06/01/2026
The answer to last week’s is.....Bush Honeysuckle! The specific species? Probably the invasive Lonicera maackii? What’s more important than identifying the specific species is knowing whether it is a friend 😊 or a foe. 😈
Unfortunately, Iowa is plagued with several species of exotic honeysuckle, and we aren’t the only ones. Invasive honeysuckle species have invaded the majority of the US. These sweet-sounding plants were originally brought over from Eurasia in the early 1800s as an ornamental that was also used to combat erosion.
Over the decades, it turned out that these pretty exotics weren’t so sweet.
They spread quickly and create dense thickets, shade out native plants, steal pollinators’ attention from natives, and their bright berries provide lackluster nutrition for birds who may be trying to fuel up for a long journey during migration season. Ultimately, they disrupt ecosystems, and fast.
Ever heard of the saying, “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast”?
Our natives often (not always!) establish more slowly, seemingly more deliberately, more in tune with the environment and all of its fascinating complexities. When natives thrive, the ecosystem functions smoothly. There’s balance and health and diversity.
Invasives often (not always!) enter the scene full send, sometimes akin to a bull in a china shop. They spread quickly, degrade habitat, and cause a whole lot of (often frustrating) work for land managers who try desperately to slow their spread.
Native honeysuckle exists in Iowa as well, and is most commonly wild honeysuckle (L. dioica var glaucescens) or grape honeysuckle (L. reticulata).
IDing honeysuckle can be tricky, but the most reliable way to determine native vs. non-native is to determine whether its stem is more hollow with a brown pith (invasive) or more solid with a white pith (native).
Honeysuckle is currently blooming, which means it’s a great time to identify where any potential problem areas might be on your property. In the event you discover a sweet-looking foe, control methods should be conducted before late summer, when seeds are dispersed.
Interestingly, the species Lonicera maackii is considered endangered in Japan, which falls within its native territory.
Photo credit (invasive honeysuckle stem image): peganum
