It’s not.
It needs to be locked up in Ohio, and organizations are calling on the citizens to arrest the spread.
Honeysuckle in Ohio creates a variety of issues for native plants, animals, and even people, making it a multiple offender. Their ability to proliferate through birds carrying fruit coupled with a fast growth rate means that they can take over an area in the blink of an eye. They’re the classic example of if you give an inch they’ll take the fence row. And that’s what’s happening.
No life below
One of the first noticeable things to happen is the shading of the ground below the honeysuckle both early and late into the year. This prevents native plants from growing or even getting started. While mature trees might tower above the offenders now, new shoots and seedlings don’t get the needed sunlight to grow.
Soon the result is a constricting ring around the mature trees turning into a monoculture as the trees ultimately age and die off.
Low-quality habitat and food
Beneath the new canopy, the ground ultimately becomes barren. That in turn, means limited options for everything from fungi to insects to the other organisms that depend on them for survival. For example, for ground-nesting birds like quail there isn’t nesting cover to hide from ground predators nor are the forbs and insects that new chicks need after hatching. Though honeysuckle does produce berries, their nutritional quality doesn’t compare to native plants. Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but honeysuckle are rich in “carbs,” not the good fats and nutrients that migrating birds need to complete their journey.
There’s nothing like home cooking. But they will take the seeds to disperse later.
Danger on the edge
Generally speaking, all types of wildlife gravitate toward edges, the transition areas between food and shelter. In natural environments it’s the most diverse, providing an overlapping mix of vegetation types from full sun to partial lighting to full shade. Honeysuckle turns that transitional space into a hard line either or proposition.
For adaptable creatures such as the whitetail deer, honeysuckle can be a travel corridor from one landscape to the next. That also makes it an ideal place to be a tick, including those that carry Lyme and other diseases.
The National Institute of Health stated that “deer preferentially use areas invaded by honeysuckle, increasing the abundance of ticks in those areas and increasing the resulting disease risk.” The institute’s study saw that removing the invasive honeysuckle decreased the risk of human and pet exposure.
Nip it in the bud … or root
One positive, if there is one, is that honeysuckle has a relatively shallow root system. Caught early, they can be pulled or completely dug up relatively easily. But beyond that stage, they can be difficult to control and the cascade begins. Cutting and trimming alone won’t do the trick. They simply reshoot, regrow and grow, refusing to go away.
As they take hold, the task can be daunting. Opportunities to scale or mechanize removal are limited because of the plants' tenacity. Even prescribed fires won’t do the trick because the roots often survive and resprout. It continues to be a very personal job requiring many hands.
When removing mature honeysuckle the typical steps are to cut the main trunk close to the ground, remove the brush, and cover the exposed trunk with a herbicide that prevents regrowth. University of Cincinnati botanist Denis Conover has tried a non-toxic variation by “wrapping the trunk with different materials to block sunlight from the plant promoting new shoots.” Anyway you look at it, it requires a lot of work.
Devin Meister is a local outdoors and wildlife enthusiast and has a blog called “Average Guy Outdoors.” He is an Ohio University graduate. Reach him at meister.devin@gmail.com.
UPCOMING REMOVAL EVENTS
Local parks and organizations have events focused on honeysuckle removal. Here are some upcoming ways you can help make a citizen’s public arrest on Amur Honeysuckle.
Greater Dayton Pheasants Forever / Quail Forever Habitat Day
March 29, 9 a.m.
Habitat Day at Woodland Trails. Hang out with friends, take down honeysuckle and trees and enjoy a free lunch while assisting the local quail population.
Buck Creek State Park - Invasive Species Plant Talk
April 12, 2 - 3 p.m.
Join the Naturalist learning about invasive species found in the area. What are they? How to maintain them? Bring hiking shoes and water. Meet in front of the camp store.
Cowan Lake - Green Up Day
April 12, 9 a.m. - noon
Meet at the parking lot by the kayak launch to join in on making Cowan a more beautiful place. Whether you want to help pick up trash, or remove invasive plants, there will be plenty to do. This event makes a great volunteer opportunity for church and scout groups, families, or individuals. All are welcome! Close toed shoes and water recommended.
About the Author
