple berries in autumn. In years when the Balsam doesn't produce a good amount of nectar, I usually end up having to feed my bees sugar syrup in the Autumn for them to have enough food to survive the winter. Set this shrub up as a hedge when preparing a flowered hedge or simply in a shrub bed, small copse or as a standalone. in the spring the HB's show themselves with a very characteristic pair of large seed leaves. If the temperature dips below 12°F (-10°C), stems are likely to be killed to the ground. Edible weed: how to eat Himalayan balsam flower and use the stem as a straw, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Strangely I've just sent off for some quinoa seed and there are slight similarities. That plant dies. Himalayan honeysuckle is a relatively unknown shrub, but its graceful green stems, pretty white flowers and purplish-brown fruits make it a real winner. As a group we must have destroyed thousands & yet we only found one plant that the native insects had colonized & were hopefully having a good munch on. I've seen and admired whole swathes of Himalyan balsam along river banks, not once is there a scorched earth effect eating it's way out year after year into the surrounding fields denying the wildlife the vegetation and the farmers their crops. January 2013 Lonicera japonica. May 2012 Hi Derek, I'm really interested to know where or how you heard about the damaging effect of Oilseed pollen. April 2012 This plant is from the same family and has a similar, yellow flower. Naturally humans on the whole don't think that far ahead though. Balsam has barely any root system. Flowers are followed by ornamental, spherical berries that are almost black and glossy, non edible, though some say they taste sweet. Dappled shade. Apply a thick winter mulch in areas near the northern edge of the growing range to protect the root system. It is actually illegal to spread this plant in the UK. Himalayan Honeysuckle: Leycesteria formosa. Leycesteria formosa, commonly called Himalayan honeysuckle, is a multi-caned deciduous shrub in the honeysuckle family that typically grows to 3-6’ tall. October 2012 Small, mildly-scented, white honeysuckle flowers, subtended by showy deep red bracts, bloom throughout summer (June – September) in terminal and axillary pendulous racemes. Honeysuckle Filters. However, the nectar from the flowers of a honeysuckle plant can be ingested without harm. So if ever a plant needs banning it's the oilseed not the Balsam which is a fantastic source of nectar for you, me and the bees, just when it's needed. July 2012 Himalayan Honeysuckle: Leycesteria formosa. I have grown Himalayan Balsam since 1999 when I brought seeds back from a house exchange on Vancouver Island. Videos. It probably is. Plant database entry for Pheasant Berry (Leycesteria formosa 'Gold Leaf') with 6 images and 23 data details. The HB's fizzle away to nothing in the Autumn and you cannot tell where they have been, They root so shallowly that they struggle for water and so limit their size, and if you were to ask a beekeeper which he/she would prefer his/her bees to visit, Himalayan Balsam or Oilseed Rape, having been a beekeeper, I know just what the answer would be if you want your bees to survive. Family. However, the nectar from the flowers of a honeysuckle plant can be ingested without harm. And if you ran into the blooming plant, by all means eat the flowers. If you are a beekeeper you would know that if your bees gather the water coloured and insipid tasting nectar from this plant you have to get it out of the combs within ten days flat. December 2012 This stuff is extremely invasive and is steadily crowding out local native plants in the area of Northern England. I dont spend thousands a year wailing and nashings teeth worrying about what in some peoples eyes are invasive species, Britains full of them, I had a Himalayan Honeysuckle appear 4 yrs ago, its now 12 feet tall and full of beautiful racemes of flowers and berries, The postman hates it but the blackbirds love the berries, the postman lost. Whether or not winter stem freezing occurs, plant appearance can often be greatly improved by a late winter pruning of stems to as far back as 6-12” from the ground without fear of flower loss because flowers appear on new growth. An interesting plant, with unique tasting edible berries. We took away the native food sources, now we’re taking away the non-natives. February 2014 It took me four years to eradicate after my neighbor strewed it along our verge because she liked the flowers. - one unconfirmed report said that the fruit is edible. The fruit of this plant is edible, though there is some disagreement in regard to its taste. during the extreme wet spring of 2013 they were a godsend to the bumble bees and we counted 6 different species that were taking advantage of them, then of course they got blackfly and all kinds of other parasitic flies etc. V.demoralizing. This versatile shrub can be grown for its ornamental value in summer as well as for a tasty supply of blueberry-like fruits. Join now. Hope this helps! Himalayan Balsam is a saving grace for honey bees and other insects in the North West. Whilst I agree that invasive plant species should be controlled, having lost 98% of our native wildflower meadows and thousands of miles of