Medicinal Monday - Northern Bush Honeysuckle

Northern bush honeysuckle is a low-growing perennial deciduous shrub that is used by many Native Americans including the Ojibwe, Algonquin, Chippewa, Cree, and other communities in a variety of ways.  The knowledge of Native American communities about plants and their natural environment is truly incredible. This knowledge was handed down from generation to generation.

About Northern Bush Honeysuckle

This shrub, Diervilla lonicera, is found in forests dominated by balsam fir trees and in dry, rocky open woodland areas, and thickets. It prefers a cool, dry climate, and can tolerate infertile soil. They are abundant and widespread throughout eastern North America and can be found in Connecticut. Northern bush honeysuckle typically grows up to two feet tall and can be more than four feet wide. The shrub's branches are dense and its trumpet-shaped yellow tubular flowers bloom in June and July. In order to taste the sweet nectar, the tubular flower must be suckled, hence the name, honeysuckle. The flowers turn into fruits that look like dry woody capsules in the fall. The glossy green leaves of spring and summer with their fine marginal teeth turn yellow, orange, and red in the fall before dropping off.

Medicinal Uses

The most common use of this plant is as a herbal tea to treat coughs and sore throats. Cough syrup was also made by mixing leaves and flowers with honey. The Algonquin use the leaves as a diuretic and the Chippewa take a decoction of the leaves to treat stomach pain. The Cree make an infusion of the roots or stems to treat sore eyes.  The Iroquis make a decoction of the roots and leaves and gave it to babies with adulterous mothers. The Menominee use this shrub as a blood medicine and drink a decoction of the stalk to clear the blood. The Ojibwa make a decoction of the roots and drank it as a urinary remedy. The Potawatomi use an infusion of twigs for vertigo.

Did You Know...

The genus name, Diervilla honors a French surgeon named Dierville who observed this plant with great interest in Canada from 1699-1700.

This shrub attracts bumblebees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Moose and whitetail deer consume the shrub and its fruit in the fall and winter.

Some bird species sometimes use the branches of this shrub to build bird nests and eat the fruit.

Northern bush honeysuckle is also known as low bush honeysuckle, dwarf bush honeysuckle, and yellow-flowered honeysuckle.