Wild Honeysuckle

Out hiking one evening, on the west side of the island, along the cliff tops, there was a variety of wild flowers growing amongst the bracken and heathland.

This is wild honeysuckle - Lonicera periclymenum or Woodbine, is very similar to the cultivated variety. It is a robust climber, which can eventually reach a height of 6 metres. The creamy-white two-lipped flowers tend to change to yellowish and are often tinged with purple. They fill the air with an exquisite scent on warm days. They are pollinated at night by night-flying moths and in the daytime by long-tongued bumble-bees.

Honeysuckle is reasonably common in woods, hedges, scrub, and shady places like rocks and cliffs on all soils throughout the British Isles.