23 May 2005 Page 1 of 3 

Plant Conservation Alliance®s Alien Plant Working Group 

Xeeds HoneXild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas 

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/

FACT SHEET: EXOTIC BUSH HONEYSUCKLES

Exotic Bush Honeysuckles 

Lonicera fragrantissima (fragrant honeysuckle), L. maackii (Amur 

honeysuckle), L. morrowii (Morrow's honeysuckle), L. standishii 

(Standish's honeysuckle), L. tatarica (Tartarian honeysuckle), L. 

xylosteum (European fly honeysuckle), L. X bella (hybrid, pretty 

honeysuckle) and possibly others 

Honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae) 

NATIVE RANGE 

Eurasia (Japan, China, Korea, Manchuria, Turkey and southern Russia) 

DESCRIPTION 

Exotic bush honeysuckles are upright, generally deciduous shrubs that range 

from 6 to 15 feet in height. The 1-2 1⁄2 inch, egg-shaped leaves are opposite 

along the stem and short-stalked. Older stems are often hollow. Pairs of 

fragrant, tubular flowers less than an inch long are borne along the stem in the leaf axils. Flower color varies from creamy 

white to pink or crimson in some varieties of Tartarian honeysuckle. Flowering generally occurs from early to late spring, 

but varies for each species and cultivar. The fruits are red to orange, many-seeded berries. Native bush honeysuckles 

may be confused with these exotic species and cultivars, so proper identification is necessary. Unlike the exotics, most of 

our native bush honeysuckles have solid stems. 

ECOLOGICAL THREAT 

Exotic bush honeysuckles can rapidly invade and overtake a site, forming a dense shrub layer that crowds and shades 

out native plant species. They alter habitats by decreasing light availability, by depleting soil moisture and nutrients, and 

possibly by releasing toxic chemicals that prevent other plant species from growing in the vicinity. Exotic bush 

honeysuckles may compete with native bush honeysuckles for pollinators, resulting in reduced seed set for native 

species. In addition, the fruits of exotic bush honeysuckles, while abundant and rich in carbohydrates, do not offer 

migrating birds the high-fat, nutrient-rich food sources needed for long flights, that are supplied by native plant species. 

DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES 

Amur, Tartarian, Morrow's, and pretty honeysuckle generally range from the central Great Plains to southern New 

England and south to Tennessee and North Carolina. The remaining species are sporadically distributed. The maps 

below from left to right are: Lonicera fragrantissima, L. maackii, L. morrowii, L. standishii, L. tatarica, L. xylosteum, L. X 

bella

HABITAT IN THE UNITED STATES 

Exotic bush honeysuckles are relatively shade-intolerant and most often occur in forest edge, abandoned field, pasture, 

roadsides and other open, upland habitats. Woodlands, especially those that have been grazed or otherwise disturbed, 

may also be invaded by exotic bush honeysuckles. Morrow's honeysuckle and pretty honeysuckle have the greatest 

habitat breadth and are capable of invading bogs, fens, lakeshores, sandplains and other uncommon habitat types. 

BACKGROUND 

Exotic bush honeysuckles have been introduced for use as ornamentals, for wildlife cover and for soil erosion control. 

BIOLOGY & SPREAD 

Open-grown exotic bush honeysuckles fruit prolifically and are highly attractive to birds. In the eastern United States, over 

twenty species of birds feed on the persistent fruits and widely disseminate seeds across the landscape. In established 

populations, vegetative sprouting also aids in the persistence of these exotic shrubs. 
23 May 2005 Page 2 of 3 

Plant Conservation Alliance®s Alien Plant Working Group 

Xeeds HoneXild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas 

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/

MANAGEMENT OPTIONS 

Mechanical and chemical methods are the primary means of control of exotic bush honeysuckles. No biological control 

agents are currently available for these plants and any potential agents that might be considered would have to be 

specific to the exotic species, for obvious reasons. Hand removal of seedlings or small plants may be useful for light 

infestations, but care should be taken not to disturb the soil any more than necessary. In shaded forest habitats, where 

exotic bush honeysuckles tend to be less resilient, repeated clippings to ground level, during the growing season, may 

result in high mortality. Clipping must be repeated at least once yearly because bush honeysuckles that are cut once and 

left to grow will often form stands that are more dense and productive than they were prior to cutting. 

