Clearing Woods - Shrubs - Part 3 - Honeysuckle

The flowers become juicy red berries about a quarter of an inch (0.6 cm) long that appear in August through October, depending on where it's growing. This scan was made from a branch cut at the end of November. It shows the still green leaves with the red, translucent berries.

The berries are eaten by birds and small mammals (deer mice are the major consumers in some locations). The fruit is extremely bitter and low in fat content, so it persists on the plants until more attractive fruits in the vicinity are gone.

Since it spreads exclusively by seed, birds are major factors in the widening of its range.

For decades, Amur honeysuckle, along with the other bush honeysuckles, have been promoted by the US Department of Agriculture and commercial nurseries for their wildlife and ornamental value. Many state and private nurseries still carry these plants although they are now rated as exotic invasive weeds in many areas. Since they are very easy to grow, disease insect pest and free, as well as providing attractive flowers and fruits, people still buy and plant them, spreading their range even farther.

In forested areas with native undergrowth, the bush honeysuckles appear to inhibit the spread of native plants and eventually dominate the area. In my woodland, they don't hold a candle to Lindera benzoin, the native spice bush, who outnumbers the honeysuckles by more than a hundred to one.

New stems are green, but mature wood develops a grayish-brown bark with long, deep fissures that is somewhat scaly and exfoliates a bit in vertical strips. I find it quite attractive, especially since my specimen is bare of branches for up to about five feet. It really looks like a small, multi-stemmed tree, rather than a shrub, since it branches from this height and forms an umbrella shaped canopy.

Occasionally, I will remove some internal branches or those who are dipping too low and smacking me in the face as I pass. I have a rule with most plants. They can grow branches where they want to unless they start whacking me. If they can't keep their branches to themselves...off they come!

One of the identifiers for this shrub is the hollow pith on mature

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