By Derrick ForsytheRecord Features EditorAccording to Dan Burk-hardt, looks can be deceiving, particularly in case of an invasive plant that is slowly making its home in Warren County.The local conservationist is on a mission to warn locals about bush honeysuckle, a genus of three species of deciduous shrubs.At a glance, the plant seems harmless, even producing a red berry that some might find aesthetically pleasing. But to foresters and horticulturists, it has adopted a wealth of unflattering names.“It ought be called poison weed,” quipped Burkhardt.“It’s evil,” adds Jeff Bakameyer, a forestry resourcer based in Warrenton.He says the plant has already become a nuisance in local parks, including Binkley Woods and Dyer Park. It is particularly prosperous at the Reifschneider Conservation Area east of Warrenton.Bakameyer, who surveys properties and offers advice to property owners through his job with the Missouri Department of Conservation, encourages immediate action against the plant.He says many are not aware of the problems that can develop from the presence of bush honeysuckle.“It has no redeeming qualities,” said Burkhardt. “It completely shades everything under it and creates a tangled mess you cannot walk through.”Bush honeysuckle tends to take over the ground it covers, preventing native plants from growing or robbing them of sunlight and necessary nutrients.“It doesn’t provide anything but an inpenetrable screen of vegetation,” said Burkhardt. “If it gets into an oak or hickory forest, nothing else can grow there.”It is especially common along tree lines and in wooded areas, presenting a challenge for hunters trying to navigate woods or gain a clear line of sight.Burkhardt says the overpopulation of bush honeysuckle began in the city, where it was originally planted as a means of privacy between homes.“In the city the battle is lost,” lamented Burkhardt “Every vacant lot and untended piece of woodland is covered with this stuff. It’s been a problem in St. Louis for at least 20 years.”Birds eat the seeds from the plant and deposit them through their droppings in other locations.But Burkhardt, who owns farmland near Treloar, says there is still hope for Warren County.“If residents can be aware of it, and landowners can be looking out for it on their property, there’s a chance to keep it out of your area,” said Burkhardt.Bakameyer says ridding your property of bush honeysuckle can be as easy as using a common herbicide.“We’ve been working to control it here for years,” said Bakameyer. “It’s important to eliminate it, because we don’t want our native plants to be replaced by an exotic species that doesn’t benefit wildlife.”Similar to a quickly-spreading disease, early detection is critical.“When it’s a foot or two tall, it’s manageable,” said Burkhardt. “When the leaves canopy over your head, it’s usually too late.”But he warns that cutting or trimming the bushes can produce disastrous results.“If you cut it, it will immediately resprout,” said Burkhardt. “Cutting it does no good, because it will come back stronger.”Burkhardt says it’s important not to confuse bush honeysuckle with the native Missouri honeysuckle, which takes on a vine form. Instead, bush honeysuckle grows both upward and outward. One central trunk can cover an area of 15 to 20 feet across.“It’s not an upright kind of tree. It’s a bushy type of plant,” explains Burkhardt. “This is very bad for wildlife, plant diversity and mushroom hunters.”Bush honeysuckle leaves are oval in shape with a toothed edge. Their fall colors vary between orange, red or yellow.Burkhardt says bush honeysuckle is particularly noticeable during winter months, because unlike most plants, it does not shed its leaves.Bakameyer encourages those interested in learning more about controlling bush honeysuckle on their properties to call the local conservation office at 636-456-3368.Officials warn of Honeysuckle Invasion