Question
Hi Tom,

Is the flavor of honeysuckle nectar universal?
Or does the taste change with each of the estimated 180 species that are out there?

Thank you.

~Rich

Answer
Hi Rich,
Thanx for your question.  I apologize for taking so long to get back to you.  I have only sampled honeysuckle a few times and it all tasted the same to me...the best I can describe it is "honeyish".  Others describe the flavor as fresh, honey-like, sweet, refreshing.  I have no idea if the other honeysuckle species taste differently because I've not tried them.  I did a little research and could not find anything substantive to describe differences in taste.  

I have two theories.  If the plant's flower is called honeysuckle, the flower no doubt, will taste like honey, to less or greater degree depending upon the species.  However, many plants are named because they resemble another plant or because they are in the same genus but actually bear little resemblance or few of the characteristics of the plant for which they are named.  Something might be in the honeysuckle family and have absolutely no resemblance to the common honeysuckle.  One example comes to mind.  Lonicera caerulea or honeyberry, is a honeysuckle relative (note the genus Lonicera).  It has white flowers that look kind of like the honeysuckle but you can tell they are NOT common honeysuckles.  When the flower dies, it produces a grape-sized, deep blue berry that is prized in the Russia and Japan.  It is just now becoming popular in the northern tier of the United States.  The common honeysuckle, Lonicera periclymenum does not produce an edible fruit.  The fruit is toxic but the flower and the nectar are not.  Two completely different plants from the same genus - Lonicera.  I would imagine one could suck on the honey berry's flower and find the taste to be honey-ish.  I don't know.

I hope this helps.

Tom