I'M UR HONEYsuckle

It's autumn in Illinois and the honeysuckle are producing berries. Lonicera maackii or Amur honeysuckle is invasive in Northern Illinois and is originally from Asia. Honeysuckle blooms fragrant white flowers in the summer, which turn yellow upon aging.

Around 2-3 years of age, honeysuckle starts producing thousands of bright red berries each season and are loved by birds. One of the reasons honeysuckle is so widespread is because of birds eating the fruit and spreading the seed. Another reason this plant does so well in North America is it's "extended phenology". This just means that honeysuckle is one of the first plants to wake up in the spring and one of the last to go to sleep in the winter. Extended phenology gives the honeysuckle first and last dibs on the nutrients in the soil each year. You can see why this might not be so good for the native plants of the forest (no food for them!).

You can find honeysuckle growing on roadsides and on forest edges (aka everywhere), but don't be tempted by this sweet smelling plant, grow native plants in your yard instead!

Know the plants around you! And save plants to save the planet!

honeysuckle, phenology, asia, invasive

Check out the links below to learn more!

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=d617

http://www.aldoleopold.org/Programs/phenology.shtml