Amur Honeysuckle

Lonicera maackii

Found in suburban woodlands, moist forests, fencerows, especially in areas with circumneutral soils. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), South Central edition What its natural habitat tells you

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Severe harm

Not native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 76%

Height: 10–15 feet
Spread: 10–15 feet
Light: Dappled sunlight, Deep shade, Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Somewhat dry to moist

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Do not plant. Listed invasive in Alabama.

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Deerberry
Vaccinium stamineum
Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Dry to average. Flowers: Green, pink or white.
Similar growth form, height, spread
Northern Highbush Blueberry
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Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Pink or white.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous
Smooth Sumac
Rhus glabra
Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Green or white.
Similar height, spread, evergreen or deciduous

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At a glance

Life cycle: Woody perennial
Leaves: Deciduous
Bloom: May to June
Fruiting season: Summer to fall

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Recorded in 7 Alabama counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 3

Named place / source context. Shown: Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, Georgia, a neighboring state.Trail on Little Kennesaw Mountain., Unidentified in HFC record, undated. Public domain. Source record.

Moist forests

Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Alabama. Shared habitat, not food. 107 animals.

Fish Crow
Corvus ossifragus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Kentucky Warbler
Oporornis formosus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Lincoln's Sparrow
Melospiza lincolnii
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Long-eared Owl
Asio otus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Louisiana Waterthrush
Seiurus motacilla
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Northern Parula
Parula americana
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Aegolius acadicus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Prothonotary Warbler
Protonotaria citrea
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Pheucticus ludovicianus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Rusty Blackbird
Euphagus carolinus
Birds. 1 shared habitat

All wildlife of Alabama

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

27CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL

Genus host records with ranges including AL · Lonicera

Hemaris diffinisSnowberry Clearwing
Hemaris thysbeHummingbird Clearwing
Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
Aethalura intertextaFour-Barred Gray
Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
Callizzia amorataGray Scoopwing
Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
Egira alternansAlternate Woodling

Show all 27

Euphydryas phaetonThe Baltimore, The Black Checker
Harrisimemna trisignataHarris's Three-Spot
Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
Herpetogramma thestealisZigzag Herpetogramma, Subtle-Feathered Grass Moth
Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
Hypercompe scriboniaGiant Leopard Moth, Great Leopard Moth
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Leucania pilipalpisZippered Wainscot
Leucania ursulaUrsula Wainscot
Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
Oiketicus abbotiiAbbot's Bagworm Moth
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
Uresiphita reversalisGenista Caterpillar, Genista Cbroom Moth

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

10BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Lonicera

Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
Catharus ustulatusSwainson's Thrush
Ixoreus naeviusVaried Thrush
Mimus polyglottosNorthern Mockingbird
Myadestes townsendiTownsend's Solitaire
Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
Pipilo maculatusSpotted Towhee
Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
Vireo olivaceusRed-eyed Vireo

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Caprifoliaceae
Hardiness: Zones 3a–8b
Flower color: Yellow or white
Growth rate: Moderate
Growth habit: Several stems
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: Summer
Fruit ends: Fall

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “May to June” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Yellow or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit ends · “Fall” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth habit · “Several stems” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 3a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “10–15 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Minnesota Wildflowers differ)
Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Dappled sunlight (shade through upper canopy all day); Deep shade (less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight); Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “10–15 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Conservation status

Alabama rank	Not available
Global rank	GNR
AL status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source