Lonicera tatarica
Encyclopedia
Lonicera tatarica is a species of honeysuckle
known by the common name Tatarian honeysuckle. It is native to Siberia
and other parts of eastern Asia, but it is probably better known in North America, where it is a widespread introduced species
and noxious weed. This plant, one of several exotic bush honeysuckles present in North America, was introduced as an ornamental plant
in 1752. It is known across the continent west to Alaska
and California
, where it easily grows in disturbed habitat. It is a bushy shrub
which may approach three meters in erect height. It is lined with oval or rounded leaves 3 to 6 centimeters long. The inflorescence
is generally a pair of white to pink to crimson red flowers each about 1.5 centimeters long. The flowers are somewhat tubular, their stamen
s and styles
protruding. The fruit is a shiny orange or red berry
up to a centimeter wide. The plant forms thickets and spreads easily when birds and other animals consume the fruits.
Honeysuckle
Honeysuckles are arching shrubs or twining vines in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to the Northern Hemisphere. There are about 180 species of honeysuckle, 100 of which occur in China; Europe, India and North America have only about 20 native species each...
known by the common name Tatarian honeysuckle. It is native to Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
and other parts of eastern Asia, but it is probably better known in North America, where it is a widespread introduced species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
and noxious weed. This plant, one of several exotic bush honeysuckles present in North America, was introduced as an ornamental plant
Ornamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
in 1752. It is known across the continent west to Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it easily grows in disturbed habitat. It is a bushy shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
which may approach three meters in erect height. It is lined with oval or rounded leaves 3 to 6 centimeters long. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is generally a pair of white to pink to crimson red flowers each about 1.5 centimeters long. The flowers are somewhat tubular, their stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s and styles
Gynoecium
Gynoecium is most commonly used as a collective term for all carpels in a flower. A carpel is the ovule and seed producing reproductive organ in flowering plants. Carpels are derived from ovule-bearing leaves which evolved to form a closed structure containing the ovules...
protruding. The fruit is a shiny orange or red berry
Berry
The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary. Grapes are an example. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. They may have one or more carpels with a thin covering and fleshy interiors....
up to a centimeter wide. The plant forms thickets and spreads easily when birds and other animals consume the fruits.