Here's a Lonicera I've had for years, but have never really been sure of it's specific name. It’s a scandent shrub that has two distinct branch forms; the primary leaders, which begin growth in mid-spring, twine readily, while the short secondary branches, produced later, do not twine. These secondary branches bear terminal flower clusters the following year. The leaves are evergreen, obovate-lanceolate to 10cm long, dull dark green with distinctly recurved edges and paler undersides. The deep red flowers are produced in June, and are devoid of any noticeable scent. Any ideas?
Are the leaves always distinctly opposite, or do they sometimes become connate-perfoliate (with the bases of opposite leaves fused around the stem) or perfoliate (with the entire leaf appearing as if the stem pierced through it)? The second photo in this series shows an example of both connate-perfoliate and perfoliate (or strongly connate-perfoliate).
Actually it has never shown any tendency to vary the leaf shape or habit at all. I’ll just go out and take a couple of shots to add here to see if that helps.
Possible answer Had a little unexpected time to work on this one – Based on what I’ve found in the R.H.S. Dictionary, I think I’ve narrowed it down to two choices. Lonicera giraldii or L. henryi. Because the leaf bases are not so distinctly cordate, and since I remember the fruit being dull to shiny black (not pruinose as in L. giraldii), I’m leaning toward Lonicera henryi as the proper name. Any thoughts?
According to the European Garden Flora, the leaves of Lonicera giraldii are densely hairy on both sides, and the bracts are longer than the ovaries. The leaves of L. henryi and L. alseuosmoides are hairless or downy beneath, and the bracts are not longer than the ovaries. L. henryi and L. alseuosmoides can be discerned by noting whether the corolla-tube is as long as the lobes and the young shoots are hairy (L. henryi) or the corolla-tube longer than the lobes and young shoots hairless (L. alseuosmoides).
Well, that certainly demonstrates one of the shortcomings of the RHS Dictionary, the descriptions are not always as detailed as you need for a clear identification – however, it’s still one of the best single references around. As for this Lonicera, under a magnifying glass the young shoots do appear to have hairs, and the leaf undersides (on mature leaves) are pale and glaborous, which fits with the description of Lonicera henryi. There are no flowers currently to look at, but the vine will occasionally produce blooms out of season, so I will look for the corolla-tube / lobe relationship then. Thanks