Lonicera maackii
Amur Honeysuckle

This plant is considered invasive.

Family:

Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family) 22

Genus:

Lonicera (Honeysuckle) 7

Plant Type:

Shrub 462

Growth Forms:

Suckering / Colonizing 31

Hardiness:

USDA Zone 3 221

Deciduous / Evergreen:

Deciduous 792

Flower Notes:

Cream (White changing to creamy yellow in May; borne in leaf axils)

Foliage Notes:

Green (Summer foliage; no appreciable fall color)

Fruit Notes:

Red (Interesting dark red berries ripen in October; attractive to birds, who then spread the seeds)

Ultimate Height:

12-15 feet

Ultimate Spread:

12-15 feet

Light Requirements:

Soil Notes:

Widely adapted to different soils

Range:

Manchuria, Korea

Diagnostic Characteristics:

Opposite, simple, entire leaves are 2-3" long and 0.5-1.5" wide, darker on top and lighter below. Leaf tops and bottoms have pubescent veins. Generally, 2 glossy red fruits emerge at the base of each leaf. Stems are gray and more pubescent when young.

Special Characteristics:

Tolerant of Poor Site Conditions 186

Fast Growth Rate 225

Indiana Prohibited Sale 16

Midwest Invasive 38

Additional Information

Widely adaptable to different soils and exposures. Can be trained into a small patio tree. Suckers freely, requiring pruning in intensive situations. Seeds, carried by birds, germinate freely, and weed seedlings result. High shade tolerance contributes greatly to its highly invasive character. Perhaps the worst woody weed in the Midwestern and Northwestern US.