General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Partial or Dappled Shade
Partial Shade to Full Shade
Full Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 3 -40 °C (-40 °F) to -37.2 °C (-35)
Plant Height: 10 to 20 feet
Plant Spread: 10 to 20 feet
Leaves: Semi-evergreen
Fruiting Time: Late summer or early fall
Fall
Late fall or early winter
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: White
Flower Time: Spring
Uses: Will Naturalize
Resistances: Deer Resistant
Rabbit Resistant
Pollution
Tolerates dry shade
Drought tolerant
Salt tolerant
Toxicity: Fruit is poisonous
Other: The berries are mildly toxic

Image
Common names
  • Bush Honeysuckle
  • Amur Honeysuckle

Photo Gallery
Location: Silver Mine Park, Conestoga, Pennsylvania
Date: 2023-10-08
Very invasive in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Location: Indiana  Zone 5
Date: 2012-10-02
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA, Zone 6b
Date: 2016-12-26
Location: Fairfax, VA | May, 2023
Location: Burlington, ON, Canada
Date: 2014-06-05
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA, Zone 6b
Date: 2017-09-09
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA, Zone 6b
Date: 2017-09-09
Location: Fairfax, VA | September 2022
Location: Fairfax, VA | September 2022
Location: Fairfax, VA | September 2022
Location: Fairfax, VA | September 2022
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2018-09-26
Location: Willow Valley Woodland, Willow Street, Pennsylvania
Date: 2021-09-24
Location: Willow Valley Woodland, Willow Street, Pennsylvania
Date: 2021-09-24
Location: Willow Valley Woodland, Willow Street, Pennsylvania
Date: 2021-05-10
Location: Willow Valley Woodland, Willow Street, Pennsylvania
Date: 2021-05-10
Location: Botanical Garden Meise (Belgium)
Location: Botanical Garden Meise (Belgium)
Date: 2017-07-22
Location: Botanical Garden Meise (Belgium)
Date: 2017-07-22
Location: Nationale Plantentuin Meise (Brussels)
Location: Nationale Plantentuin Meise (Brussels)
Location: Primorsky Kraj, Russia
Date: 2013-06-12
Bush Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii). Wild plant in natural habita
Location: Willow Valley Woodland, Willow Street, Pennsylvania
Date: 2021-05-10
Location: Fairfax, Virginia (April 2022)
Date: 2022-04-30
Location: Fairfax, Virginia (April 2022)
Date: 2022-04-30
Location: Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2011-11-27
mass of shrubs in fall
Location: Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2014-01-13
shrub in winter
Location: Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2014-01-13
the shrub base in winter
Location: Primorsky Kraj, Russia
Date: 2013-10-17
Bush Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii). Wild plant in natural habita
Location: Primorsky Kraj, Russia
Date: 2013-06-12
Bush Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii). Wild plant in natural habita
Location: Natural Area in Northeastern Indiana
Date: 2011-10-07
Understory shrub.
Location: Natural Area in Northeastern Indiana
Date: 2011-10-05
Stem section displaying distinctive formation and opposite placem
Location: Natural Area in Northeastern Indiana
Date: 2011-10-07
This image is a good representation of the central leaves. It als
Location: Natural Area in Northeastern Indiana
Date: 2011-10-07
Fruit coloring is changeable. Factors include how shady the area
Comments:
  • Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Jan 20, 2018 9:37 PM concerning plant:
    Unfortunately, this east Asian invasive shrub is the most common shrub in southeast Pennsylvania and the second in northeast Illinois. I enjoy cutting them down to pieces in the woods and then axing the base. It looks alright for awhile in spring with its young foliage and white flowers, but after that it is definitely ugly and twiggy and sort of smelly. The little red berries are not very nutritious for American birds. It is also a weed shrub growing in abandoned alleys, yards, and waste places. It should be declared as a noxious weed and destroyed. It was brought over in the 1800's with other shrub honeysuckles of northeast Asia to be an ornamental plant.
  • Posted by gardengus (Indiana Zone 5b) on Oct 9, 2012 6:21 PM concerning plant:
    This bush-type honeysuckle is considered to be invasive and has taken over several wild areas on my property in just 6 years.
    It grows and spreads very fast.
  • Posted by SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on May 5, 2012 3:40 PM concerning plant:
    The Asian exotic Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii [Rupr.] Herder) has become the dominant shrub in many forests in southwestern Ohio and in some other locations in the eastern United States. When Lonicera becomes abundant, future structure and composition of forests could be affected and local populations of herbs threatened. [Hutchinson, Todd F.; Vankat, John L. 1997. Invasibility and Effects of Amur Honeysuckle in Southwestern Ohio Forests. Conservation Biology. 11(5): 1117-1124.]
  • Posted by cwhitt (Central Ohio 43016 - Zone 6a) on Feb 20, 2018 3:22 PM concerning plant:
    I have mixed feelings about Amur Honeysuckle. It is considered an invasive and noxious plant here in Ohio, and I just heard that it is now banned from sale here. It does seem to have taken over along the parking lot of my workplace, and it crowds out other plants. People are encouraged to destroy it if they find it growing. On the flip side of that, it makes a nice barrier hedge, smells good when in bloom, and keeps its berries into winter (which the birds will not eat). It is quite a beautiful sight to see when the snow coats the red berries.
  • Posted by chelle (N.E. Indiana - Zone 5b, and Florida - Zone 9b - Zone 9b) on Oct 11, 2011 6:59 AM concerning plant:
    Bush Honeysuckle Amur (Lonicera maackii) is listed as an invasive plant. It shades and crowds out native plants that would provide higher protein food sources for wildlife.

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