Author Topic: Bear-free ID (Solved: Amur honeysuckle) (Read 1434 times)

Dodgy Loner · « **on:** June 18, 2007, 04:01:38 pm »

No tricks here. This is just a picture of a plant growing wild near Athens, GA. So what think ye

Tom · « **Reply #1 on:** June 18, 2007, 04:12:55 pm »

That appears to be plant that a UGA Dog would find right at home in Athens. Where's the tag?

Larry · « **Reply #2 on:** June 18, 2007, 05:08:58 pm »

Put could the subject have switched to dogs?

Dodgy Loner · « **Reply #3 on:** June 18, 2007, 05:17:53 pm »

This plant is quite common around Athens, but I've seen it only sparingly in other parts of the state. I think that's because it has been used extensively as an ornamental around here.

Tom · « **Reply #4 on:** June 18, 2007, 05:38:44 pm »

If it's a tree, I pick Dogwood. The hint that it doesn't occur around the State kind of wipes that out though.

My second guess is that it is a shrub, American Beauty Berry.

Dodgy Loner · « **Reply #5 on:** June 18, 2007, 11:11:13 pm »

The first time I saw it, I thought it was a species of dogwood also. The leaves are shaped similarly and have arcuate veins, and this plant also produces red berries in the fall. The flowers, however, which are also showy, are completely different. The leaf margins are smooth, so it's not a beautyberry, but it is a shrub.

WDH · « **Reply #6 on:** June 19, 2007, 08:39:12 am »

Is it native or is it chinese?

Does it have showy yellow flowers?

Dodgy Loner · « **Reply #7 on:** June 19, 2007, 01:37:45 pm »

WDH is onto something. It's of Chinese origin, and yes, it has showy yellow flowers...

WDH · « **Reply #8 on:** June 19, 2007, 01:48:59 pm »

There you go. Two good clues. It is not native. The yellow flowers are very striking

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WDH · « **Reply #9 on:** June 21, 2007, 11:45:26 am »

Apparently there are no naturalized-chinese-shrub-with-opposite-branching enthusiasts

Dodgy Loner · « **Reply #10 on:** June 21, 2007, 12:58:53 pm »

I wouldn't call myself a naturalized-chinese-shrub-with-opposite-branching enthusiast, either. But being able to readily identify it allows me to destroy it that much quicker

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SwampDonkey · « **Reply #11 on:** June 30, 2007, 07:42:13 pm »

For me, the branching habit and flat, splayed, drooping leaves would cast doubt on whether it was a dogwood. Any dogwood I've seen have leaves with erect petiolules, with the leaflet horizontal (alternate leaf, bunchberry) or slightly folded along the mid-vein facing the stem (red osier).

WDH · « **Reply #12 on:** July 01, 2007, 02:56:41 pm »

This plant is a woody shrub, but it has kin in its family that grow into very impressive trees through much of the US and a very good portion of Canada

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Texas Ranger · « **Reply #13 on:** July 01, 2007, 08:36:49 pm »

Burning bush?

Dodgy Loner · « **Reply #14 on:** July 02, 2007, 11:50:23 am »

Nope, try something in the Caprifoliaceae.

Texas Ranger · « **Reply #15 on:** July 02, 2007, 03:13:51 pm »

Well, down here it keys out to Mexican elder, but who know what y'all have in your neck of the woods.

Dodgy Loner · « **Reply #16 on:** July 02, 2007, 04:06:29 pm »

If your key doesn't include exotic species, it won't be of much use to you. I'm pretty sure this is considered invasive throughout the South.

Timburr · « **Reply #17 on:** July 03, 2007, 02:02:10 pm »

Are you folks going to let an 'outsider' 'ave a go?

Is it Amur honeysuckle or on a more scientific note, Lonicera maackii

Dodgy Loner · « **Reply #18 on:** July 03, 2007, 02:14:21 pm »

Bravo, Timburr!

We'll let anybody give it a shot, especially when they're right

! Do you have it on the other side of the pond?

Timburr · « **Reply #19 on:** July 03, 2007, 02:29:26 pm »

I've not seen it myself, but have just done a quick search. It appears that a proportion of nurseries stock it. So, an answer to your question would be a profound yes

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #20 on:** July 05, 2007, 06:19:35 pm »

Are the stems square in cross section? Must be the flowers though, a lot of the taxonomy is based on flowers. I would never have guessed it unless I had a good stem shot. We have a native honeysuckle with leaves a lot like blueberry and another with leaves like cherry.

Dodgy Loner · « **Reply #21 on:** July 05, 2007, 06:40:26 pm »

Nope, round stems. But the flowers are almost identical to Japanese honeysuckle, which is the most common (and the most invasive) honeysuckle in the southeastern U.S.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #22 on:** July 07, 2007, 11:12:22 am »

Well there ya go. I would have to go by flowers. Even a Weigela is not Lonicera , but its a honeysuckle Caprifoliaceae. DOH!

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Author Topic: Bear-free ID (Solved: Amur honeysuckle) (Read 1434 times)