It is confusing, trying to tell if the honeysuckle vine on the back fence is native or not. We all want to remove invasive plants but don't want to make a mistake and remove something good. Unfortunately, odds are that the aggressive vine you found is the invasive and should be removed. Even if it is for sale in a garden center doesn't guarantee that it is not an invasive plant since some stores are unscrupulous. The native honeysuckle vines are an attractive addition to any garden trellis and are sure to attract some unique pollinators. Below I have outlined the three (four) vines that are commonly confused and some tricks for getting a correct ID.
Invasive Japanese honeysuckle, Lonicera japonica This is the most common honeysuckle vine you see in urban gardens and invading natural areas. The vine has a woody stem with peeling bark. Since the vine is flexible they make great wreaths. The flowers are yellow and white and have a sweet smell blooming from April-July. Japanese honeysuckle can smother trees, and other plants if left unchecked. Like most invasive plants, Japanese honeysuckle does not support many other species and displaces more valuable species in the ecosystem. It was introduced in the 1800s as an ornamental plants but now we know that it's ornamental qualities pale in comparison to it's environmental costs. Yellow honeysuckle, Lonicera flava The native honeysuckle vines are a much rarer sight in nature and at gardening stores. Yellow honeysuckle has an all yellow flower blooming April through May. The vine can be delicate and slow growing for some gardeners. Yellow honeysuckle does not self pollinate so multiple plants are needed to collect seed. Yellow honeysuckle is the host plant to the bumblebee clearwing moth. Coral honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens Coral honeysuckle has a red trumpet shaped flower blooming May and June. The flower being red and tubular, attracts hummingbirds. The native honeysuckles have a distinctive fused leaf just below the flower bloom that is not a trait of the invasive plant. It is a host plant to spring azure butterflies and snowberry clearwing moths.
Coral honeysuckle is pictured, photo courtesy of Marsha Gebhardt.
Honeyvine, Cynanchum laeve
Honeyvine is actually a milkweed, not a honeysuckle, but if you have invasive honeysuckle you probably also have honeyvine mixed in. Honeyvine does not have a woody stem, the leaves are opposite but heart shaped. Since it is a milkweed, breaking the stem will produce a milky sap. Also, like other milkweeds, it makes a pod full of fluffy seeds. Monarch caterpillars will consume honeyvine, Honeyvine is native but generally not planted on purpose because it is so aggressive.
In short; Invasive honeysuckle flowers occur all up and down the stem. In the native honeysuckle flowers only occur at the end of a stem. At the flower cluster the leaves below are completely or partially fused around the stem in native honeysuckle but separate in the invasive. Both plants have oval opposite leaves and a woody stem with peeling bark.
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