Information on the Honeysuckle Bush
The honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae) includes about 180 species. Some form arching shrubs, and others offer twining vines. Bush honeysuckles are a non-native, invasive plant in the United States. Does this Spark an idea?
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Origins
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Every region of the Northern Hemisphere hosts a native species of honeysuckle. The honeysuckles referred to as bushes in the United States are referred to as "exotic" species because they originate in Europe, Eastern Asia, and Japan. Introduced to America in the 1800s and 1900s and promoted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for highways beautification, erosion control and other widespread uses, exotic honeysuckle bushes are now naturalized and hard to eliminate.
Characteristics
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Bush honeysuckles grow into dense shrubs ranging 6 to 20 feet high. Deciduous plants (meaning they lose their leaves at the end of the season) with hollow, woody branches, honeysuckle bushes sport white, trumpet-shaped flowers in May and June; these fade to yellow as they age, replaced with bright red berries in late summer to fall.
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Distinguishing Between Invasive Bushes and Native Vines
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Exotic honeysuckle bushes are "erect," instead of having drooping vines like native species. Even more telling, native honeysuckle is much more vibrantly colored, sporting bright yellow flowers that turn reddish in color as they age. Invasive honeysuckle bush species will retain their green leaves longer -- and turn green earlier -- than native, vining honeysuckles.
Control
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Honeysuckles spread rapidly as birds ingest and excrete the seeds. Honeysuckle bushes quickly invade -- then overrun -- an area, crowding out all other plant life. Control is problematic; with efforts focusing on removing seeds before they can spread, cutting down existing bushes and spraying with chemical agents.
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