Lonicera japonica
Non-Native
Illustration: USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York. Vol. 3: 280.
What is Japanese Honeysuckle?
Physical Characteristics
- Evergreen
Leaves:
- Egg-shaped leaves
- 1.5-3 inches long
Flowers:
- Scented
- Range from white to yellow in color
- Found in pairs
- Bloom late April – June
Fruit:
- Black
- Berries
- Found September – November
Seeds:
- 2-3 egg-shaped seeds per fruit
- 0.08-0.13 inches long
- Dark brown-black in color
Stem:
- 80-100 feet long
- Woody
- Vine
- Younger stems reddish in color and fuzzy
- Older stems hollow with brownish bark
- Bark peels in long strips
Where Does it Grow?
USDA, NRCS. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.
Japanese honeysuckle is often found as an ornamental plant in the United States; although, it has become invasive to much of the environment surrounding it.
Is it Invasive?
Japanese honeysuckle is non-native to North America. It is an aggressive invader that out-competes the native vegetation for vital resources and tends to disrupt the ecosystem by pushing the native species out of their habitat.
This plant is not native to North America, but has naturalized in much of the United States. While it is not illegal to possess this plant in Texas, it should not be introduced into new water bodies and should be treated with herbicide when present.