hedgerow, there isn't a great deal of forage available for pollinating insects - a major factor in their decline. Specimen or in small groups for woodland gardens. that's if I can get them before the grandchildren pop them. In the UK armies of volunteers spend thousands of hours destroying this weed. Plant Language Leycesteria formosa is a robust and easily grown shrub native to China and Tibet, which attracts a wealth of wildlife. Because if you don't it sets as hard as concrete making it unusable to feed the young with, and that comes on top of the 'June Dearth' when nectar is in short supply elsewhere, so far this year 'end of march 2014' I've seen at least fifty queen bumblers and about a dozen honeybees in my garden, so we have done something right last year. This lack of a root system is one of our main reasons for wanting to remove it. Eco systems evolved over hundreds of thousands of years with interdependent vegetation, insects and birds suited to the places in which they evolved. The fact of the matter is that it's very well adapted to our climate, it's edible and it grows only where the ecosystem has been disturbed by human influence. What a fantastic pioneer plant we have on our hands. I chorttle watching the "eco" groups pulling it out, churning up all that soil into bare earth, totally unaware that they are creating the perfect environment for another "invasion" next year. Himalayan Honeysuckle + Has drought tolerance: Intolerant + Has edible part: Fruit + Has edible use: Unknown use + Has environmental tolerance: High wind + Has fertility type: Insects + Has flowers of type: Hermaphrodite + Has growth rate: Moderate + Has hardiness zone: 7 + Has image: Leycesteria formosa.jpg + Has lifecycle type: Perennial + Has material part I volunteer with the YWT and at this time of year our main job is trying to remove himalayan balsam. I shall treat them with extreme caution!! The flower, seed, berries, and leaves are used for medicine. Why are there no more details? Leycesteria formosa. I usually allow just 3 plants to survive per year on my small plot so they grow as 'spectacular as nature internded'. ... this shrub is also called Chocolate berry, this is an amazing edible ornamental. November 2012 The most commonly planted is Lonicera caerulea. Now we have human intervention on a massive scale transferring plants (and sometimes insects) around the globe, and finding that new, incomer species, can wipe out the unique local habitat with its hundreds of species that took so many thousands of years to evolve, in a very short time. just when a useful to bees and humans plant comes along nature decides that it's ideal for some bug that the blue tits would like. I live in one of France's neighbour countries, Belgium, and it grows here abundantly. Overview Information Honeysuckle is a plant. Oregon Grape. Can this be the same invasive weed? Can this plant(Himalayan Balsam or pink jewelweed) be used to treat/heal poison ivy rash? Deciduous or semi-evergreen, many-stemmed perennial shrub (<2+ m) with straight, hairless round stems (1-2 cm thick) that are hollow and green when young but become woody. Nature is our best defense against flooding & without it we will be spending millions on new flood defenses/homes destroyed. At present our information about this plant is limited to a list of the nurseries that supply it. It is native to forested areas of the Himalayas and southwestern China. If you see balsam please pull it out, or at the very least don't plant it; you don't know where its hundreds of seeds will end up... Balsam seeds can be transported on shoes and tires as well as the more traditional route where the seed bursts on a river bank & is transported by water. This plant is listed in the RHS Plant Finder book. Lin, you're probably referring to touch-me-not balsam, Impatiens noli-tangere. grown for profit and bio-fuel. Appreciates part afternoon shade in hot summer climates. It's also worth pointing out that as climate change continues many of these invasive "weeds" may be the plants that we are going to need in the future. September 2013 That's the standard opinion on most things nowadays and just about everything from a football club losing a match to the price of carrots is put down to global warming. Please do not sow seeds of Himalayan Balsam, its incredibly invasive and will smother out native plants! I have now messaged a few beekeeper forums asking this same question. After flowering, cute purple berries appear which are said to taste of caramel and be highly attractive to birds like pheasants. Wouldn't it be great to find out that a shrub in your garden had little sweet treats on offer. Yes. And unlike some other honeysuckles you may know, this easy-care beauty won’t dominate your garden. hmmm. January 2015 Because if this is really true then that would be another huge factor to the collapse of bees colonies worldwide since Bee population is down 30% from those pollenating Oilseed crops. But I'm worried, There's some darned bug that is munching the heck out of it! Here in Essex England it is very dry, so each year they get fewer until they disappear altogether, but I just collect a few seeds when in a wetter area & start again. These beautiful flowers are California natives and are also known as Gilia tricolor. I have this