Lonicera japonica Thunb., Caprifoliaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  yes

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 12 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Hall's honeysuckle, honeysuckle, Japanese honeysuckle

French: chèvrefeuille du Japon, clématite du Japon

Hawaiian: honekakala

Maori (Cook Islands): mangamangā rima, pitate papa‘ā, pītete papa‘ā

Spanish: madreselva

Habit:  vine

Description:  "Sprawling and twining lianas; young stems pubescent. Leaves ovate, elliptic, oblong or broadly lanceolate, blades 3-8 cm long, 1-3.5 cm wide, pubescent, becoming glabrate above, entire or young lower leaves sometimes lobed. Flowers 2 in axillary cymes, bracts 1-2 cm long, bracteoles suborbicular, ca. 1 mm long; corolla white, turning yellowish or tinged pink, 2-lipped, 2-3 cm long. Berries bluish black, globose, 6-7 mm in diameter" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 495).

Habitat/ecology:  Mesic to wet upland areas.  Can grow up and over small trees and shrubs, smothering them.  It can form a scattered layer on the forest floor, rapidly climbing into the canopy if disturbance increases the light level (Randall & Marinelli, 1996; p. 149). In Hawai‘i, occurs in mesic to wet areas...from sea level to at least 4,000 feet; smothers plants in mesic to wet forests (Motooka et al., 2003).   In Fiji, "cultivated and sparingly naturalized from near sea level to an elevation of about 850 m"  (Smith, 1988; p. 377). In New Zealand, "abundantly naturalised in many areas but less common in southern parts of the South Island.  Disturbed forest, especially common around margins and in clearing, also in stands of introduced species and scrub" (Webb et al., 1988). In Australia, "it has the ability to smother vegetation and exclude the growth of native species, particularly at the low shrub and grass/forb level" (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 175).

Propagation:  Seeds, commonly spread by birds; stems or pieces of stems.

Native range:  Eastern Asia and Japan, widely cultivated.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (pp. 5, 13)
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 5)
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1924) (voucher ID: BISH 135613) Taxon name on voucher: Lonicera japonica Thunb.
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 8) "Presumably escaped from cultivation. It now occurs in the lower parts of the National Park and should be watched very carefully as it can become a noxious weed, destroying the native vegetation by smothering it". Vouchers cited: P.S. Green 1369 (A), J.D. McComish 142 (NSW)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 11)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 11)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Rotuma Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1938) (voucher ID: BISH 615062) Taxon name on voucher: Lonicera japonica Thunb.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1988) (p. 377) Vouchers cited: Smith 5025, DA 12152, DA 16781 Sparingly naturalized.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1960) (voucher ID: BISH 32954) Taxon name on voucher: Lonicera japonica Thunb.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1969) (voucher ID: BISH 32955) Taxon name on voucher: Lonicera japonica Thunb.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Huahine Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 28)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 60) Voucher cited: BRY 26551
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 28)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 492186) Taxon name on voucher: Lonicera japonica Thunb.
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Raivavae (Raevavae) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1934) (voucher ID: BISH 80345) Taxon name on voucher: Lonicera japonica Thunb.
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Raivavae (Raevavae) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1983) (voucher ID: BISH 550754) Taxon name on voucher: Lonicera japonica Thunb.
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Rimatara (Rimitara) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1934) (voucher ID: BISH 80176) Taxon name on voucher: Lonicera japonica Thunb.
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Rurutu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1934) (voucher ID: BISH 80263) Taxon name on voucher: Lonicera japonica Thunb.
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Tubuai (Tupuai) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1934) (voucher ID: BISH 80347) Taxon name on voucher: Lonicera japonica Thunb.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 66)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 495) Voucher cited: Fosberg 33294 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 495)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2002) (p. 19) East Maui. Vouchers cited: Starr & Martz 980826-17 (BISH), Starr & Martz 981209-1 (BISH)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 81)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 57) Voucher cited: CHR 168864
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 5)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 114) Voucher cited: Yuncker 10198 (BISH)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 15)
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island	introduced	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 104) "Potential invader".
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island	introduced cultivated	St. John, H. (1987) (p. 52) Voucher cited: Fosberg & B. Christian 11172
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Paulay, Gustav/Spencer, T./Oliver, Royce (1989) (p. 15) Voucher cited: Paulay, Spencer & Schuster 672 (US)
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1991) (voucher ID: BISH 643156) Taxon name on voucher: Lonicera japonica Thunb.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 10)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1931) (voucher ID: BISH 135612) Taxon name on voucher: Lonicera japonica Thunb.
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced cultivated	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 87)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Lifuka and Foa Islands	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 7)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 7)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 7)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	introduced invasive	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 175)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 175)
Chile (continental) Chile	Chile (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 220)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Japan Japan	Japan (country)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
North Korea North Korea	North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
South Korea South Korea	South Korea (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Owen, S. J. (1997)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 467) "Disturbed forest, especially common around margins and in clearings, also in stands of introduced spp. and scrub".

