Morrow's Honeysuckle

Scientific Name - Lonicera morrowii
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By Meredith Merritt

Origin:Morrow's Honeysuckle originally came from Eastern Asia, primarily Japan. It was brought to the United States in the 1800s. In the United States today, it has been reported along the east coast, as well as in many other states shown on the map below:

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Description:
  • Grows up to about 7 feet in height
  • Usually blooms in May
  • Each flower has 5 white petals, 5 stamens (pollen boring organs), and 1 pistil (the seed bearing organ.)
  • Within days after the flower blooms, it's petals dry out and turn yellow.
  • These petals will eventually fall off to reveal a green, unripe fruit.
  • As the fruit ripens, it turns bright red.
  • It's leaves have short fuzzy hairs
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Stages:
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Morrow's Honeysuckle begins to bud early in the year
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It's white petals then bloom in May
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The petals begin to age and turn yellow
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With the petals gone, the fruits have ripened

Habitat:
  • Able to grow in places with varying amounts of sunlight and moisture
  • Woodlands are most affected and vulnerable because their habitat is already disturbed.
  • Thrive in sunny, upland habitats such as:
    • Forest edges
    • Roadsides
    • Pastures
    • Abandoned fields
  • Also found in:
    • Fens
    • Bogs
    • Lakeshores
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Forest edge taken over in a thicket of Morrow's Honeysuckle
Positive Effects:
  • It's fruit provides birds with an abundant source of food
  • Introduced for use as:
    • an ornamental
    • wildlife cover
    • soil erosion control
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Negative Effects:
  • Referred to as an invasive species, because it crowds out and replaces other native species
  • Spreads easily by birds consuming their fruit and dispersing the seeds
  • Forms thickets; shading and preventing growth of native species
  • Depletes soil moisture and nutrients available to other plants
  • Blooms early, before other plants have the chance to leaf out
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Petals blooming before other plants

Methods of Control:
  • To be effective, control needs to be started in late-summer or early-fall before the seeds start to be spread
  • Mechanical Control:
    • Works in low populated areas
    • Hand removal/digging up or pulling the organism
    • Controlled burning in open habitats
  • Chemical Control
    • Works in heavily infested areas
    • Use of appropriate systemic herbicides
    • Spraying a glyphosate solution on cut stumps
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Scientific Classification:
  • Kingdom - Plantae
  • Sub-kingdom - Tracheobionta
  • Super-division - Spermatophyta
  • Division - Magnoliophyta
  • Class -Magnoliopsida
  • Subclass - Asteridae
  • Order - Dipsacales
  • Family - Caprifoliaceae
  • Genus - Lonicera L.
  • Species - Lonicera morrowii A. Gray
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