Knowledgebase
Lonicera xylosteum: invasive?? #749594
Asked May 12, 2021, 6:54 PM EDT
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
This looks to me more like Amur honeysuckle. There are three species of native honeysuckles in Maryland; Lonicera semperviens is most likely in your area but it has red flowers, not white. All of the white-flowering honeysuckles reported in our state are non-native and invasive and we do not recommend planting them.
https://www.marylandbiodiversity.com/viewChecklist.php?genus=Lonicera
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/exotic-bush-honeysuckles
Christa
This one too looks to me like one of the Asian bush honeysuckles. I was not able to find reliable information on the fragrance characteristics of all of the honeysuckles that are known to be present in Maryland. Also, fragrance is not a reliable characteristic for ID. Fragrance can vary by temperature (the oils volatilizing more in warm weather vs. cold), maturity of the blossoms (when ready to attract pollinators), and even by an individuals' sense of smell. The reproductive parts of a plant (flowers and fruits), as well as leaf and stem characteristics, are more reliable for identification.
If you are interested, this is a very good publication that goes into detail about identifying invasive plants and look-alike plants. Honeysuckles are included. https://www.nybg.org/files/scientists/rnaczi/Mistaken_Identity_Final.pdf
Christa
You're welcome. If you like honeysuckles, I highly recommend the native coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens). It is a great plant and the nectar is an excellent food for ruby-throated hummingbirds.
Also, check out this publication, Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping.
https://www.fws.gov/chesapeakebay/pdf/NativePlantsforWildlifeHabitatandConservationLandscaping.pdf
Christa