PlantFiles: Himalayan Honeysuckle, Elisha's Tears
Leycesteria formosa

The Connie Hansen Foundation Garden in Lincoln City, Oregon, has a wonderful specimen of Leycesteria. It is on a south facing side of a shed, next to an arbor with roses. The Garden is propagating and has 2 remaining plants for sale. It is blooming profusely now (August 21), is a definite plus to the garden, and seems not to be an invasive problem. Soil is acidic in nature. This area receives approximately 70 inches of rain from October to May.

Lovely 'backdrop' plant. I've found it impossible to kill once established but not invasive in the UK (USDA zone 8b).

I live in the greater Vancouver area, planted this last year and this summer having a lovely large plant, but still within the same footprint. I almost forgot what it was... so thanks for helping me identify it. Not alot of flower for the size of the plant but it makes a nice background for the rest of the garden. Also was hoping for some scent since it's a Honeysuckle, but appears to be none.

I have this planted near my pond and it hasn't spread or reseeded beyond it's original base. The plant has become quite bushy but the "footprint" hasn't changed. Thankfully it's in San Francisco not Austrailia!

This is a report from a National Park Ranger in Victoria Australia. I can authenticate this report.

"Himalayan honeysuckle (Leycesteria formosa) is a major environmental weed in a significant proportion of the foothill forest of Mt Buffalo National Park - Victoria. Following the January 2003 bushfires this species is showing a vigorous response to fire in ceratain areas.

Although the majority of existing infestations were burnt and killed (or so it seems at this stage), germination of seed, especially in drainage lines where there is permanent water, is nothing less than scary. With germinating seed forming a blanket in particular spots.

At this stage there has been no evidence of germination of the seedbank on the steeper, drier slopes away from water, that were heavily infested prior to the fires. However, searches have not been extensive and it is likely
that germination will occur in these areas after winter rains."

I have a Himalayan honesuckle in the middle of my front garden and it hasn't shown any invasive tendencies, perhaps the English climate doesn't suit it as well. Mine produces an abundance of flowers which are visited by bees. In late summer, purple brown berries are produced. These berries are eaten by Blackbirds during the winter (apparently it's grown in some areas as ground cover for Pheasants). If cut down by frost or pruned hard in early spring, it will throw up a mass of sea green stems.

In Australia this is a nuisance weed in wet forests and along creeks. It is also known as Elisha's Tears.