Lonicera japonica
Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) is a woody, perennial, evergreen to semi-evergreen vine that trails along the ground and can climb to more than 80 ft. in length.
Leaves are opposite, oval. and 1 to 2.5 in. long. Flowering occurs from April to July, when showy, fragrant, tubular, whitish-pink flowers develop in the axils of the leaves. The flowers turn cream-yellow as they age. The small, shiny globular fruits turn from green to black as they ripen. Each fruit contains 2 to 3 small brown to black seeds.
On warmer days in winter, this pernicious vine can be treated by spraying the foliage with a 3% triclopyr solution. Often, Japanese honeysuckle grows over native vegetation, so spraying it in the dormant season will not affect desirable plants. Prescribed burning, especially on low humidity days, can also set back Japanese honeysuckle, but may not kill it.
Identification and fact sheets
- Learn about Japanese honeysuckle at Invasive.org
- Learn about Japanese honeysuckle at Woody Invasives of the Great Lakes
- Read more from the Missouri Department of Conservation about identification, threats, and control practices of Japanese honeysuckle
- Management of Invasive Plants & Pests of Illinois, a comprehensive guidebook with clear instructions on controlling many invasive plant species.
- Vegetation Management Guideline: Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Thunb.)
- Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica): A Literature Review of Management Practices
- An Assessment of Japanese Honeysuckle in Northern U.S. Forests
Representative photos of Japanese honeysuckle:
Japanese honeysuckle impact, abundance, and trend in Missouri
