Honeysuckle Will Be The Source of Our Ruin!

Recently I've become intensely against honeysuckle plants. I will explain the problems that the plant is creating in our fair city to any one who will listen! Honeysuckle (pictured here) is everywhere in Kansas City. Any place where people aren't carefully attending to their yards the stuff grows. I think I've spotted some yards that are cultivating it, although luckily those foolish gardeners are in the minority.


The problems with honeysuckle are these: it is an invasive exotic species that grows leaves earlier in the season than other trees and plants. The shade that the leaves create block the sun from reaching new trees growing under the honeysuckle bush. This means that new trees cannot grow when the honeysuckle is around, so urban forested areas with the stuff are doomed to become honeysuckle forests after the current trees die (from old age and stuff). Can you hardly believe this outrage?!!


I learned about the TERRORS of honeysuckle mostly from this Walt Bodine episode and also from the grumblings at arbor day festivities in Liberty, MO

The Walt Bodine Show - Plants and Trees, Native or Invasive?