Some berries are purple

29th November 2020

Lonicera pileata is the privet honeysuckle, a semi-evergreen shrub with small glossy green leaves which is useful for groundcover. The flowers are tiny and hidden under the flat sprays of leaf, but the berries that follow are a clear glossy purple and very attractive to birds.

There is only one honeysuckle, Lonicera caerulea, which has berries which humans can eat; it is sold as 'Honeyberry' and fruits in summer; its more traditional name is 'Fly Honeysuckle'.