What Do Honeysuckle Seeds Look Like?

Honeysuckle is a beloved vine that grows vigorously and produces wonderfully fragrant flowers. But what about their seeds? What do honeysuckle seeds look like?

An Overview of Honeysuckles

There are around 200 species of honeysuckles. which are grouped into three types

• Bush honeysuckles
• Vining honeysuckles
• Trumpet honeysuckles

The most common variety is the vining type like Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) and trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens). These vines can grow quite tall climbing up trellises, fences, and trees.

Bush honeysuckles like winter honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima) are shorter shrubs, usually around 6 feet tall.

Trumpet honeysuckles are known for their tubular red flowers. They include Lonicera x brownii ‘Dropmore Scarlet’ and Lonicera x heckrottii ‘Goldflame’.

While their forms vary, most honeysuckle plants produce small berries after flowering, which contain the seeds.

What Do Honeysuckle Seeds Look Like?

Honeysuckle seeds are very small, around 1 to 2 mm long. They are oval or rounded in shape.

The seeds form inside the honeysuckle berry. When ripe, the berries are red, dark blue, or black, around 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch long. Each berry contains between 1 and 6 seeds.

When removed from the fleshy fruit, honeysuckle seeds are yellowish-brown or tan in color. They have a hard seed coat that protects the inner white embryo.

Here are some more details on honeysuckle seeds:

• Size: 1 to 2 mm long
• Shape: Oval or rounded
• Color: Yellowish-brown or tan
• Texture: Hard, smooth seed coat protecting inner embryo
• Number of seeds per berry: Typically 1-6

To collect honeysuckle seeds, wait until the berries are ripe. Then pick a handful of fruit, squish the berries to remove the pulp, and dry the seeds on a paper towel. Each berry produces just a few seeds, but you can gather a lot of berries from each plant.

How Honeysuckle Seeds Grow

Honeysuckle seeds need a period of cold stratification before they will sprout. This mimics the winter conditions they would experience naturally.

To stratify honeysuckle seeds:

1. Place seeds on damp paper towels or potting mix.

2. Put them in a plastic bag or seed tray, and store in the fridge for 1-3 months.

3. Check periodically and make sure they stay moist.

4. In early spring, take them out and plant the germinated seeds in pots or directly outdoors.

Without stratification, honeysuckle seeds can take 2 or more years to sprout. But after Exposure to cold and moisture, most will germinate within a few weeks.

Once they sprout, honeysuckle seedlings grow quickly. Expect 6 inches of growth in the first year. Provide support early, as the vines can get heavy and floppy fast.

Within 3 years, honeysuckle vines will reach their mature size of 10 to 20 feet tall. Just one plant can produce hundreds of seeds, ensuring more honeysuckle seedlings in years to come.

Key Points About Honeysuckle Seeds

To summarize key points about identifying and planting honeysuckle seeds:

• Honeysuckle seeds form inside berries around 1/4 inch long

• The small seeds are tan or brown, oval-shaped, and 1-2 mm long

• Berries contain 1-6 seeds each

• Collect ripe seed-filled berries in fall, remove pulp, and dry seeds

• Stratify seeds in the fridge for 1-3 months before planting

• Germination occurs within weeks after stratification

• Fast-growing vines emerge the first year and reach full size within 3 years

• Each plant can produce many berries and hundreds of seeds

So although tiny, honeysuckle seeds contain the genetic material needed to grow these fragrant, beautiful vines. With proper harvesting, storage, and planting, these seeds will produce generation after generation of lush, flowering honeysuckle.

When to Plant Honeysuckle Seeds

Honeysuckle can be planted in spring or fall. But seeds require stratification first to break dormancy. Here is a schedule for planting honeysuckle from seeds:

Fall:

• Collect ripe honeysuckle berries in late summer or fall.

• Remove pulp and dry seeds. Place in fridge for stratification.

Winter:

• Seeds stratify for 1-3 months. Check moisture periodically.

Spring:

• Sow stratified seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost.

• Or plant seeds directly outside in prepared garden bed after danger of frost.

Summer:

• Water and care for young seedlings. Provide support for fast-growing vines.

Fall:

• Collect ripe berries from first-year plants. Stratify new seeds.

Following this schedule, you can produce honeysuckle vines year after year from your own harvested seeds.

Where to Get Honeysuckle Seeds

You can easily collect free honeysuckle seeds from berries in your own garden or neighborhood. Look for plants with the healthiest growth and biggest berry production.

If purchasing seeds, look for fresh seeds from reputable suppliers. Here are some top options:

• American Meadows – Diverse selection of honeysuckle seeds.

• Eden Brothers – Offers Lonicera sempervirens and Lonicera japonica seeds.

• Park Seed – Sells ‘Major Wheeler’ honeysuckle seeds perfect for hummingbirds.

• Nature Hills Nursery – Carries ‘Scarlet Trumpet’ honeysuckle seeds.

• Arbor Day Foundation – Non-profit with trumpet honeysuckle seeds to support wildlife.

Check the supplier’s reputation and seed freshness before purchasing. Honeysuckle seeds remain viable for 1-2 years if properly stored. For the widest selection, look for specialty native plant nurseries in your region.

Growing these captivating vines from seeds is simple, economical, and rewarding. In no time at all, you’ll have abundant honeysuckle flowers perfuming your garden.