# Tatarian honeysuckle (*Lonicera tatarica*) The Tatarian honeysuckle is a lovely shrub that blooms with pink and white flowers. It attracts butterflies and bees, making gardens colorful and lively! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![Tatarian honeysuckle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Totorinis_sausmedis.jpg&width=800) Photo: User:Algirdas, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Totorinis_sausmedis.jpg) ## Appearance The Tatarian honeysuckle is a vigorous, bushy shrub with arching branches. It has oval green leaves and fragrant, paired tubular flowers that can be white, pink, or reddish. These mature into bright red, abundant berries that persist into winter. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Dipsacales - **Family:** Caprifoliaceae - **Genus:** Lonicera ## Interesting facts - Its rapid growth and dense shade can prevent native tree seedlings from even growing on the forest floor. - One Tatarian honeysuckle shrub can live for up to 30 years, continuously spreading its influence. - This plant was intentionally brought to North America as a garden ornamental, but it quickly escaped! - Unlike many native shrubs, its bright red berries often stay on branches throughout winter. ## Special abilities - **Rapid Growth Spurts:** Tatarian honeysuckle can grow quickly, allowing it to outcompete native plants for sunlight and resources. - **Berry Bonanza:** Tatarian honeysuckle has abundant, brightly colored berries that attract birds, helping spread its seeds far and wide. - **Early Leaf-Out:** Tatarian honeysuckle's leaves emerge early in spring, giving it a head start to shade out and suppress other plants. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 150-300 cm - **Spread:** 150-250 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late_spring-early_summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Cedar Waxwing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cedar-waxwing) (*Bombycilla cedrorum*) — eats berries, dispersing seeds - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — visits flowers for nectar - **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — consumes berries, aiding spread ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always ask an adult before picking flowers or berries. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Tatarian honeysuckle? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Tatarian honeysuckle? 150-300 cm ### How wide does Tatarian honeysuckle spread? 150-250 cm ### How big are the flowers on Tatarian honeysuckle? 1-2 cm ### When does Tatarian honeysuckle bloom? Late_spring-early_summer ### Is Tatarian honeysuckle edible? No ### Is Tatarian honeysuckle toxic? Mild ### What is Tatarian honeysuckle's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Waubay National Wildlife Refuge](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/waubay-national-wildlife-refuge) — South Dakota, US · Nature Reserve - [Lake Hiddenwood Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lake-hiddenwood-recreation-area) — South Dakota, US · Park ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Tatarian honeysuckle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tatarian-honeysuckle)