Impact of the Invasive Species Lonicera maackii on Individual Plants and Plant Community Structure

Control of the invasive shrub Lonicera maackii, commonly known as bush honeysuckle, poses a serious problem for managers of nature reserves across the Midwestern United States. Lonicera maackii is an invader of forest and open environments. It grows best in high light areas, including canopy gaps, forest edges, and disturbed forests (Nyboer, 1992; Hutchinson and Vankat, 1997; Luken, 1998). It is unlikely to be found in old-growth forests even when the forest is adjacent to an invaded area (Hutchinson and Vankat, 1998)