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	introduced cultivated	Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (p. 118)
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive	Lavergne, Christophe (2006) "Très envahissant"

Comments:  Becoming a serious pest in Hawai‘i. Also a pest in Australia and elsewhere in the US. On New Zealand noxious weed list and banned from sale in that country. A pest plant on Christmas Island (Indian Ocean). Reported to be invasive in the Canary Islands.

Control:  The Nature Conservancy's Stewardship Abstract contains information on control methods.

Physical: Individual plants may be dug out with difficulty, but pulling, cutting, mowing or burning generally stimulates dense regrowth.

Chemical: Escort 35 g + 100 ml Pulse/100 l water by handgun or 5 g + 10 ml Pulse/10l water knapsack; Tordon Brushkiller 0.6% handgun or knapsack; Roundup found to be ineffective. Vines can be cut and regrowth sprayed with 1% Roundup plus 0.1% Pulse or Escort 2 gm per 10 l water plus 10 ml Pulse (Timmins and Mackenzie, 1995; pp. 171-173). Check for resprouting.

"Sensitive to hormone-type herbicides and to metsulfuron and glyphosate" (Motooka et al., 2003).

Additional information:  Information from the book "Weeds of Hawaii‘s Pastures and Natural Areas; An Identification and Management Guide" (Motooka et al., 2003). (PDF format).
Report (PDF format) from US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Haleakala Field Station, Hawaii "Plants of Hawaii".
Information on the Environment Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, web site.
Fact sheet, including control information, from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, New Zealand.
Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) factsheet (PDF format) from Virginia Department of Conservation& Recreation's invasive plant species list
Photos and additional information at University of Florida, Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants.
The Nature Conservancy photos and Stewardship Abstract.
Information from "Invasive plants of Asian origin established in the United States and their natural enemies, volume 1" (PDF format).

Additional online information about Lonicera japonica is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Taxonomic information about Lonicera japonica may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

Additional online information about Lonicera japonica is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Taxonomic information about Lonicera japonica may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1924. Voucher specimen #BISH 135613 (Garber, D.W. 817).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1931. Voucher specimen #BISH 135612 (Christophersen, E. 3041).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1934. Voucher specimen #BISH 80176 (St.John, H. 16827).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1934. Voucher specimen #BISH 80263 (St.John, H. 16610).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1934. Voucher specimen #BISH 80345 (Fosberg, F.R. 11685).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1934. Voucher specimen #BISH 80347 (Fosberg, F.R. 11841).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1938. Voucher specimen #BISH 615062 (St.John, H. 19187).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1960. Voucher specimen #BISH 32954 (Pillay, S. 12152).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1969. Voucher specimen #BISH 32955 (Smith, A.C. 16781).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1982. Voucher specimen #BISH 492186 (Florence, J. 4025).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1983. Voucher specimen #BISH 550754 (Florence, J. 5768).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1991. Voucher specimen #BISH 643156 (Florence 10760).

Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. 1998. Potential environmental weeds in Australia: Candidate species for preventative control. Canberra, Australia. Biodiversity Group, Environment Australia. 208 pp.

