About Lonicera fragrantissima Lindl. & Paxton
Lonicera fragrantissima is a species of flowering plant in the honeysuckle family Caprifoliaceae. Its common names include winter-flowering honeysuckle, fragrant honeysuckle, kiss-me-at-the-gate, and sweet breath of spring. This species is native to China, and has been introduced to other regions across the world. Scottish plant hunter Robert Fortune, who collected plants in China on behalf of the Royal Horticultural Society, brought this species to the attention of western gardeners. Fortune introduced Lonicera fragrantissima to England in 1845, and it was introduced to the United States a few years after that. In 1853, the editor of the American gardening magazine The Horticulturist noted that he had been sent a specimen the previous year, taken from a plant that was flowering in the gardens of Hatfield House, the Marquess of Salisbury's stately home in Hertfordshire. The first recorded entry of Lonicera fragrantissima for commercial sale in an American plant catalogue dates to 1860. This bush honeysuckle is grown as an ornamental plant valued for its fragrant flowers. It is also cultivated to form hedges, and is considered a harbinger of spring. In areas with suitable conditions, it can escape from cultivation and establish in the wild, becoming an invasive weed. This plant is a shrub that typically grows between 1 and 3 metres (3.3 to 9.8 ft) tall, and may occasionally reach a maximum height of around 4.6 metres (15 ft). Mature plants form a bushy tangle of slender, spreading branches. Its leaves can grow up to 9 centimetres (3.5 in) long and 4.5 centimetres (1.8 in) wide. Flowers are borne in pairs, with each individual flower measuring about 1 centimetre (0.39 in) long. They range in color from white to creamy white, and have a strong, characteristic lemony scent. The fruit is a red berry that can reach up to one centimeter wide. Animals that eat the fruit disperse the plant's seeds. Seeds require stratification before they can germinate. As an introduced species, Lonicera fragrantissima can be found growing in parts of the eastern United States, ranging from Ohio to New York and extending into the southeastern states. It has also been observed growing in Utah.
