Garden Escapes

Honeysuckle

Lonicera japonica

How does it spread?

Honeysuckle takes root at the nodes of the stems, which break easily. It can also spread by growings roots from any cuttings in contact with the ground, such as where people have dumped them. It also has shiny black seeds which are spread by birds.

How does it affect us?

Once established, honeysuckle is difficult to remove. The vine climbs and scrambles vigorously 7-10m high over other plants, overwhelming them. Its weight can collapse a supporting branch or shrub.

When does it seed?

Honeysuckle flowers in October - November

Getting rid of Honeysuckle

Manual Control

You can control Honeysuckle in your garden by vigorous pruning or cutting back after flowering to prevent fruiting. However, the plant will respond by vigorous reshooting.

Remove the whole plant by digging out, but note that roots must be removed at each node.

Herbicide control

Poison the roots with herbicide using the cut-and-paint or scrape-and-paint method.

Natives to grow instead

Wonga wonga vine - Pandorea pandorana is another vigorous climber. More delicate are native clematis - Clematis aristata - and the scrambling Happy Wanderer - Hardenbergia violacea.
Click on the green links to see how these look in the bush.

The information here was taken from a booklet "Attack of the Killers Weeds" Coastcare and Dept of Land and Water Conservation and from a leaflet published by the Lindeman Road Bushcare Group in the Blue Mountains.

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