This shrubby, white-flowered honeysuckle is named for Adam Lonitzer (Lonicerus) (1528–86). A German botanist, physician and author of the botanical herbal Naturalis historiae opus novum (vol 1 in 1551, vol 2 in 1555) and its German translation, the Kreuterbuch (1557) (sourced mainly from earlier herbals), he became professor of mathematics at the University of Marburg in 1553 and doctor of medicine in 1554, working in Frankfurt-am-Main. His wife was the daughter of the Frankfurt publisher, Christian Egenolff, who published his book along with other herbals. Adam’s father, Johann Lonitzer (Joanne Lonicerus) (1499–1569), was professor of theology and ancient languages and contributed the Greek, Hebrew, Latin and German names of plants to Ruellio’s commentary on Dioscorides (edition of 1543) published by Egenolff.

The following notes refer to the related species L. periclymenum. Culpeper: ‘Caprifolium. Honeysuckles. ... If you chew but a leaf of it in your mouth, experience will tell you, that it is likelier to cause than to cure a sore throat, they provoke urine and purge by urine, bring speedy delivery to women in travail [=labour] yet procure barrenness and hinder conception; outwardly they dry up foul ulcers and cleanse the face from morphew [=scurfy eruptions], sunburning and freckles.