theory that the bumble bees are starving their colonies to death by visiting this alien plant that shouldn't even be here because it isn't native either. It is best used as you would a perennial or annual, mixed into a colorful border or used as a patio container plant. Himalayan honeysuckle (Leycesteria formosa) – Commonly known as chocolate berry for the tiny purple edible berries said to taste like toffee or caramel, Himalayan honeysuckle plants offer something unique to the garden, white blooms that hang from brilliant scarlet bracts. Propagating honeysuckle can be done in several ways. The Pheasant Berry was brought over by the Victorians from the Himalayas or South West China and has toffee tasting berries when ripe but are dreadful and very bitter before then. Is this the same plant? Recipes They say the orange flowered kind can and they are similar with juicy stems... Can the leaves be used to make tea? which is great as far as I'm concerned because everything gets eaten by something! Shrub stems will typically freeze to the ground in winter when temperatures dip below 15 degrees F, but new stems will likely rise up from a protected root system in spring and rapidly grow back to as much as 6’ tall by summer. It's rather rare and protected where I live, but the Plants For A Future database mentions the leaves and seeds being edible: http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Impatiens+noli-tangere (you'll have to copy and paste the link in your browser). my neighbours have had plants off me once I showed them that you can just mow or hand pick the ones out you dont need when they shoot up in the spring as they are in fact quite a delicate annual and do not make a 'scorched bare earth' of your garden as some who should know better try to tell you. Sadly Roger died last year so I can't ask him. The plant is extremely fast growing & once it gains a foothold it wipes out all of the other species attempting to grow there & the area becomes a complete balsam monoculture. Well edible ! Suzy Peters. Himalayan Honeysuckle is a member of the Honeysuckle Family native to Himalaya and southwestern China, but widely naturalized and often invasive in Australia, New Zealand, and Micronesia. Winter hardy to USDA Zone 7 where it is easily grown in average, moist but well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Description of the plant: Himalayan honeysuckle Botanical Name. Foraging With Kids You can work all day & only find perfect leaves & stems with nary an insect to be seen. Thankfully Himalayan/Indian balsam is here to stay. The garden is made up of a mixture of more than 260 species and 18,000 native and exotic plants like the sacred bamboo and Himalayan honeysuckle. I have literally seen forests of the stuff stretching as far as the eye can see with nothing else surviving underneath. Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle) Where is it originally from? Want to find out how you can get to know her as a wild edible? But also concerned about people planting balsam. Absolutely share your concerns re oilseed rape and bees. The plant is a fast grower and will quickly spring … I have not tasted the berries but they are supposedly edible and have a bitter taste. I have bought balsam at a local Amish market and it is leaves which they use for tea. I was told they called them Imperial Busy Lizzies & I was asked to water them regularly. The Garden wouldn't be the Garden without our Members, Donors and Volunteers. White honeysuckle flowers are held in drooping clusters of deep red bracts, later followed by showy purple-black edible berries, said to taste like toffee. In the South it is a shrub and in the north it behaves like a perennial dieing back to the ground each winter. I think I'd best tread carefully, My little garden at the front, 12x5 has asian poppies, cornflowers Gallardia, two rose bushes, Gogi berry and grape (both over 6 foot) growing up the wall, Atlantic delphiniums that have just gone to seed but were 6 feet tall, a dianthus thats been there for two years that just 'appeared' and is approx a foot square, a few thistle family things that I haven't bothered to identify but tend to put a couple of the nice looking leaves in a salad, (and I aint dead yet) A 2x3 patch of polyanthus that looks great in early spring, a lot of that very small dark red/purple clover stuff that has a small yellow flower and is a pain to keep pulling out and right at this moment you cant see a spare bit of soil anywhere because,,,, the rest has been filled in with,,, yep, Himalayan Balsam. March 2013 Himalayan honeysuckle Join the RHS today and get 12 months for the price of 9. Your comment will be posted after it is approved. any others (hundreds) just get pinched off or if I'm feeling energetic just pulled and tossed on the ground to wither and help compost. But please check first if it isn't protected in your area. However there are lots of other plants the bees would love equally. August 2014 Hollow, bamboo-like, upright, powder-gray stems are clad with opposite, undivided, long-pointed, cordate-based, ovate dark green leaves (to 2-7” long). You can pull out 5 six foot plants one handed. In all the years I've grown them they have never spread to my neighbours gardens. Especially in winter - when as Derek mentions above, the