Amur Honeysuckle
Lonicera maackii • Hardwood (Shrub/Understory Tree)
Grain Pattern
Straight to semi-irregular; grain is fine and closed. Due to the small diameter of stems, visible lumber figure is rarely seen outside of turning blanks.
Color Description
Pale cream to light tan sapwood with a slightly darker brownish heartwood. Lacks significant luster; typically dulls in color and grays quickly when left as deadwood.
Hardness Rating
Estimated 800-1,000 lbf (Medium); physically dense for a shrub but lacks the structural rigidity of true timber hardwoods.
Durability Rating
Non-durable; poor resistance to decay. Prone to rot and insect attack once the plant dies or is cut and left on the ground.
Common Uses
Woodturning (small items), firewood, walking sticks, or craft items. Primary significance is as a pervasive invasive species rather than a commercial timber.
Geographic Origin
Native to Temperate Eastern Asia; heavily naturalized/invasive across Eastern and Midwestern North America.
Market Value & Sustainability
Estimated Market Value
No commercial market value; usually considered a waste product from ecological restoration or land clearing.
Wood Age Estimate
Living stems appear to be 5-15 years old. The plant structure indicates a multi-stemmed mature invasive shrub colony.
Sustainability Status
Highly invasive and detrimental to native ecosystems. Harvesting is encouraged for environmental management; not CITES listed or FSC certified.
Workability
Fairly easy to work with hand tools when green. When dry, it becomes brittle. Smaller stems often have a soft, pithy center making drilling or lathe work delicate.
Notable Features
Features a hollow or pithy center in smaller stems. The bark is distinctively tan, shaggy, and vertically fissured/ridged. Historically used for small tool handles in native ranges.
Finish Recommendations
Penetrating oils or simple waxes; tends to soak up finish unevenly due to varyng density between the pith and the outer rings.
Identification Confidence
High; identified by the characteristic tan/gray shaggy bark, opposite branching pattern, and growth habit as a multi-stemmed invasive shrub in a North American woodland setting.