Lonicera maackii

Lonicera maackii (Rupr.) Maxim. (E As.) – A very rare, locally naturalizing escape from cultivation. Recently introduced (probably deliberately) in an afforestation area near Kortrijk and reproducing from seed. First seen in 2015 near Kennedybos (a single shrub), subsequently, in 2017, at the Keizersberg-Klarenhoek near the interchange of the E17 / E403 motorways. In the latter locality several dozens of shrubs are found, planted as well as escaped. A future naturalization is this area is likely.
Lonicera maackii was recently found in the Netherlands as well (de Boer 1999). In some areas, for instance in parts of the United, this species is an increasing noxious invader (numerous references, e.g. Luken & Thieret 1996, Hutchinson & Vankat 1997, Collier & al. 2002, Gorchov & Trisel 2003, Miller & Gorchov 2004, Hartman & McCarthy 2008, Gorchov & al. 2014, Culley & al. 2016, McNeish & McEwan 2016, etc.). In the understories of deciduous woodlands it can form dense thickets and in some states it is the most aggressive invasive species with the greatest deleterious impact on the total vegetation and native plants (Thompson & Poindexter 2011).
Lonicera maackii belongs to the same section as and is morphologically similar to L. morrowii, L. chrysacantha and native L. xylosteum. Compared with these species, however, it is easily distinguished on behalf of its almost sessile inflorescences.

Selected literature


Collier M.H., Vankat J.L. & Hughes M.R. (2002) Diminished Plant Richness and Abundance Below Lonicera maackii, an Invasive Shrub. Am. Midl. Nat. 147: 60–71. [available online at: http://plato.wilmington.edu/faculty/kcipolli/COLLIER_MATTHEW_H.pdf]

Culley T., Cameron G.N., Kolbe S.E. & Miller A.I. (2016) Association of non-native Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii, Caprifoliaceae) with other invasive plant species in eastern deciduous forests in southwestern Ohio. Journ. Torrey Bot. Society 143(4): 398-414. [available online at: http://www.bioone.org/doi/pdf/10.3159/TORREY-D-15-00048.1]

De Boer E. (1999) Een wonderlijke vondst van een gekweekte kamperfoelie, Lonicera maackii (Rupr.) Max., op Gewone vlier. Gorteria 25: 28-29. [available online at: http://natuurtijdschriften.nl/download?type=document&docid=537104]

Gorchov D., Castellano S. & Noe D. (2014) Long-Distance Dispersal and Diffusion in the Invasion of Lonicera maackii. Invasive Plant Science and Management 7(3): 464-472. [available online at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275700863_Long-Distance_Dispers...

Gorchov D.L. & Trisel D.E. (2003) Competitive effects of the invasive shrub, Lonicera maackii (Rupr.) Herder (Caprifoliacea), on the growth and survival of native tree seedlings. Plant Ecol. 166: 13–24. [available online at: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/16c5/31ed53c75af6ae579d7706c667b498d978...

Hartman K.M. & McCarthy B.C. (2008) Changes in forest structure and species composition following invasion by a non-indigenous shrub, Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii). J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 135: 245–259.

Hutchinson T.F. & Vankat J.L. (1997) Invasibility and effects of Amur honeysuckle in southwestern Ohio forests. Conserv. Biol. 11: 1117–1124. [available online at: https://www.fs.fed.us/ne/newtown_square/publications/other_publishers/OC...

Luken J.O. & Thieret J.W. (1995) Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii: Caprifoliaceae): its ascent, decline, and fall. Sida 16(3): 479-503.

Luken J.O. & Thieret J.W. (1996) Amur honeysuckle, its fall from grace. BioScience 46: 18–24. [available online at: https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/46/1/18/262542]

McNeish R.E. & McEwan R.W. (2016) A review on the invasion ecology of Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii, Caprifoliaceae) a case study of ecological impacts at multiple scales. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 143(4): 367-385. [available online at: http://www.bioone.org/doi/pdf/10.3159/TORREY-D-15-00049.1]

Miller K.E. & Gorchov D.L. (2004) The invasive shrub, Lonicera maackii, reduces growth and fecundity of perennial forest herbs. Oecologia 139: 359–375. [available online at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8675777_The_invasive_shrub_Loni...

Pringle J.S. (1973) Lonicera maackii (Caparifoliaceae) adventive in Ontario. Canad. Field.-Nat. 87(1): 54-55.

Thompson R.L. & Poindexter D.B. (2011) Species richness after Lonicera maackii removal from an old cemetery macroplot on Dead Horse Knob, Madison County, Kentucky. Phytoneuron 2011-50: 1–16. [available online at: http://www.phytoneuron.net/PhytoN-Lonicera_maackii.pdf]

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith