What is this woody plant?

Question

I just dug up this tree (I think it is a tree), and I wanted to know if someone could help me identify it. Click for larger images.

This woody plant was growing in Illinois near some marshy land before it was dug up. The specific location was:

http://www.dupageforest.com/Conservation/ForestPreserves/Hidden_Lake.html

I have been trying to use the following resource but cannot seem to identify the plant:

http://woodyplants.nres.uiuc.edu/

FEATURES:

opposite branching
simple leaves
leave outline smooth
young branches hairy

DIFFERENTIAL:

Honeysuckle
Dogwood

It's probably a shrub. If you're lucky, you might get a flower or two this year, which will help a lot with identifying it. — Ed Staub, Apr 09 '12 at 00:49
Where was it growing before it was dug up? Have you observed it in previous years? — J. Musser, Apr 09 '12 at 01:18
Hope u didn't dig out a tree from a wilderness area :~~~~~~~~~~( — going, Apr 12 '12 at 05:40

score 4 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 22 '12 at 20:37

This is a non-native bush honeysuckle, most likely Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii). It's a terrible, highly invasive weed across most of eastern North America. I'm sure the DuPage Forest Preserve District would be more than happy if you called them up and volunteered to help them remove more of it :) (but fyi, it's illegal to dig it or any other plants up from the preserve on your own without permission).

What is this woody plant?

1 Answers1