10/16/2026
Nightmare in the Understory: Dealing with the Seed Bank.
Honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.)
Cutting or digging up honeysuckle once won’t solve the problem. You’ll need to come back next season and keep working to control it.
Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) produces round, bright red berries in late summer and fall, and these sometimes stay on the plant through winter. Each berry contains several small seeds. Birds, mammals, and other animals eat the berries and spread the seeds in their droppings. This animal-driven seed dispersal helps the plant spread far and wide.
Unlike some invasive weeds whose seeds last for decades, Amur honeysuckle seeds don’t survive long in the soil. A Wisconsin DNR study found that most seeds either sprout in the first two springs or rot. By the third year, only a few seeds can still grow. In Missouri, cold, wet winters help break seed dormancy, so seeds are ready to sprout quickly in spring.
Research on L. maackii shows that seeds from both self-pollinated and open-pollinated berries can sprout in just a few weeks if conditions are right. In tests, 47.3% of self-pollinated seeds and 41.7% of open-pollinated seeds sprouted, usually within 2 to 4 weeks after the soil warms to 59-68°F (Cambridge University).
Even though this challenge takes place throughout October, remember to return in spring to pull up any new honeysuckle seedlings. While you’re there, notice which native plants can now grow better and thrive.
Tune back in tomorrow to see a successful honeysuckle removal story.