Fosberg, F. R. 1997. Preliminary checklist of the flowering plants and ferns of the Society Islands. Ed. by David R. Stoddart. U. Cal. Berkeley.

Fosberg, F. R./Paulay, Gustav/Spencer, T./Oliver, Royce. 1989. New collections and notes on the plants of Henderson, Pitcairn, Oeno, and Ducie Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 329. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 18 pp.

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 391 pp.

Lavergne, Christophe. 2006. List des especes exotiques envahissantes a La Reunion. Unpublished manuscript (Excel file). .

McCormack, Gerald. 2007. Cook Islands biodiversity and natural heritage. On-line database.

Meyer, Jean-Yves. 2000. Preliminary review of the invasive plants in the Pacific islands (SPREP Member Countries). In: Sherley, G. (tech. ed.). Invasive species in the Pacific: A technical review and draft regional strategy. South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Samoa. 190 pp.

Motooka, Philip/Castro, Luisa/Nelson, Duane/ Nagai, Guy/Ching, Lincoln. 2003. Weeds of Hawaii‘s Pastures and Natural Areas; An Identification and Management Guide. College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa. 184 pp.

Motooka, Philip/Ching, Lincoln/Nagai, Guy. 2002. Herbicidal Weed Control Methods for Pasture and Natural Areas of Hawaii. Cooperative Extension Service, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai‘i. CTAHR free publication WC-8.

Neal, Marie C. 1965. In Gardens of Hawaii. Bernice P. Bishop Museum Special Publication 50, Bishop Museum Press. 924 pp.

Orchard, Anthony E., ed. 1994. Flora of Australia. Vol. 49, Oceanic islands 1. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Owen, S. J. 1997. Ecological weeds on conservation land in New Zealand: A database. Working draft. Wellington, New Zealand. Department of Conservation.

Randall, J. M./Marinelli, J. (eds.). 1996. Invasive plants: weeds of the global garden. Brooklyn Botanic Garden Handbook 149. 111 pp.

Raulerson, L. 2006. Checklist of Plants of the Mariana Islands. University of Guam Herbarium Contribution 40:1-69. .

Smith, Albert C. 1988. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 4. 377 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2000. Observations on invasive plant species in American Samoa.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 51 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2000. Report to the Government of Niue on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 34 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2001. Report to the Kingdom of Tonga on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 78 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of the Cook Islands on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 146 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of Samoa on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 83 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate. 2004. Report to the Government of Niue and the United Nations Development Programme: Invasive plant species on Niue following Cyclone Heta. UNDP NIU/98/G31 - Niue Enabling Activity. 80 pp.

St. John, H. 1987. An account of the flora of Pitcairn Island with new Pandanus species. Honolulu, 65 pp.

Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. 2002. New plant records from the Hawaiian archipelago. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2000. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 69:16-27.

Swarbrick, J. T. 1997. Environmental weeds and exotic plants on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean: a report to Parks Australia. 101 pp. plus appendix.

Sykes, W. R. 1970. Contributions to the flora of Niue. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 200, Wellington. 321 pp.

Timmins, S. M./Mackenzie, I. W. 1995. Weeds in New Zealand protected natural areas database. Wellington, New Zealand. Department of Conservation, , Technical Series No. 8. 287 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Vander Velde, Nancy. 2003. The vascular plants of Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands. Smithsonian Institution, Atoll Research Bulletin No. 503:1-141.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. 1988. Flora of New Zealand, Volume IV: Naturalised pteridophytes, gymnosperms, dicotyledons. Botany Division, DSIR, Christchurch. 1365 pp.

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1943. The flora of Niue Island. Bishop Mus. Bull. 178. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 126 pp.

Zheng, Hao/Wu, Yun/Ding, Jianqing/Binion, Denise/Fu, Weidong/Reardon, Richard. 2004. Invasive plants of Asian origin established in the United States and their natural enemies, volume 1. FHTET-2004-05. U.S. Forest Service, Morgantown.