14 Jan Japanese honeysuckle
Lonicera japonica
A popular garden plant of yesterday that has become a widespread rampant weed throughout many areas of eastern Australia from Qld to SA. In colder climates it may become deciduous.
Family: Caprifoliaceae
Origin: China & Japan
Habit: A robust climbing or scrambling shrub to 8m high. Young stems covered with short hairs. Older stems woody and hairless.
Leaves: A robust climbing or scrambling shrub to 8m high. Young stems covered with short hairs. Older stems woody and hairless.
Flowers: Paired, long and tubular (3-4cm), very sweetly scented. White, ageing cream to yellow or pale orange. Flowers Autumn-Spring.
Fruit: Globe-shaped berry, 4-10mm long, glossy black.
Roots: Fibrous initially, becoming a dense, extensive and woody crown with age.
Dispersal: Seed mostly spread by birds, but also humans, contaminated soil (earthmoving equipment, car tyres etc) and garden refuse dumping.
Control: Hand Dig, Skirting, Foliar spray.
