Lonicera canadensis W. Bartram ex Marshall
American fly honeysuckle, Canadian fly honeysuckle
American fly honeysuckle is a North American native. It is not invasive, like many non-native honeysuckles.
Plants: Deciduous perennial shrubs are 3–6½′ (1–2 m) in size. Bark is light brown to brownish gray, and peels easily or hangs off.
Leaves: 1–4½ ⨉ ½–1½″ (3–12 ⨉ 1.5–4 cm), opposite, light green, smooth-edged, and hairless.
Flowers: Tubular yellow or pale yellow flowers are twinned, hanging side-by-side like two funnel-shaped bells. Each flower has five flaring, triangular lobes, five pale yellow stamens and a yellow style. Each flower is ½–¾″ (1.3–1.9 cm) long. They appear from April to June.
Fruits: Fruits are pairs of bright red berries, each about ¼–5/16″ (6.3–8.5 mm) long, shaped like two rounded cones, and joined at the bases. I don’t think there is any other fruit that resembles these. Each fruit contains several seeds.
Habitats: Dry to moist upland woods, and occasionally in coniferous swamps and growing along streams.
Edibility: Many birds enjoy the fruits, but they are not edible by people.
Online References:
Xylosteon ciliatum Pursh
5/5/2024 · Tidebrook Preserve, Freeport, Maine 
7/7/2026 · Butler Head Preserve, Bath, Maine · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 12 cm) 
6/4/2021 · Robert P. Tristram Coffin Wild Flower Reservation, Woolwich, Maine · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (12 × 9.4 cm) 
7/7/2026 · Butler Head Preserve, Bath, Maine · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 12 cm) 
6/4/2021 · Robert P. Tristram Coffin Wild Flower Reservation, Woolwich, Maine · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (16 × 11 cm) 
6/4/2016 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area,, Hollis, New Hampshire 
7/7/2026 · Butler Head Preserve, Bath, Maine · ≈ 10 × 6″ (24 × 16 cm) 
5/10/2016 · Old Long Loop, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire 
4/23/2023 · Butler Head Preserve, Bath, Maine 
5/10/2016 · Old Long Loop, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire 
6/4/2016 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area,, Hollis, New Hampshire 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Asteridae | A large class that encompasses asters |
| Order | Dipsacales | Includes viburnum, honeysuckle, snowberry, beautybush, twinflower, many others |
| Family | Caprifoliaceae | Honeysuckle family |
| Genus | Lonicera | Either Latin for honeysuckle, though this is not a “true” honeysuckle; or named for Adam Lonitzer (1528-1586), a German herbalist, physician and botanist who wrote a standard herbal text that was reprinted many times between 1557 and 1783 |
| Species | canadensis | “Of or referring to Canada” |
Lonicera canadensis description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.