Many people choose a flower for a tattoo and the honeysuckle is a popular choice. This fragrant and colorful flower is often chosen to represent love, happiness, and good fortune.
In this article, we’ll explore the different meanings of the honeysuckle and why people choose this flower for their tattoo.
What is a Honeysuckle Flower?
The honeysuckle is a flower that is part of the Caprifoliaceae family of plants. This plant has over one hundred different types of species. The honeysuckle plant can be either a shrub or a vine, though it is more common as a vine.
The honeysuckle is found in many parts of the world, including parts of North America, Asia, and North Africa. In the United States, honeysuckle is usually found as an ornamental flowering vine.
Honeysuckles feature oval leaves and flowers of a tubular shape. These flowers come in a variety of colors, including purple, red, orange, yellow, and white. The honeysuckle plant also has berries which can be red, orange, blue, green, or black. Depending on the species of honeysuckle, these berries can be poisonous, though wildlife are known to eat some of them.
Much of the appeal of honeysuckles comes from their beautiful fragrance and the sweet nectar they produce. The name honeysuckle refers to the way insects and birds eat the nectar. Honeysuckle nectar is eaten by hummingbirds, bees, and the nocturnal elephant hawk moth.
Honeysuckle Tattoos
The bright flowers of the honeysuckle often result in tattoos of this plant being done in full color to highlight their beauty. Black and white tattoos are less common. Small tattoos of the honeysuckle vine are common, as are larger pieces with multiple blooms.
Tattoos may feature the entire plant or just the flowers. It may be illustrated as either a shrub or a vine. Some honeysuckle tattoos incorporate a hummingbird or bee getting the nectar from the flower.
Honeysuckles and Love
The honeysuckle plant is often seen as a symbol of love, passion, and romance. The French believed that the honeysuckle represented fidelity and devotion. The way that the honeysuckle vine clings to the surface of homes is symbolic of how two lovers may cling to each other.
During the Victorian era in the United Kingdom, honeysuckle flowers were a sign of love. People would give these flowers to their lover or partner as a symbol of their passion.
Honeysuckles are also present in Greek mythology as a symbol of love. During the second century, the novelist Longus lived in Greece. He wrote a novel entitled Daphnis and Chloe which tells the story of two lovers.
Daphnis and Chloe lived far apart from each other and were only able to visit during the time of year when the honeysuckle was in bloom. Chloe’s love for Daphnis was so strong that she asked the god of love to make the honeysuckle bloom longer so that they could be together more often.
The Chinese believed that the honeysuckle represents nostalgia. Specifically, this can be a person’s nostalgia for their first love or other past loves. Alternatively, others believe that the flower celebrates new relationships. Pink and red honeysuckle flowers are especially connected to romance and passion.
Individuals who choose to get a honeysuckle tattoo, specifically a flowering vine or pink or red flowers, maybe illustrating their feelings of love and desire. The tattoo might be a symbol of a person’s devotion to their partner and their desire to be together forever.
Honeysuckles and Happiness
Many people view the honeysuckle plant as a symbol of joy and happiness. The gorgeous colors of the flowers bring to mind a brightness of spirit. Honeysuckles are associated with positive energy and hope for a good life.
Similarly, the sweet nectar of the honeysuckle can represent a person’s desire to attract goodness and happiness to their life. A person with this tattoo may want more out of life and hope to experience more happiness in the future.
Yellow honeysuckle flowers symbolize friendship, as well as trust and respect. A yellow flower tattoo can mean that the person has friends in their life that bring great joy and contribute to her overall happiness.
Honeysuckles and Good Luck
For many people, the honeysuckle plant acts as a symbol of good luck and good fortune. It is believed that these flowers can bring prosperity–financial or otherwise–to a person. A honeysuckle tattoo can illustrate a desire that a person has to have a better life ahead of them.
Likewise, the honeysuckle is also seen to have protective powers. The Scottish and Irish believed that this plant offered protection against evil and would often plant them so that they grew around their doors, keeping evil out of their homes.
Medicinally, honeysuckle offers protection from illness. The Chinese have traditionally used this plant to cure various ailments. Honeysuckle has been used to help with respiratory illness, headaches, digestive problems, and bacterial infections.
People with ancestry from Scotland or Ireland may choose a honeysuckle tattoo as a nod to their heritage. They may feel the tattoo also offers some degree of protection in life.
Honeysuckles and Resilience
The honeysuckle plant is a hardy species and is difficult to get rid of. In some places, it has even become an invasive plant. In this manner, honeysuckle can be representative of a person’s strength and resilience.
For some who choose a honeysuckle tattoo, they may be demonstrating that they have overcome challenges in their life. The tattoo represents their own hardiness and willingness to persevere during the toughest of times. The person, like the honeysuckle, continues to hold on even when things are difficult.
Honeysuckle Birth Flower
The honeysuckle–along with the rose–is considered the birth flower for the month of June. People who were born during this month may opt for a tattoo that features this flower. In particular, a tattoo of a purple honeysuckle may be representative of the birthdate since the birth color for June is purple.