Love, not as a surge of passion,
but as a choice to commit to something, someone,
no matter what obstacles or temptations stand in the way.
And maybe making that choice, again and again,
day in and day out, year after year,
says more about love than never having a choice to make at all.
― Emily Giffin, Love the One You're With
Honeysuckle is an ancient plant, with references to this fragrant vine found in Greek mythology. [1] It derives its name from the edible sweet nectar obtainable from its tubular flowers. The name Lonicera stems from Adam Lonicer, a Renaissance botanist. [2]
There are hundreds of species of honeysuckle, most being native to Europe and Asia. Much like clematis, is likes to have cool feet and a sunny top — that is, roots in the shade and sun on the leaves. [3]
It is the favorite food of hummingbirds far and wide, and has been a cornerstone of medicine in many ancient cultures. In ancient China, the honeysuckle was widely revered as a cure-all. Adding to their historical importance, the honeysuckle also has some heavy symbolism attached to it. In its plainest form, the honeysuckle is a symbol of pure happiness, sweetness and affection. At its heaviest interpretation, the honeysuckle represents the flames of love, and the tenderness for love that has been lost. [4] The honeysuckle is also used in many magic spells, [5] and is believed to attract abundance and prosperity. [6]
Above, you will see a somewhat grungy, vintage black and white illustration of a branch of honeysuckle from 1897. At the bottom right of this illustration, I have included an illustrated letter "H". You can download these graphics in one 8" x 10" @ 300 ppi JPEG here. Good for altered art, graphic design, papercrafts or scrapbooking projects.
From my personal collection of ephemera. These images are to be incorporated into your creative endeavors and not for resale or re-distribution "as-is". Please credit FieldandGarden.com as your source when sharing or publishing.