Spicebush & Japanese Honeysuckle

The spicebush's buds are swelling, so I took a picture. Noticing the green of some Japanese honeysuckle in the background, I went to pull it out.




That is when I noticed it seems to be a branch from one I'd removed the year before--



--it rooted where it was left in various spots where it was in contact with the ground!

Needless to say, I won't be making that mistake again. I had no idea that it was so relentless and persistent.


When I was young, I always loved to see the early green coming through at the base of the woods after a long winter. That was before I knew it was the invasive, non-native Japanese honeysuckle that blocks the sun, starving the spring ephemeral wildflowers of much needed light. In addition to that they are allelopathic*, "poisoning" the ground preventing germination and growth of many understory species.

Here is the spicebush without the green behind it. I'd much rather see the green of wildflowers and their various flower colors. Removing the honeysuckle and planting native understory shrubs is the first step toward lush swaths of wildflowers and blooming shrubs...a much better sign of spring than the oppressive Japanese honeysuckle.




* al•le•lop•a•thy (-l-l p-th, l-) n. The inhibition of growth in one species of plants by chemicals produced by another species (from freedictionary.com)

Pulling Them Out by the Roots

It was 80 degrees on this April day. After getting home from work, I changed into shorts and got out in the yard. As usually happens, I walk the property and jump from one task to another--whatever strikes me at the moment.

One thing was to continue what I started a couple of weeks ago: instead of just sawing the Japanese honeysuckles off at the ground with hopes of taking a pick to the roots at some later point, I've found that I can often pull them out by hand! The soil is loose, but possibly even more so after freezing and thawing so much lately. I've pulled many medium-sized bushes out this way--it makes me feel good and saves me from going back for the pick!

Often I leave them in place with their roots exposed--I figure they provide places for birds to perch. Others are added to my newest brush pile.

Dealing with Japanese Honeysuckle

This post is at least a week late. Last weekend I was able to get out in the yard and get some things done. I was sore for a couple of days afterward, but I guess that is a good thing. :-)

Japanese honeysuckle is an invasive bush that takes over woodlands and, because it leafs out much earlier than native trees and shrubs, it does not allow sunlight to get to the ephemeral wildflowers, eventually starving them. Although my first winter here, I did remove some and used them to create a brush pile, I don't want to cut them all out of the woodland because they provide some structure to the woodland. Being that there are not many native trees and shrubs in what I've deemed "the woods", I hate to totally remove them. Also, they have been providing some shelter to whatever wildlife uses the yard.

My first year here, I mostly removed the multifloral rose bushes (another invasive alien). My concern is that while trying to improve the biodiversity and restore native trees, shrubs, and forbs, I don't want to disturb what habitat is provided by the invasives. By girdling the honeysuckle bushes, I hope to leave the basic structure of the area intact while I add natives that provide berries for birds and mammals, flowers for butterflies and other insects, host plants for caterpillars, and shelter and nesting sites as well.

I was able to remove the roots of the multifloral roses (luckily the soil is loose enough that I was able to dig them out without much trouble using a pick) and ensure that they will not regrow. However, it is likely that the honeysuckle will send up shoots from the roots. I guess I'll deal with that later--either by breaking them off as they grow or cutting them out again next winter. At least they will not produce berries and further spread this invasive.