Lonicera cauriana
Blue fly honeysuckle
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Caprifoliaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Lonicera cauriana (Blue fly honeysuckle) is a native California shrub in the Caprifoliaceae family, recognized by key features: high elevation wetlands, fused-appearing fruits, erect habit.
Blue fly honeysuckle is a California native shrub found in the high Sierra Nevada Mountains and Cascade Range in wet alpine meadows and bogs at elevations of 2,200 to 3,200 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces pale yellow flowers in paired clusters, with bell-shaped blossoms approximately 6 to 9 millimeters long. Growing with erect stems 30 to 90 centimeters tall, the shrub has delicate puberulent foliage and a distinctive growth habit. Its leaves are oblong-ovate, 2 to 5 centimeters long, with ciliate edges and rounded or obtuse tips that taper at the base. The fruit consists of paired red berries approximately 8 millimeters long, tightly enclosed by inner fused bracts, giving them a distinctive fused appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 9 sympatric species; key features: high elevation wetlands, fused-appearing fruits, erect habit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Bogs, wet meadows
Elevation: 2200-3200 m
California counties: Fresno, Tuolumne, Tulare, Mariposa, El Dorado, Nevada, Plumas, Butte, Shasta, Lassen, Placer
Outside California: also Oregon to Alaska, Idaho
Bloom period
Lonicera cauriana blooms May-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Symphoricarpos: Lonicera flowers are tubular and swollen on one side; Symphoricarpos has symmetrical bell-shaped flowers and white berries.; vs Rhamnus: Lonicera has showy tubular two-lipped flowers; Rhamnus has tiny inconspicuous greenish flowers with 4-5 separate petals.; vs Ceanothus: Lonicera has large tubular flowers; Ceanothus has tiny flowers in dense showy clusters.; vs Quercus: Lonicera has tubular flowers and berries; Quercus has catkins and produces acorns.; vs Vaccinium: Lonicera flowers are tubular and two-lipped; Vaccinium has symmetrical urn-shaped flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lonicera cauriana native to California?
Yes. Lonicera cauriana is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lonicera cauriana bloom?
Lonicera cauriana blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Lonicera cauriana grow?
Lonicera cauriana occurs in Fresno, Tuolumne, Tulare, Mariposa, El Dorado, Nevada, Plumas, Butte and other counties, at elevations of 2200-3200 m.
What plant family does Lonicera cauriana belong to?
Lonicera cauriana is in the Caprifoliaceae family, genus Lonicera.
What habitat does Lonicera cauriana grow in?
Lonicera cauriana grows in Bogs, wet meadows.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.