Amur Honeysuckle

Lonicera maackii

non-native

Amur Honeysuckle is one of two species of bush honeysuckle in Virginia, both of which are highly invasive; the other is Morrow's Honeysuckle. Japanese Honeysuckle, also aggressively invasive, is the vining form of honeysuckle which most people are familiar with. A lot of Amur Honeysuckle grows in Monticello Park. The name honeysuckle is based on children sucking on the flowers to enjoy the sweet nectar. Amur Honeysuckle is in the genus Lonicera which has about 180 species, only 20 of which are native to North America. In our area, natives are rarely encountered.

Identification Tools

Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States Missouri Botanical Garden Go Botany Illinois Wildflowers Virginia Tech Dendrology

Ranges

North America Virginia

Bush Honeysuckle flowers
Amur Honeysuckle in bloom, with freshly-opened white flowers

Bush Honeysuckle buds
Amur Honeysuckle in bloom

Bush Honeysuckle buds
Amur Honeysuckle in bud

Bush Honeysuckle
Amur Honeysuckle with berries

Bush Honeysuckle
Amur Honeysuckle berries can be red or brown

Bush Honeysuckle
Amur Honeysuckle berries

Bush Honeysuckle
An Amur Honeysuckle shrub in autumn, hanging over the stream

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