Invasive Plant Species Control
Non-Native Honeysuckles
(Lonicera tartarica, L. morrowii, L. xbella & hybrids)
Native Substitutes
- Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)
- Gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa)
- Red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea)
- Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
- Common elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)
- Red-berried elder (Sambucus racemosa)
Description
Appearance: Upright deciduous shrubs, 5-10' high. Lonicera xbella is a horticultural hybrid. Older stems have shaggy bark, twigs are often hollow.
Leaves: Opposite, simple, oval, and untoothed. L. tartarica has smooth, hairless leaves, L. morrowii has downy leaves.
Flower: Fragrant, tubular, bloom in May and June; white, red , but most often pink.
Fruits: Red or yellow, situated in pairs in the leaf axils.
Root: Roots are fibrous and shallow.
Ecological Threat
Exotic honeysuckles replace native forest shrubs and forbs by their invasive nature and by shading and depleting soil moisture. Seeds are readily dispersed by birds. Some research suggests that the plant inhibits the growth of other plants in its vicinity. Introduced to North America as ornamental shrubs and beneficial to wildlife. Commercial propagation continues with many cultivars available from nurseries.
Control Methods
| Mechanical | Chemical | Biological |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed burning will kill seedlings and top kill mature shrubs, repeated burns may be needed | Cut-stump treatment with glyphosate | None |
| Uprooting in small infestations | Spray foliage with glyphosate solution, where burning is not possible prior to leaf out of native species |
Sources
Wisconsin Manual of Control Recommendations for Ecologically Invasive Plants, 1997
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Restore Your Shore CD, 2001
