Amur honeysuckle

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Introduction
This week’s post is going to be the first plant post of the blog. The plant I am going to write about is the Amur honeysuckle.
                                                                                                       Photo Credit Matt Bell 2017

Amur Honeysuckles in my Front yard

The Amur honeysuckle is a common sight in the small forest located in my front yard. In total I have three Amur honeysuckle plants in my front yard. During the spring and summer, these bushes create a wall of leaves that cover most entrances to the forest. The white flowers that bloom during the spring are always a pleasant sight when I walk out my front door. During the fall months the Amur honeysuckles produce red berries that are quickly eaten by many different species of birds.

 Amur Honeysuckle Facts

The Amur honeysuckle is a non-native species of woody shrub, which was introduced to North America in 1896 for the purpose of wildlife cover, landscaping, and erosion control. The Amur honeysuckle is a hardy plant that can grow in many different types of soils including soil that is underwater for small periods of time. An example of this would be, the soil found at the edge of creeks and streams that overflow during heavy rains.
  • The Amur honeysuckle was originally native to Northeastern Asia
  • In most states the Amur honeysuckle is so widespread that it has become naturalized to the region.
  • Amur honeysuckles can be found across the Eastern and Midwestern states of America.
  • In states like Connecticut and Massachusetts, it is illegal to plant Amur honeysuckles.
  • The Amur honeysuckle has arching branches which can grow between 6 and 20 feet high. “The honeysuckles in my backyard are about ten feet high.”
  • The bark of the Amur honeysuckle has vertical strips that can be found on the branches and trunk.

 
   Habitat

The Amur honeysuckle can be found in woodlands, thickets, pastures, and along roadsides. It can grow in areas that have either full shade or full sunlight. The Amur honeysuckle can also handle all types of pollution, severe droughts and cold winters. It will also out-compete many of the native plants that exist near it for soil nutrients and moisture.

  How Does the Amur Honeysuckle Spread?

The Amur honeysuckle is spread by the seeds located in its fruit. When the fruit is eaten by an organism, like a bird. The bird releases the seeds in its dropping, which grows into new honeysuckles. Established Amur honeysuckle plants can also spread through vegetative sprouting.
                                                           Photo Credit Matt Bell 2017                                                                      

 Leaves 

The Amur honeysuckle has opposite leaves which means the leaves on the branch are right across from each other. Each leaf is between 1.3-3.3 inches long. The leaves are elliptical with long tips. An elliptical leaf is wide in the middle and narrows at the ends. An easy way to remember elliptical leaves is they are somewhat shaped like a football.
The Amur honeysuckles leaves begin to appear in the early spring months. During the summer the leaves turn a dark green. Normally, the leaves will fall off the honeysuckle in the month of November.

 Flowers

The Amur honeysuckle flowers appear during the months of late May and early June. When the flowers first appear, they are white and later turn to a dark gold. The flowers are found in straight pairs and are 0.6 to 0.75 inches long.
 For humans sucking or drinking the nectar from the flowers is not dangerous. The best way to get the nectar is to pull the flower off the plant. Once this is done there is a small green piece on the end of the flower. Pull this out and suck on the nectar. “I have never tried it myself, but I read it tastes quite good. I plan on trying some in the springtime.”

                                                            Photo Credit Fanghong

  Fruit

The fruit of the Amur honeysuckle starts out as dark green. During the late autumn months, the fruit is a bright red color. These fruits are 0.25 inches in size and circular in shape. Once the fruit ripens it is eat by mammals and birds. “As stated above, this happen very quickly in my backyard. On average the fruits lasts a few weeks before the birds eat it.”
The berries of the Amur honeysuckle are mildly poisonous for humans. Eating a few of these berries will cause a mild upset stomach. Eating a large amount of these berries can cause more severe symptoms like rapid heartbeat, vomiting, and diarrhea.
                                                                                                                       Photo Credit Matt Bell 2017
  How the Amur Honeysuckle Can Harm Native Plant?
The Amur honeysuckle can quickly take over an area, causing the native plants species to be pushed out of the area. This is done by out competing the native plants for pollinators, water, and sunlight. The honeysuckle can also release chemicals that prevent native species from growing in the areas around it. In addition to this, the honeysuckle can also change native habitats by depleting the nutrients and moisture in the soil.
The Amur honeysuckle can also cause problems for birds. Birds love to eat the honeysuckle’s fruit. However, this fruit has less nutrients and fats then native plants. Sometimes this causes birds who have long migration flights to not have enough nutrients to sustain them.

 Amur Honeysuckle Control and Management

The three most effective control methods for Amur honeysuckles are burning, chemical, and manual removal.
Burning: Approved burning is an effect way to control the spread of the Amur honeysuckle. Burning the plant in the springtime is effective because it kills the tops of mature plants, as well as the seedlings.
Chemical: Using herbicides on the honeysuckle will also help destroy the plant. Some techniques include spraying leaves with a chemical like Roundup, steam injections, and applying herbicides to cut stems. “I recommend speaking with your local garden specialist to find the safest and right form of herbicide to use.”
Manual: Small plants can be removed by hand. When pulling a plant, be sure to remove the root system from the ground. Larger plants can be manually removed with ground garden tools or by yearly cutting. The most effective time for cutting is during the early spring and late fall months.
“Out of these three methods I use manual. I enjoy a few Amur Honeysuckles in my front yard, but don’t want them to overgrown my entire forest. So, during the early spring months, I walk through the forest and remove any newly growing honeysuckle.”

  Conclusion

The Amur honeysuckle is another form of invasive species found in Pennsylvania. Some people find the plant a problem, while others think it is a beautiful addition to Pennsylvania’s landscape. I personally enjoy having the honeysuckle in my front yard, as long as the population is kept in check. Join me next time as we explore wildlife in my backyard and other nature topics.   

  References and Additional Resources

Minnesota Department of Agriculture. (2017). Restricted Noxious Weed Amur Honeysuckle. Retrieved from http://www.mda.state.mn.us/plants/pestmanagement/weedcontrol/noxiouslist/amurhoneysuckle.aspx
Ohio Department of Natural Resources. (2017). Amur Honeysuckle. Retrieved from http://forestry.ohiodnr.gov/honeysuckle
Pennsylvania department of conservation and natural resources. (n.d.). Invasive Plants in Pennsylvania. Retrieved from
http://www.docs.dcnr.pa.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_010229.pdf
SFgate. (n.d.). Is Honeysuckle Poisonious? Retrieved from
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/honeysuckle-poisonious-57584.html
USDA Forest Service. (n.d.). Amur Honeysuckle. Retrieved from https://www.invasive.org/weedcd/pdfs/wow/amur-honeysuckle.pdf

  Photo Credit and References

Photo taken by Fanghong - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=424662
Taken by Fanghong - Own work, CC BY 2.5,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=745131

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