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History and
Description
The Japanese honeysuckle is native to Japan and Korea.
A Japanese honeysuckle is a trailing or twining vine that can grow more than 30
feet in length.
The stems of a Japanese honeysuckle are usually hairy. The older
stems have a brownish bark that may peel off into shreds. The opposite leaves
are oval to oblong in its shape and can be from 1.5 to 3 inches in length. That is
long for a leaf. The leaves are semi green. It is extremely fragile. The two-lipped
flowers are made in pairs in the axils of younger and smaller branches and are
grown in the summer.
Uses
The Japanese honeysuckle was introduced to the
United States in 1806 for ornamental ground cover. Hummingbirds, bees, and
other insects get nectar from the flowers of the
insects. Birds eat the seeds.
Hummingbirds,
bees, and other insects visit the flowers for nectar. They also help
pollinate the plant, taking pollen from one flower to
another. Ruby-throated hummingbirds, bees,
and other insects visit the flowers for nectar. They also help
pollinate
the plant, taking pollen from one flower to another.
Reproduction
The Japanese honeysuckle has tubers, or underground
stems (rhizomes) that helps it reproduce. Birds carry it by
their beaks. They
carry it a long way. They eat the seeds and
defecate the seeds far away from the
parent plant.
Ecological Threat
In North America, Japanese honeysuckle has few natural
enemies which allows it to spread widely and out-compete
native plant species.
Shrubs and young trees can be killed when
vines
twist tightly around stems and trunks, cutting off the flow of
water
through the plant.
Dense growths of honeysuckle
covering vegetation can
gradually kill plants by blocking
sunlight from reaching their leaves. Vigorous
root competition
also helps Japanese honeysuckle spread and displace
neighboring
native vegetation.
Japanese
honeysuckle has the
ability to climb over and smother most plants in its path. It can even cause
the collapse
of the forest canopy if it is allowed to get away.
The Japanese honeysuckle
is often spread when
pieces of stem are dumped with garden
rubbish. In addition, its seeds are easily
spread by birds and sometimes possums. The vine is hard to kill using
existing
herbicides.
Control
For small patches, repeated
pulling of entire vines and root
systems may be effective. Hand pull seedlings
and young
plants when the soil is moist. Holding low on the stem will help remove the
whole plant along with its roots. Monitor frequently and remove any new plants.
Cut and remove twining vines to prevent them from killing shrubs
and other plants. An effective method for removal of patches
of honeysuckle
covering the ground is to lift up the vine and cut it off with a chain saw low to the ground.
Mowing large
patches of honeysuckle may be useful if repeated regularly but is most effective
when combined with herbicide. Mow at twice a year, first
in mid-July and again in mid-September.
Plants can also be dug out, taking care to remove all roots and runners.
Burning removes above ground vegetation but does not kill the underground
rhizomes, which will continue to sprout.
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