Invasive Species: Pesky Plants by Chris Kjolhede

Tatarian Honeysuckle, Be Gone!

When I was a young boy in the summers, my brothers and I used to have “poison berry” fights. This entailed finding a “poison berry bush,” picking handfuls of the small red or orange berries and pitching them at the nearest sibling. These bushes were often ornamental shrubs in neighbors’ yards. Local birds, especially robins, loved these berries and were a key contributor to the honeysuckles’ widespread presence in the vacant fields and hedgerows. Our fights were pretty harmless except for the fact that we were helping spread what we now know is one of the many invasive species cluttering up our natural environment.

There are a number of species of honeysuckles that are now classified as “invasive.” To be invasive, a plant must be a non-native plant and can outcompete and suppress the growth of native plant forms. In New York State, there are four such invasive forms of honeysuckle. These arrived in the U.S. from Southern Russia and Central Asia in the 1750s and have spread widely across the continent. Now, in some states, it is illegal to transport, buy or plant honeysuckle shrubs.

The Tatarian honeysuckle is a bushy shrub that grows up to 10 feet high. These shrubs are among the first to show green leaves in the spring. The leaves are oval shaped, pale green and smooth edged. Clusters of Tatarian honeysuckle can become stubborn thickets, as they suppress the growth of other native plants. These plants grow best in full sun but will tolerate some shade. The shrubs can reclaim vacant lots and overwhelm abandoned fields and pastures. The berries are orange or red and attract birds (and sometimes young boys) when they ripen.

Another characteristic of this invasive plant is that its roots are very shallow, making the mechanical removal of the shrub relatively easy using a weed wrench or garden fork or just your gloved hands and brute force. Springtime, when the soil is still moist, is the best time for removing the shrubs, by yanking them out.

The roads in much of our area are lined with these invasive honeysuckles. You needn’t get out of your car to see how honeysuckles have invaded these roadsides and fence rows. Take a drive up Glimmerglen Road off of Westlake Road in the spring and, no matter what direction you turn to return to Cooperstown, the way will be lined with honeysuckle shrubs. The hedgerows and the vacant fields will reveal numerous large, invasive shrubs. They are everywhere.

Here’s an idea. If we can identify a landowner who’s willing to let us drop off honeysuckle shrubs in a big pile this spring, maybe we could have an end of summer (and end of a number of invasive shrubs) celebratory bonfire. I’ll bring the marshmallows. What could be more fun! Maybe a “poison berry” fight? Naw!

References for identification and eradication:

1) Otsego County Conservation Association: https://www.occainfo.squarespace.com/terrestiral-invasive species

2) Cornell Cooperative Extension: https://ccdschoharie-otsego.org/invasive-species/invasive-plants

Other organizations involved in the eradication of invasive plant species are the Otsego Land Trust and Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership.

Chris Kjolhede, MD, MPH, is an emeritus pediatrician at Bassett Healthcare Network.