Introduction:
Chinese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
Lonicera japonica is an extremely vigorous vine which grows up through the canopy, smothering and ultimately killing the host tree. It competes with native plants for light and nutrients and prevents the understorey and small trees from developing, causing a reduction in forest diversity. Lonicera japonica is shade and drought tolerant, though it needs full to partial sunlight to grow successfully. It spreads rapidly via above-ground runners that root at nodes and its seeds may be eaten by birds and then dispersed. It is planted in gardens and along roadsides for landscaping purposes and can also be spread by the dumping of garden waste.
Description:
Lonicera japonica is an evergreen in its southern range and semi-evergreen in its northern range. Stems are hollow with peeling reddish-brown bark and usually 2 to 3m long when developed. Leaves are 4 to 8cm long and ovate in shape. L. japonica produces white to yellowish tubular flowers that are 2.5 to 5cm long and black berries that contain 2 to 12 seeds. The seeds are 2 to 3mm long, ovate in shape, and dark brown to black in colour. Flowers are produced during summer and “fruit mature and are dispersed during autumn in eastern United States. The blooming period extends from April to December in Georgia, late May to October in Kentucky, May to June in Illinois, and June in Michigan.
Occurs in:
Chinese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) Distribution in North America shown in green.
Natural forests, ruderal/disturbed, urban areas.
Geographical range:
Native range: L. japonica is native to Japan and Korea.
Known introduced range: It has been introduced to the United States, Hong Kong, England, Wales, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina, and Corsica.
Habitat description:
Lonicera japonica is found in a variety of habitats, including fields, forest edges and openings, disturbed woods, and floodplains. It is shade and drought tolerant, though it needs full to partial sunlight to grow successfully. L. japonica is still planted in gardens and along roadsides for landscaping purposes.
General impacts:
L. japonica competes with natives for light and nutrients. It outcompetes natives by spreading rapidly and completely covering and toppling small
Close up of the Chinese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) Weed.
trees and shrubs in the process. This prevents the understory and small trees from developing, causing a reduction in forest understory diversity. The newly opened understory causes L. japonica to spread rapidly and provide habitat to other invasives, such as Hedera helix (English ivy) and Pueraria montana (kudzu).
Management:
Physical: Mowing and grazing control the spread of L. japonica, however, this does not eradicate it. Prescribed burns remove aboveground vegetation and reduce new growth but do not destroy roots, which will continue to produce sprouts.
Chemical: Chemical control is effective if used in the correct concentration and applied at the appropriate time of year. An effective treatment appears to be a foliar spray of 1.5% glyphosate applied shortly after the first frost.
Integrated management: The most effective eradication technique seems to be a combination of both herbicide application and burning. The evergreen nature of the plant throughout its range allows it to photosynthesize longer, providing it with a competitive advantage over other plants that go dormant earlier. But fortunately, this also allows for easier identification, assessment and treatment among dormant native plants.
Sourced From:
