If you have a large green thicket, such as this,
that has taken over the understory of your woods,
you likely have a bush honeysuckle infestation.
This non-native shrub from Asia has taken a foothold
here in Missouri where it has no natural control.
It leafs out early in the spring, grows fast and spreads fast;
forming dense colonies that crowd out our native forest plants.
Today I’ll share some methods
you can use to help control this invasive shrub.
Bush honeysuckles are large, deciduous shrubs
capable of growing 20 feet tall, with long arching branches.
The opposite, simple leaves grow along the branches
with short stalks and taper to an elongated tip,
emerging much earlier than those
of the surrounding native vegetation.
White, fragrant blossoms appear in April and May
and yellow as they age.
Seedling trunks are slightly hairy with grayish brown bark.
Older stems are hollow with bark of broad ridges and grooves,
having a striped appearance.
The shrubs are easily identified in the fall,
because they retain their leaves well into November
and mature plants will produce
bright red berries such as these.
These berries are eaten by many species of birds and mammals
which in turn deposit the seeds elsewhere,
helping spread these invasive shrubs.
While the fruit is rich in carbohydrates,
it lacks the high-fat and nutrient-rich content
that native shrubs provide migrating birds.
Bush honeysuckle has a shallow root system,
so smaller shrubs and seedlings can usually be removed easily
by hand pulling, especially when soil is moist.
Root-docking involves using a broad-bladed hoe
to cut into the ground around the shrub’s trunk,
chopping through its roots, removing the root collar,
while leaving most of the roots in the surrounding soil.
With the roots left in the soil,
there is minimal soil disturbance and there is no possibility
of re-sprouting which takes place
from the root collar, which is removed.
Using this method, less follow up is required,
than with some other methods.
However, it is labor-intensive and disturbs
the ground around each plant, potentially uprooting native plants.
In an area already overrun by invasive plants,
disturbing the soil could encourage their growth.
Large shrubs should be cut close to the ground
and the stumps treated immediately
with a 20% Glyphosate solution,
which will help kill the root system.
Bush honeysuckle stems can be cut at the base
with brush-cutters, chainsaws, or hand tools.
Cutting will encourage intense re-sprouting
if not followed by herbicide treatment
before the cut stem surface dries.
In late summer, early fall or during the dormant season,
a combination of cutting and herbicide treatment
has proven effectiveness.
Prescribed burns can help control bush honeysuckle
if there is enough fuel, and if the area can be safely burned.
Though a controlled burn won't kill most invasive plants' roots,
it will force them to regrow from the ground up
and keep them from crowding out natives.
A burn can treat many acres at a time,
but requires extensive training, personnel, and preparation.
You’ll need to burn every spring or every other
for several years to control resprouting.
Bush honeysuckle leaves remain green and active
late into late fall when most native plant species have gone dormant.
Foliar applications of some herbicides
can be used at this time with little or no impact to non-target species,
especially after the first hard frost.
Spray as much of the foliage as possible
and only apply if the weather forecast predicts
dry conditions for at least 4 hours after treatment.
This can be a very effective method of controlling honeysuckle
but should only be used when the target plants
are within easy reach of the sprayer.
Care needs to be taken to ensure that the herbicide
is sprayed to wet the foliage but not to the point of runoff.
A basal bark treatment can be used
if you prefer not to cut down the shrubs.
With this method, an oil soluble herbicide for this specific use,
is applied to the trunk of the shrub.
This method is most useful where shrub density
is moderate to low and where dead standing shrubs can be tolerated.
Regardless of the stem diameter of the plant,
it is important to spray the herbicide solution
around the entire circumference of the stem
starting at the root collar at ground level
and extending upward 12 to 18 inches.
The spray should cover the entire circumference of the stem
and every stem or trunk arising from the ground should be treated.
Avoid using this method if there is heavy snow on the ground
and do not cut down the plants for 6 to 8 months
following this treatment to allow for complete uptake of the herbicide.
A follow-up foliar herbicide application to control
basal sprouts and root suckers may be necessary.
Be sure to come back every year to check your treated sites.
No method is 100 percent effective,
and it takes only a few survivors for an infestation to come roaring back.
I hope what I’ve shared will help you
eliminate bush honeysuckle from your property.
If you would like more information,
just go to our website at MDC.MO.GOV.
Thanks for watching.