Hairy Honeysuckle

Lonicera hirsuta

Pollinator Value

❄️ Winter Food Source: Red berries persist into autumn and are consumed by Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus). Fruit is fleshy and bird-dispersed.
S57 Red-eyed Vireo diet record; S44 dispersal by birds; S72 fruit for birds

Proximity Score: 0
Native Status: ✅ Outaouais ✅ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: Local
CEC Eco-Regions: 5 – Northern Forests, 5.2 – Mixed Wood Shield, 5.2.3 – Algonquin/Southern Laurentians
Rarity Notes: Ranked S3 (Vulnerable) in Quebec, reflecting limited distribution primarily in the Outaouais and Abitibi-Temiscamingue regions. Secure (S5) in Ontario with broader distribution. Not SARA listed. Globally ranked G5. National rank N5 in Canada.
S22 rank_qc=S3, rank_on=S5, G5, N5; S26 SARA not listed; S54 QC specimens concentrated in Abitibi-Temiscamingue
Rarity Ranks: QC S3 – Vulnerable, ON S5 – Secure
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: A twining vine of rich forests, thickets, and woodland borders, typically associated with calcareous bedrock. In the Ottawa-Gatineau region, found on rocky slopes over limestone with cedar (Thuja occidentalis), fir (Abies balsamea), and bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa). Ranked S3 (Vulnerable) in Quebec, reflecting its restricted distribution to limestone-influenced habitats.
S61 calcareous bedrock; S7 forests and thickets; S48 habitat=thin soil over limestone with Thuja/Abies; S22 S3 QC

Roles: Fortress/Barrier, Wildlife Habitat
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)] | Wildlife Habitat: S72 Hemenway (tables: 7-2, pp. 116)]

❌ Not Edible