You just can’t resist the sweet temptation of the honeysuckle.
With the help of Anna and Leah Burcham, we went on a honeysuckle safari. It didn’t take us too long to find our quarry. The 573 is thick with the stuff!
Grown on vines and sometimes as shrubs, the white and yellow honeysuckle blooms begin to appear in late winter and early spring remaining throughout summer.
Hummingbirds, bees, and moths are attracted to the sweet aroma of the flower and it is no wonder. The trumpet-shaped honeysuckle produces large amounts of sweet, delicious nectar.
Anyone can enjoy this tasty treat of nature.
First, pick the entire flower from the vine including the green area where the flower meets the stem. This green area is called the calyx.
Firmly pinch the flower just above the calyx at the base of the bloom. While pinching, break through the outer skin of the petals just slightly without cutting through the inside.
Gently pull the calyx away from the base of the flower and a long, thin, white tubular string called the style should appear. Slowly pull the style from the flower. At the other end of the style is a small ball called the stigma that pushes the nectar out of the flower as the style is pulled. As the stigma nears the base of the flower, you should see a drop of clear liquid nectar form.
Let the nectar drip onto your tongue. Mmmm.
Leah thinks it’s really fun to open the honeysuckle, and taste the sweet nectar. She loves the smell, but says to watch out for bees.
Anna says she loves how honeysuckles smell, and taste. She thinks the flowers are so pretty.
You know what to do...GET OUT THERE!
words & pics by t. smugala
