Greek symphorein — bear together, referring to the berries that are borne closely together in dense clusters.
Small to medium, densely branched deciduous shrubs often suckering at the base. Leaves opposite, simple, occasionally wavy-edged with large teeth or lobes, shortly stalked. Flower clusters terminal or axillary, occasionally solitary. Calyx cup-like, with 4-5 lobes. Corolla bell- or funnel-shaped. Stamens 4-5, more or less equal, attached to the corolla.ovary inferior, of 4 chambers. Fruit a spherical to ovoid, white, red or black, 2-seeded, berry-like drupe.
Grown for the dense bushy habit, neat leaves, and unusual red or white fleshy berries.
Softwood cuttings or division.
Similar to Lonicera but the corolla is regular and the soft white or red berries have 2 seeds.
17 species, 16 from N and C America, 1 from China.
Jones (1940).
Source: (2002). Caprifoliaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 4. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 3. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.