A vigorous, twining, semi-evergreen woody vine grown historically for its sweetly fragrant flowers that open white and age to yellow, scenting warm evenings, followed by small black berries. The honest catch, and it is a serious one: Lonicera japonica is one of the most aggressive invasive vines across much of the eastern and central United States. It smothers shrubs, young trees, and native ground layers under a dense blanket, girdles stems as it twines, and is listed as a noxious or invasive weed in many states. Do NOT plant it where it can escape into wild or unmanaged ground. For the same fragrance and far better wildlife value with none of the ecological cost, plant the native coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) instead.