How to Remove Bush Honeysuckle with Olmsted Parks Conservancy

Learn how to remove bush honeysuckle from Louisville Olmsted Parks Conservancy. Robert shows you all you need to know about removing these invasive plants in your own backyard. Birds and other creatures transport these invasive seeds. Removing them from your own property helps stop them from spreading.
The Conservancy's expert work in Louisville's historic Olmsted Parks, like Cherokee, Seneca and Iroquois, has led to the removal of more than 230 acres of invasive plants, making way for the growth of native plants, trees and shrubs.

[@justtinkering6054]

Well spoken and informative. Thank you!

[@nonna617]

thank you for this.

[@debradaugherty8287]

You can get the larger ones out by excavation. Weed wrench for 1 to 2 inch diameter stems. For larger diameters, digging and using the reciprocating saw to severe some of the larger roots and rocking the plant back and forth can enable removal of a large fraction of the stump and root.

[@getintothewildwithjeffruma8777]

It’s not just a problem in the eastern parts of the country. I live in Kansas and I’ve been fighting this fast growing weed for years. Only today have I finally found out it’s name.

[@dannyleahy9165]

I live just South of Iroquois Park. Just removed 20 or so in the woods behind my house. I cut and sprayed the stumps of the bigger ones (>3”). I bought a ‘Pullerbear’ and used it for the smaller ones. It works great. How do I sign up to help with invasive in Iroquois Park?

[@redhedhik-chik2510]

I've hand cut 150 of these from our tree line and woods and not one time have I found a bird's nest. I have observed they love to grow up close to valuable deciduous trees. They seem to 'attract' or enable vines and multiflora roses as they are almost always found together. I've seen these choke out a valuable tree. Pure evil.

[@jamamanjamh13]

Eventually they will choke out what little is left of forests in the Midwest. I cleared my woods of it. Doesn’t matter though, with all properties around me full of it I’ll forever be pulling seedlings. When i first cleared the 5 acres I could count on one hand how many native Tree seedlings were underneath. So what happens when the old growth hardwoods die off? There’s only honeysuckle left to replace them...

[@williamgaines9784]

He said birds spread the seeds, not that they used them for nests. The other plants you mentioned are also frequently spread by birds.

[@blakespower]

do they have thorns? I have a plant that looks like that but I never seen it have honeysuckle flowers and its not a wild rose either I dont think

[@getintothewildwithjeffruma8777]

No they don’t have thorns. I wish I could identify the plant you are describing but I can’t sorry.

[@docmdb87]

.. or you can tackle it like a line backer and theres a good chance it will uproot and you can pull it out.. even the big ones!

[@getintothewildwithjeffruma8777]

Lol I cut some down on my property with 6 inch thick trunks. I don’t think you would want to use your method on them😂

[@fullstrutn]

Smokin' beard don't pay any attention to uhh comments below

[@tigerofwu]

Don't honeybees love them?

[@lizlusher]

They do but they push out native plants. I just bought a few acres and the woods are mostly bush honeysuckle. What was once dozens of species is now just a few because of this plant.