amur honeysuckle, its fall from grace - arnold arboretum.pdfVIP

Amur Honeysuckle, Its Fall from Grace james O. Luken and john W. Thieret This account of the history and biology of Lonicera maackia explains how and why the plant became so wildly successful as an exotic invasive. Scientists throughout the world are concerned by many resource managers as an undesirable about the apparent homogenization of regional element in parks, natural areas, and preserves: floras being caused by invasive, nonindigenous It would be difficult to exaggerate the weedy plant species. A new term for this process, potential of this shrub.3 This perception, how- has come into and is not shared and horticultur- biological pollution, use, ever, by gardeners removal of nonindigenous plants to protect ists-W. J. Bean wrote that [I]t is one of the native species and to maintain the integrity most beautiful of bush honeysuckles4-and its of communities is now a common practice garden value has encouraged widespread intro- in many parks and nature reserves. However, duction. Such varied and sometimes opposing human activity is an important determinant of values must be considered along with ecological the eventual rate and extent of diffusion of a data as future management policies for non- non-native species into a new geographic range, indigenous species are debated. whether the plant was introduced intentionally Our case study will address the following or accidentally.’ Therefore, as the time, effort, questions: How and why was Amur honey~ and resources committed to managing non- suckle intentionally introduced into cultivation indigenous plants increases, a need is emerging in the United States? What life-history traits of for greater understanding of the naturalization the species contribute to present-day valuations