States
North CarolinaTennesseeGeorgiaSouth CarolinaKentuckyAlabamaFloridaVirginia
Menu

Japanese Honeysuckle

Lonicera japonica

Found in nearly ubiquitous, especially common in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain and in moist habitats. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

-85
Severe harm

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

Profile 82%

Height
16–29.5 feet
Spread
3–6 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist
See native alternatives

Do not plant. Listed invasive in Virginia.

Plant this instead

Choose your county to list local plants first.

Refine these alternatives in the finder

Check a whole list of plants

At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Deciduous, semi-evergreen or evergreen
Bloom
Late spring
Fruiting season
August to October

Recorded in 103 Virginia counties.

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 181 animals.

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

36CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Lonicera

  • Hemaris diffinisSnowberry Clearwing
  • Hemaris thysbeHummingbird Clearwing
  • Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
  • Aethalura intertextaFour-Barred Gray
  • Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Archips negundanaLarger Boxelder Leafroller Moth
  • Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
  • Callizzia amorataGray Scoopwing
  • Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
  • Dysstroma truncataMarbled Carpet
Show all 36
  • Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
  • Egira alternansAlternate Woodling
  • 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
  • Hyppa xylinoidesCommon Hyppa
  • Leucania ursulaUrsula Wainscot
  • Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
  • Melanchra adjunctaHitched Arches
  • Melanchra pictaPainted Arches, Zebra Caterpillar Moth
  • Oiketicus abbotiiAbbot's Bagworm Moth
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
  • Orthotaenia undulanaDusky Leafroller
  • Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Sympistis badistrigaBrown-Lined Sallow
  • Uresiphita reversalisGenista Caterpillar, Genista Cbroom Moth
  • Zanclognatha dentataToothed Zanclognatha, Toothed Fan-Foot
  • Herpetogramma aquilonalis
  • Opostegoides scioterma
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 5a–8b
Soil pH
Acidic to alkaline
Flower color
Yellow or white
Growth rate
Rapid
Growth habit
Spreads by runners
Foliage color
Green
Fruit begins
August
Fruit ends
October

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

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Japanese Honey Suckle

Conservation status

Virginia rankSNA
Global rankGNR
VA statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Sources