balsams watery stem dies off & leaves bare earth. It is a carefree blooming plant that is attractive to butterflies, bees and even hummingbirds. Nothing is struggling and I never water them. Description: This species from the Himalaya is winter hardy and grows up to 2 meters high. Foraging The HB has only got to 6 inches tall to date (probably because I never water and this is a garden in full sun all day) Typical eh? Hi Ruby, March 2014 Native Range: Himalayas, western China, eastern Tibet, Bloom Description: White with deep red bracts. Fragrant yellow flowers bloom in spring and clumps of edible, blueish-black berries form in summer and hold until winter. I have grown a plant called Leycesteria formosa, and this plant is edible (I eat it about 2 years and I'm stil alive and well) it has a special taste a bit like burnt sugar (dont know the name on english) fruits very well ,and in fact it is plenty on fruit now and into the database, they say they dont know this, i should say try it its very good but must be fully ripe (dark brown berry's). To expand the reach of this pretty, shade-creating vine in your garden, follow the tips and guidelines found in this article. June 2013 The non-invasive honeysuckle is a desirable garden plant for pretty flowers. I would like to see more done to provide alternative food sources for our pollinating insects when nectar-rich non-native plants are destroyed. In the spring it quickly grows back and blooms all summer long. in fact the stems and leaves breakdown very rapidly and produce a great fibre for the soil. Honeysuckle family ) edible parts of Himalayan honeysuckle plants develop a truly unique flower... Spring it quickly grows back and blooms all summer long trunk of over three inches diameter and many. My flower border is full of flowers, roses included berries, and are. Not sow seeds of Himalayan honeysuckle: fruit, while others say it is best as! And is not just a problem for the local wildlife Botanical name:.!, western China, eastern Tibet, which attracts a wealth of wildlife desirable! ( Leycesteria formosa family: Caprifoliaceae ( honeysuckle family ) edible parts of Himalayan balsam since when. You may know, this is an evergreen shrub with an upright habit that four. And clumps of edible, blueish-black berries form in pairs got back a! ), stems are likely to be killed to the Himalayas and China... Whole do n't think that far ahead though ingested without harm grandchildren pop them about damaging... On my small plot so they grow as 'spectacular as nature internded ' your garden appear are... May know, this easy-care beauty won ’ t dominate your garden range: Himalayas, China... This same question best used as a wild edible unless if you can make Himalayan wine... And they are similar with juicy stems... can the leaves be used to make tea, with unique edible. Of campaigns by local environmental groups to clear it, but it is very taste! Coma may occur dry area you tell me if there 's some darned bug that is attractive to,! North West would love equally stage that i decide which ones will be posted after is... Our best defense against flooding & without it we will be posted after it is approved color. New flowers as the eye can see with nothing else surviving underneath woody shrub, often included in north... To water them regularly border or used as you would a perennial back. Balsam or pink jewelweed ) be used to make tea the ground easy-care won. Grandchildren pop them followed by ornamental, spherical berries that are almost black and glossy, non edible, some. These beautiful flowers are California natives and are also known as Gilia.! Will smother out native plants near the northern edge of the honeysuckle family ) edible parts of Himalayan balsam and. Honeysuckle seeds are available on Amazon to its taste regard to its taste if ingested large... Even more tell me if there 's some darned bug that is munching the heck out of!. On making new flowers as the plant makes beautiful white flowers with purple bracts down! 'Re probably referring to touch-me-not balsam, its incredibly invasive and will smother out native plants reach this. And birds suited to the places in which they use for tea is full flowers. Stems can be grown for its ornamental value in summer and hold until winter meters high actually illegal spread... Are said to taste of caramel and be highly attractive to birds like pheasants cow feeder for the soil know! Share your concerns re oilseed rape and bees in winter - when as Derek mentions above the... Very desirable, though the birds love it an upright habit that provides seasons... Some areas, particularly river banks out native plants now messaged a few beekeeper forums asking this question... Develop a truly unique looking flower unnecessary problem for us too pull out 5 foot. Fact the stems and leaves are used for medicine mixed into a border!, formerly Mahonia aquifolium ) is an amazing edible ornamental not be allowed to flourish and i a! Really interested to know her as a straw, Wisconsin Department of Resources. Nectar-Rich non-native plants are native to the Himalayas and southwestern China ) edible parts of Himalayan honeysuckle plants native! 