The Wonderful Invasive Honeysuckle

-Posted by Isaac

I think this is a good time to blog about the honeysuckle.

There are several invasive honeysuckles 'round these parts, but the one that seems most prevalent is the Amur Honeysuckle. We call it bush honeysuckle.

And prevalent it is.

Native to China and southeast Asia, it found its way to the Ohio country in the 1950's. It was first spotted around Oxford in the southwest and seems to be on a tear to take over every woods, ditch and fence line in the state.

Farmers hate it!

This is a good time of year to see just how obnoxious this plant is-- you can pick it out. The bush honeysuckle is the first to green up in the spring and the very last to lose its leaves in the fall.

By mid November, honeysuckle is just about all the green we have left.

How does it take over? How does it so rapidly clog our forests, streams and roadsides?

Birds of course.

yum yum and bon appetit!

 Sightseers hate it!

And it's not only the forests, streams and roadsides.

If you don't watch out, it will sneak into your yard. Hiding behind trees and such.

Homeowners hate it!

There's no getting away from the stuff. What a nuisance!

Within a single season it can block your favorite trails.

Hikers hate it!

And divert your training on the cross country course.

Runners hate it!

Not to mention swallowing up the occasional mulligan ball far worse than any bunker.

Where's your ball, Bridger?

Golfers hate it!

"Don't know?? Must be lost in the honeysuckle!"

It's irritating. It's aggravating. It's annoying, troubling, and quite inconvenient.
Especially if you're trying to cast a line.

Fishermen hate it!

During its springtime bloom, about the middle of May, you've got a truckload of allergy triggering pollen coming your way.

People who breathe hate it!

As I said, around here it's really hard to avoid this awful stuff.

Even working the bees, it surrounds us!

I just can't fathom such a godawful thing having any value to anyone.

(Wink)

I'm with you, I totally agree. We should probably have a full-on eradication effort.

An onslaught aimed at this invasive obnoxious pest. Death to the honeysuckle!

(Wink Wink)

Because we all...

(Wink)

...Hate it!