Plant Family: Caprifoliaceae
Growth Form: Large, arching shrub up to 5 meters tall that may form thickets.
Leaves: Opposite, simple, ovate, apex tapering to a long point, margins entire, sparsely hairy beneath.
Bark: Light gray to brown, peeling in long thin strips, the pith of twigs is hollow.
Flowers: White, becoming yellow with age, top 4 petals fused, May to June.
Fruits: Paired, red, somewhat translucent berries.
Habitat: Understory of deciduous woods, fencerows, roadsides, disturbed sites.
Range: The native range is eastern Russia, China, and Korea. It is more commonly naturalized in southern New England, less so to the north.
Similar Species: Japanese Honeysuckle has similar flowers, but it has a vine-like growth form, and the fruits are black.
Comments: An Asian species that was introduced for its attractive flowers and vase-like growth form; it is now naturalized and considered invasive across much of the eastern United States.
