Nectar Sweet: Healing With Honeysuckle Flower Infused Honey

An Introduction to Honeysuckle

For those of who grew up in the South, just the mention of Honeysuckle can bring to mind the sweet, rich scent of the white and gold flowers wafting through open windows on a hot summer night.

There are many species of Honeysuckle in North America but the one most of us are familiar with is the ubiquitous Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), an evergreen vine so common that it is often considered to be an invasive weed in many parts of the country, especially the Southeast.

The benefit of this herb’s prolific nature is that it is abundant and readily available to almost all of us.

For those who don’t have any nearby, it can also be purchased from many herb stores and suppliers. Other fragrant species of Lonicera are also medicinal and can be used similarly.

The flowers and leaves are exceptionally safe as a medicine, and the fragrant flowers also have a sweet, nectar like taste and intoxicating fragrance that lends them to delicious preparations such as teas, syrups and as here, infused honeys.

Medicinal Actions
Honeysuckle is cooling and is frequently utilized as a remedy for cold/flu, fevers, sore throats, infections (both viral and bacterial), and other symptoms of acute heat and toxicity.

That is especially true in Traditional Chinese Medicine, where the flowerbuds are commonly formulated with Forsythia as a classic combination in the treatment of childhood eruptive diseases and other viral infections manifesting with heat signs.

In Western usage, Honeysuckle is considered to be anti-inflammatory, anti-infective (anti-viral and anti-bacterial), relaxant nervine, expectorant, anti-spasmodic, relaxant diaphoretic, diuretic and vulnerary.

Taken as a whole, this indications make Honeysuckle a fantastic remedy for infection, fever, cold/flu and accompanying symptoms.

Making an infused honey is simple and the resulting medicine is both tasty and effective. It can be used internally or externally, and is just the thing for a sore throat, minor to moderate burn or feverish, restless little one.

Ingredients/To Have On Hand:

• Honeysuckle flowers and/or flowerbuds
• Canning jar or other container with airtight lid
• Mild flavored raw honey
• Chopstick, butter knife or spoon

Step by Step Instructions

1. Fill jar with fresh Honeysuckle flowers, making sure the jar is full without air pockets but without greatly packing the flowers down. If using dried flowers, only fill the jar about 1/2-3/4 of the way full.
2. Fill jar with honey (if honey is partially crystalized or very thick, warm gently in a double boiler before pouring).
3. Stir to distribute honey evenly.
4. Top off with honey and stir again.
5. Allow to sit for about 4 weeks in a dark, cool place.
6. You can warm the honey and strain out the flowers/flowerbuds, but you can also leave the flowers in if you don’t mind the texture and  use the honey that way.

Potential Uses:

• Irritated, burning or sore throat
• Eruptive childhood diseases (mumps, measles, chicken pox etc.)
• Bacterial or viral infections (including respiratory infections, cold/flu, urinary tract infections, etc.)
• Cough with burning sensation or chest tension
• Cold/flu with feelings of restlessness, high fever, flushed face, red tongue and rapid pulse
• Locally on wounds, abrasions and burns
• Tension, restlessness with feelings of irritation and anxiety and heat signs