Michael Dirr calls this species "essentially an outmoded plant...the Edsel of deciduous shrubs" and "a terrible weed."
'Ho...Read Moreneyrose' differs from the species only in the color of the flowers. But who would want to grow a bush honeysuckle without fragrant flowers? The flowers of this species are small and have no fragrance. Most descriptions exaggerate their ornamental value. If you want a highly fragrant bush honeysuckle, get L. fragrantissima.
This is a sprawling, straggly, rampant growing bush that quickly fills with dead wood. It requires a great deal of heavy pruning to keep it looking respectable, even if it somehow escapes the Russian aphid that causes disfiguring witches' broom.
The gang-of-four Asian shrub honeysuckles that are widely invasive in North America (L. maackii, L. tatarica, L. x bella, and L. morrowii) are dowdy shrubs without fragrance. They come with a host of pests and diseases.
Planting of this noxious weed species is prohibited in four states. Birds spread the seeds wide into natural areas. Together with the other invasive honeysuckles and buckthorn, it destroys natural habitat and shades out our native woodland wildflowers. It impoverishes our once rich native flora and reduces its capacity to support wildlife.
Michael Dirr calls this species "essentially an outmoded plant...the Edsel of deciduous shrubs" and "a terrible weed."
'Ho...Read More