sweet breath of spring
(Lonicera fragrantissima Lindl. & Paxton)

Overview

Appearance

Lonicera fragrantissima is a multi-stemmed, upright, deciduous (evergreen in the South) shrub that grows from 6-10 ft. (1.8-3 m) tall. The stems are solid and continuous, white pith, has stringy, tan bark and are often purple when young.

Foliage

Leaves are opposite, round, 1-3 in. (2.5-7.6 cm) long and wide and usually persist into winter.

Flowers

Flowering occurs in the late winter, when fragrant, tubular, 0.5 in. (1.5 cm) long, white to red or yellow, thin-petaled flowers develop in pairs in the leaf axils.

Fruit

The abundant berries are 0.3 in. (8.5 mm) in diameter and ripen to orange or red in the mid-summer and often persist throughout winter.

Ecological Threat

Several species of exotic bush honeysuckles occur and distinguishing different species can be difficult. However, all have similar effects. Lonicera fragrantissima readily invades open woodlands, old fields and other disturbed sites. Its rapid spread is attributed to birds and mammals dispersing the seeds. It can form a dense understory thicket which can restrict native plant growth and tree seedling establishment. Lonicera fragrantissima is native to eastern Asia and was first introduced into North America in the late 1800s. It has been planted widely as an ornamental and for wildlife food and cover.

Resources

• A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests - USDA Forest Service
• Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas - National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council Invasive Plant Manual - SE-EPPC
• Weeds Gone Wild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas - Plant Conservation Alliance

Selected Images

Maps

Invasive Listing Sources

• Alabama Invasive Plant Council
• Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council - Category 3
• Illinois Exotic Weed Act
• Invasive Plant Species of West Virginia
• Jil M. Swearingen, Survey of invasive plants occurring on National Park Service lands, 2000-2007
• National Park Service, Mid-Atlantic Exotic Plant Management Team Invasive Plant List
• New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team 2017 Invasive Species List
• Non-Native Invasive Plants of Arlington County, Virginia
• Nonnative Invasive Species in Southern Forest and Grassland Ecosystems
• Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Invasive Plants
• South Carolina Exotic Pest Plant Council - Watch A
• Virginia Invasive Plant Species List
• WeedUS - Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States
• West Virginia Native Plant Society, Flora West Virginia Project, and West Virginia Curatorial Database System, September 3, 1999

References