Himalayan honeysuckle

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Habitat:

• Typically found in hedgerows and on waste ground
• Occasionally found in woodland

Description:

• Himalayan honeysuckle is a deciduous shrub growing up to two metres tall   
• Leaves are oval in shape and grow between 5-18cm long
• Leaves grow in opposite pairs on the stem
• Tall, green, bamboo-like stems
• Pale pink-purple funnel shaped flowers (10-20mm)
• Berries (12-15 mm in size) are purple in colour when they first form but deepen in colour to become black

Origin and Worldwide Distribution:

• Himalayan honeysuckle is native to the Himalayas
• It is now present across France, the United Kingdom and Ireland

Impacts:

Is it found in Northern Ireland?

• It is found in Northern Ireland
• More distribution information can be found at NBN Atlas NI or via PlantAlert

How did it get here?

• L. Formosa was originally introduced during the Victorian era, to be planted as a cover for pheasants; this is where it gets its name ‘Pheasant berry’
• It is still widely sold in nurseries and garden centres
• More recent spread into the ‘wild’ has occurred because of plants escaping from gardens
• Birds can also disperse the seeds

Management/Methods for Prevention

• Report any sightings
• Be Plant WISE
  • Do not plant this species – plant native species instead
  • Do not take or give cuttings from wild or cultivated plants
  • Know what you are growing
  • Never collect plants from the wild
  • Safely dispose of plants and growing media
• The spread of the plant can be kept in check by removing spent flowers before they go to seed