Japanese Honeysuckle
... grow in Illinois and much of Virginia. The Japanese honeysuckle is a native to Japan, introduced in 1806 and did not become widely established until the early 1900’s (Nyboer). Cold temperatures limit the spread of the Japanese honeysuckle. It presently grows as far north as Michigan through Illinois. The honeysuckle has been planted for erosion purposes and for wildlife food and habitat. The Japanese honeysuckle is spread by seed spreads of birds. It is also found in areas such as roadsides, trails, fence rows, abandoned fields and forest edges. Deep shading reduces the amount of invasion. The Japanese honeysuckle readily invades open areas. This vine will also invade forests and open woodlands. The Japanese honeysuckle has many effects upon natural areas. It alters and destroys layers of the communities it invades, such as prairies, barrens, glades, flatwoods, savannas, floodplains and upland forests. It also alters the understory bird populations in forest communities. The current status of the honeysuckle is that it is categorized as an exotic weed under the Illinois Exotic Weed Control Act of 1987 (Williams). Its commercial sale in Illinois is prohibited (Williams). There are many ways to control the populations of these growing vines. Small pop...