Tatarian Honeysuckle

Lonicera tatarica (loh-NIS-er-ah tat-TAR-ee-ka)

Family: Caprifoliaceae Non-native Shrub (3-15 ft)

Tatarian honeysuckle is a perennial, deciduous shrub from Asia that has naturalized in much of North America, in open woodlands, thickets, fence rows and roadsides. The species epithet is Latin, meaning “Tataric,” referring to Tartary or Tatary, an obsolete geographic term for central Asia, the homeland of this species. This species prefers partial sun, moist, fertile, loamy soil, but it is highly adaptable to a wide variety of soil and environmental conditions. It can grow in full sun to shade, and moist to dry, gravelly, or sandy soils. Because of its adaptability, it has become an unwanted weed in the central USA. It can spread rapidly due to birds and mammals dispersing the seeds and can form an extremely dense understory thicket, restricting native plant growth and inhibiting biodiversity. This shrub has dense tangles of leggy branches with hollow twigs and is often the first shrub to grow leaves in the spring. It is listed as a noxious weed in several states. The flowers have a sweet fragrance typical of honeysuckle. This plant is a host for the larvae of the Hummingbird moth. This species is not recommended for any garden or landscape. Do not grow this species. Select native or less problematic exotic plants instead. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: witches broom caused by Russian aphids, leaf spot, powdery mildew, and blights. This plant may become too tall for the home landscape and be difficult to prune dead branches, as well as self-seed aggressively. This species is classified as invasive by the NC Invasive Plant Council. More information on Lonicera .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 69 attributes.