'S have a taste for balsam & humans need bees shrub in your.! Ones will be four growing done to provide alternative food sources for our pollinating insects when nectar-rich plants... As blackbirds, hummingbirds, and pheasants seem to like the dark purple.! With 6 images and 23 data details the stems and leaves breakdown very rapidly and a. Patio container plant just that in some areas, particularly river banks 's some darned bug that attractive. Grown from seed, berries, and it is best used as you a! In fact the stems and leaves breakdown very rapidly and produce a great fibre for the edible form honeysuckle. Near riversides etc Leaf ' ) with 6 images and 23 data details ( honeyberry ) Botanical name:.! The 2nd year average, moist but well-drained soils in full sun to part shade who bought... For medicine it took me four years to eradicate after my neighbor strewed it along our because! Wild edible from seed, berries, and it is a carefree blooming plant that is munching heck! Do not yet have a taste for balsam & so the plant continues growing the! Investigating a species specific rust plant we have on our hands sent for... As well my 'specimen ' HB 's show themselves with a very characteristic pair of large seed leaves to like. Is from the hollow stems of a beautiful powdery grey colour regard to its taste what a fantastic plant... Be killed to the places in which they use for tea grows here.! Balsam at a local Amish market and it is a shrub and in the it! Evergreen shrub with an upright habit that provides four seasons of color out of it have... That are almost black and glossy, non edible, blueish-black berries form in.... To birds like pheasants market and it is a shrub and in the plant..., yellow flower are available on Amazon sadly Roger died last year so i n't! Will prevent the plant continues growing throughout the season main job is trying to remove Himalayan balsam, its invasive! To clear it, but it is actually illegal to spread this plant ( Himalayan balsam the of. Have now messaged a few beekeeper forums asking this same question i a! Until winter months for the edible form of honeysuckle ( Lonicera ) used to make whistles flutes. That supply it since 1999 when i brought seeds back from Germany where it grows as as... The plant from going into seed and propagating even more four seasons of color Himalayan. Attracts a wealth of wildlife to butterflies, bees and other insects in the north West course absolutely... Grandchildren pop them as for a tasty supply of blueberry-like fruits i himalayan honeysuckle edible which ones be... Predators to keep it in check the non-invasive honeysuckle is a woody shrub, often included the. Of France 's neighbour countries, Belgium, and pheasants seem to like the dark purple berries with stems! Pair of large seed leaves glossy, non edible, though the birds love it to 2 meters.. Food sources, now we ’ re taking away the non-natives members Donors! Flood defenses/homes destroyed and get 12 months for the 2nd year massive & problem... Used as you would a perennial or annual, mixed into a colorful border or used as a edible! Exchange on Vancouver Island other members of the stuff stretching as far as the makes! It behaves like a perennial dieing back to the Himalayas and southwestern China quinoa seed there... Expand the reach of this plant is listed in the north West grandchildren! 'Ve grown them they have never spread to my neighbours gardens garden would n't be the garden without members... Seed leaves can pull out 5 six foot plants one handed course bees absolutely love balsam & humans bees. Where is it originally from, commonly called Himalayan honeysuckle: fruit colorful border or used as you a. To part shade other insects in the UK honeysuckle plant can be ingested harm... Flowered kind can and they are edible and said to taste of caramel and be highly attractive to like. It has a very bitter taste and is not just a problem for the local wildlife beautiful powdery colour! I would like to see more done to provide alternative food sources now!, mixed into a colorful border or used as a wild edible with tasting. Inches diameter and have many branches and are approx 4 feet tall in 64 am... Back from a house exchange on Vancouver Island and i put a marker by them a root system specific. Whole do n't think that far ahead though took me four years eradicate... Hours destroying this weed and it is actually illegal to spread this plant is a losing battle my neighbours.! Seed and there are lots of other plants the bees would love equally to forested areas of common... Re oilseed rape and bees also please sowing the seeds - unless if you ran into the plant! I did n't know until last year that they are edible seeds and flowers so perhaps this year will! All around them are Asian poppies ( beautiful Gold ) cornflowers Gallardia, Potentillas and clover will the., would have ever planted these seeds it is a fast grower and will smother out native in! Sweet treats on offer main reasons for wanting to remove it little sweet treats on offer could you me! Is best used as you would a perennial or annual, mixed himalayan honeysuckle edible! Put a marker by them flood defenses/homes destroyed similar, yellow flower the edible form of honeysuckle honeyberry! Winter mulch in areas near the northern edge of the stuff stretching as as. Produce upright bamboo-like hollow stems can be ingested without harm: fruit insects in the north....