This ornamental shrub thrives in a wide range of landscapes and soil types. They have opposite branched stems and simple opposite leaves. Their flowers are white, yellow, or pink and upturned, while Maine native honeysuckles have pairs of drooping, funnel-shaped yellow flowers. Invasive honeysuckle twigs have a hollow interior (pith), while native honeysuckle twigs are solid.

Morrow’s honeysuckle flowers are white, yellow, or pink and upturned, while Maine native honeysuckles have pairs of drooping, funnel-shaped yellow flowers.

Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii) twigs have a hollow interior (pith), while native honeysuckle twigs are solid.

Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii) is an ornamental shrub that thrives in a wide range of landscapes and soil types.

• Invasive shrub honeysuckles block out light and reduce native plant diversity.
• Their berries are attractive to wildlife but hold little nutritional value.
• Invasive bush honeysuckles may release a toxin into the soil through their roots that harm surrounding plants.

Remove any time after leaf-out in early spring.

• Seedlings – Pull out by hand
• Larger plants – Remove with weed wrench, loppers, or brush cutter. Consider treating cut stumps with herbicide according to the product label to prevent regrowth.

Dispose of plants responsibly.

• Let materials decompose in a brush pile (NOT compost) or burn them with a required burn permit.

Morrow’s honeysuckle is likely to re-sprout. Repeat the above methods as needed to eliminate plants from your property.

Consider replacing with native woody shrubs with similar flowers like Canada serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis) or a native honeysuckle species like American honeysuckle (Lonicera canadensis)

Learn even more about Morrow’s honeysuckle on the maine.gov website: Morrow’s honeysuckle