Seedlings of exotic bush honeysuckles can also be controlled by application of a systemic herbicide, like glyphosate (e.g., 

Roundup®), at a 1 percent solution, sprayed onto the foliage or applied by sponge. Well established stands of exotic bush 

honeysuckles are probably best managed by cutting the stems to ground level and painting or spraying the stumps with a 

slightly higher rate of glyphosate (2-3%). 

Prescribed burning has shown some promise for exotic bush honeysuckles growing in open habitats. In all instances, 

control should be initiated prior to the seed dispersal period (late summer to early autumn) to minimize reinvasion of 

treated habitats. 

USE PESTICIDES WISELY: Always read the entire pesticide label carefully, follow all mixing and application instructions and wear all 

recommended personal protective gear and clothing. Contact your state department of agriculture for any additional pesticide use 

requirements, restrictions or recommendations. 

NOTICE: mention of pesticide products on this page does not constitute endorsement of any material.

CONTACTS 

For more information on the management of exotic bush honeysuckles, please contact: 

• Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council, http://www.tneppc.org/ 

• The Nature Conservancy - Pest Plant Abstracts, http://www.imapinvasives.org/GIST/ESA/ 

• Virginia Natural Heritage Program - Bush honeysuckles, 

http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/documents/fslobe.pdf 

SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVE PLANTS 

Many native plants make excellent substitutes for exotic bush honeysuckles for home landscaping and wildlife planting. In 

the eastern U.S., examples include spicebush (Lindera benzoin), ink-berry (Ilex glabra), gray dogwood (Cornus 

racemosa), northern bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica), red chokecherry (Aronia arbutifolia), and arrowwood (Viburnum 

dentatum). These species are readily available through commercial nurseries. 

OTHER LINKS 

• http://www.invasive.org/search/action.cfm?q=Lonicera%20fragrantissima 

• http://www.invasive.org/search/action.cfm?q=Lonicera%20maackii 

• http://nbii-nin.ciesin.columbia.edu/ipane/icat/browse.do?specieId=66 

• http://www.invasive.org/search/action.cfm?q=Lonicera%20morrowii 

• http://nbii-nin.ciesin.columbia.edu/ipane/icat/browse.do?specieId=67 

• http://www.invasive.org/search/action.cfm?q=Lonicera%20tatarica 

• http://nbii-nin.ciesin.columbia.edu/ipane/icat/browse.do?specieId=68 

• http://nbii-nin.ciesin.columbia.edu/ipane/icat/browse.do?specieId=70 

• http://nbii-nin.ciesin.columbia.edu/ipane/icat/browse.do?specieId=69

AUTHOR 

Charles E. Williams, Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Clarion, PA 

PHOTOGRAPH 

Jil M. Swearingen, National Park Service, Washington, DC 
23 May 2005 Page 3 of 3 

Plant Conservation Alliance®s Alien Plant Working Group 

Xeeds HoneXild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas 

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/

REFERENCES 

Luken, J.O. 1990. Forest and pasture communities respond differently to cutting of exotic Amur honeysuckle. Restoration 

and Management Notes 8:122-123. 

Nyboer, R. 1992. Vegetation management guideline: bush honeysuckles. Natural Areas Journal 12:218-219. 

Swearingen, J. 2009. WeedUS Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States. 

http://www.invasive.org/weedus/. 

The Nature Conservancy. Bush Honeysuckles: Element Stewardship Abstract. In: Wildland Weeds Management & 

Research Program, Weeds on the Web. http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/esadocs/loni_spp.html 

USDA, NRCS. 2009. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 

70874-4490 USA. 

Williams, C.E. 1994. Bush honeysuckles (Lonicera spp.). Fact sheet - invasive alien plant species of Virginia. Virginia 

Native Plant Society and Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Richmond, VA.