This highly invasive shrub or small tree grows up to 15 feet tall. The sharply pointed leaves are opposite on the twigs, with 2 pairs of white, upright flowers at each leaf node (A,B). Its shiny red berries appear in September (C,D). Leaves and fruit remain on these shrubs late into fall, making them easy to spot after the other shrubs have already lost their leaves. The similar Tatarian Honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica) has rounded leaves and orange berries.
Grows in a wide variety of environments including woodlands, woodland edges, floodplains, old fields, and rights-of-way. Common at Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods, this species is typically controlled by cut stump treatment with herbicide.
Also known as Amur Honeysuckle.
This east Asian shrub forms dense monocultures, thrives in both sun and shade, and leafs out earlier in the spring than competing native species, displacing native ground flora by casting dense shade. It has also been shown to release allelopathic chemicals in the soil, which inhibit the growth of surrounding plants. This contributes to the decline of native biodiversity and abiotic ecosystem issues such as soil erosion.
The content of NatureSearch is provided by dedicated volunteer Naturalists of Fontenelle Forest who strive to provide the most accurate information available. Contributors of the images retain their copyrights. The point of contact for this page is: Roland Barth.