Management of Lonicera spp. (Exotic bush honeysuckles)

SHRUB
Helpful Hints: Long used as a landscaping plant, bush honeysuckles have escaped and now
form thickets along stream banks, in edge areas, and in open or shaded woods. Stems have
rough vertical ridges and are hollow. Leaves stay green into late fall and begin to show new
growth in very early spring. They put out large clusters of red berries from mid-summer to
early fall, depending on species.
Mechanical: Pulling seedlings or small plants can be useful for light infestations.
• In shaded woodlands, where the plants are somewhat less resilient, repeated cutting to the
ground during the growing season may result in high mortality.
• Cutting must be repeated at least once during the year to prevent regeneration of stands
that are denser than the original.
Chemical: Chemical control may be most effective with glyphosate. Initiate control prior to
seed dispersal (late summer to early fall).
Cut stem treatment
• Cut all stems to ground level and apply glyphosate @ 25% (e.g., Roundup Pro).
• Natural Resources staff members have had success with the ready-to-use triclopyr
product Pathfinder II.Foliar spray
• Since bush honeysuckles have single or clustered central stems, and can be easily treated
using the cut stem method, NRS does not recommended foliar applications.



Glyphosate w/o
surfactant



Rodeo
Dow AgroSciences
53.8% active ingredient
Aqua Neat
Riverdale
53.8% active ingredient