The flora of Périgord in South-West France is abundant and diverse. In this blog you can find, in pictures, brief encounters with several hundreds of wild flowers and plants as they grow here in French Perigord. Following the seasons other species are added. An index of scientific and English names you find below on the right.

Corine Oosterlee is a botanist and photographer and she offers guided Botanical Walks and other activities around plants and vegetation in nature in Perigord. Do you want to know more? On www.baladebotanique.fr you can find more information. For Corine's photography see www.corineoosterlee.com. Both websites also in English.

Enjoy!




January 30, 2019

Fly Honeysuckle


This Honeysuckle is not a creeper or climber.





In winter the Fly Honeysuckle (Lonicera xylosteum) seems a rather unimpressive bush. Rather small, with grey opposite branches. There are still some oval leaves left, also opposite. They are yellowish and dirty after a long season of photosynthesis.




It is quite common in our woodlands, not only at the edges but also in deep shade under the trees, with a slight preference for limestone soils. Here you see it in the midst of summer, you don't think immediately it is a Honeysuckle.

In spring, when it flowers it really looks like a Honeysuckle.




The shape of its leaves, the colour of the young branches, and especially the perfumed flowers: yes, a Honeysuckle. Because the flowers have no long tube, they are accessible to many insects, not only butterflies. Maybe that's why it is called Fly Honeysuckle.

What a joy to find it!