Fragrant Honeysuckle
Lonicera fragrantissima
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Fragrant honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima), also known as the sweetest honeysuckle, is a bushy deciduous shrub native to eastern Asia. It was first introduced to North America in the late 1800's and has been planted widely as an ornamental shrub for homes and for wildlife as food and cover. Typical invaded areas include disturbed successional communities, wetlands, prairie, woodland edges, and partially closed forest, and commonly found growing under trees, tall shrubs, and along fence rows.
Fragrant honeysuckle is a stiff-branched, deciduous shrub with a bushy, spreading habit. This shrub has extremely fragrant, creamy white flowers that appear in early spring before the leaves emerge. Flowers are soon followed by small red berries, which mature in late spring to early summer. Fragrant honeysuckle spreads rapidly due to birds and mammals dispersing fruit. In North Carolina, it has been observed in the Mountains and Piedmont. Fact Sheet: Fragrant Honeysuckle
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Photo Credit: John Ruter, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
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