Lonicera, Goldnet Japanese Honeysuckle, Yellow-Net Honeysuckle 'Aureoreticulata'

Although the species Lonicera japonica is invasive, this cultivar 'Aureoreticulata' seems to be much less so. To quote from a couple of ...Read Moredifferent reputable sites: "This is a well-behaved climbing honeysuckle, unlike some of the more vigorous selections. Highly regarded for its beautiful display of small green leaves, brightly veined with golden-yellow. May be grown on a pole or trellis, or allowed to scramble as a groundcover. Fragrant white flowers appear in early summer." "Long tubular white flowers aren't abundant but very Fragrant. Gorgeous oval evergreen to semi-evergreen leaves are bright green laced with yellow. Grow it as a twining vine up a small tree, fence or arbor or use it as a ground cover. Prune in spring. Well-behaved, polite grower -- not an invasive 'thug' like the species due to the variegated foliage & shy blooming (so few seeds). Drought tolerant when established. Host Plant for the Great Swallowtail Butterfly."

The European woodbine (Lonicera periclymenoides) is a well-behaved substitute for the thuggish Japanese honeysuckle. It is highly fragran...Read Moret and looks very similar. It is neither aggressive in the garden nor a threat to natural areas.

Japanese honeysuckle has been prohibited in three states and been declared a noxious weed in one other. It is a huge ecological problem throughout the eastern US.

Not only does Japanese honeysuckle strangle and disfigure the trees and shrubs in your garden, in wild areas its early leafing shades out all the native woodland understory wildflowers, ultimately killing them.

I've seen huge natural areas turn into ecological deserts covered by Japanese honeysuckle and Asiatic bittersweet. You can witness this by driving almost any interstate in the midatlantic states.

This species is rapidly spread by seed through the birds that eat the fruit.

2% glyphosate herbicide is an effective means of control.

It usually takes three or more years before a garden thug shows its true nature.

A.K.A. Gold-net Honeysuckle, this sometimes has oak-shaped leaves.