Some invasive plants are sneaky. They pop up in one’s garden without explanation or obvious origin and force gardeners to take action on the spot, lest they be forgotten and allowed to grow and spread. Some of the sneakiest are the Bush Honeysuckles, several species of Lonicera with Eurasian origins. They grow rapidly yet can be easy to overlook when they first invade. Sneaky.
Like so many invasive plants, Bush Honeysuckle has positive qualities that mislead Americans to plant it widely. Its flowers are attractive and fragrant, and its berries are tasty to many birds. Unfortunately, like other invasives (as defined in 1999 by Executive Order 13112 signed by President Clinton and amended by President Obama), it easily escapes cultivation, spreading rapidly in the wild and out-competing the native plants that support local food webs. Check out this article for some good options to replace Bush Honeysuckle.
