Honeysuckle Weeds
Honeysuckle is a woody perennial plant with twining stems and trumpet-shaped blossoms. Exotic or imported honeysuckle species tend to crowd out or kill other plants. These honeysuckle weeds are primarily controlled by cultivation and eradication. Does this Spark an idea?
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Features
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Invasive varieties, such as Japanese or tatarian honeysuckle, grow fast, each plant spreading 8 to 20 feet. They smother other plants as a thicket of overgrowth, blocking daylight and absorbing water and soil nutrients. They multiply by seeds and rooting stems. Some varieties, like Amur, are allelopathic, giving off chemicals that harm other plants.
Cultivation
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Prune fast-growing honeysuckle regularly. Do not discard trimmings along roadsides, as these species take root in moist, fertile ground and can overtake native brush and small trees. Remove exotic honeysuckle and replace with native honeysuckle varieties that are less invasive and provide more nutritious fruit for birds and wildlife.
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Eradication
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Prune honeysuckle weeds and apply brush or vine herbicide to the exposed stem. In autumn, when other plants lose their leaves, use the herbicide as a foliage spray, saturating the leaves. Repeat as needed. Other methods such as chopping, burning or digging are rarely effective as any weed stem or root pieces in the ground will vigorously regrow.
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References
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