Honeysuckle: Ornamental Plant or Vicious Killer?

Name ________________________________________________________ Period ____

Purpose: How does honeysuckle affect plant growth of surrounding plants?
Background: Honeysuckle is a perennial woody vine that spreads y seeds!
underground rhi"omes! and aove ground runners# $he species was introduced into the
%nited &tates in '()* on +ong ,sland! N-# ,t now occurs throughout the eastern half of
the %nited &tates! in .* states total# ,t is in all /. ,ndiana counties! ut is much more
aggressive in &outhern ,ndiana# Honeysuckle is native to 0apan and was introduced as an
ornamental plant for erosion control# $he prolem with honeysuckle is that it damages
forests y out competing native vegetation# 1s it ecomes estalished it forms a dense
lanket that covers other plants! including trees and shrus# ,t is also suspected that
honeysuckle releases a chemical into the soil that makes it difficult for other plants to
grow while the honeysuckle thrives# ,n this la you will investigate how the leaching of
the honeysuckle chemical inhiits native plant growth#
Hypothesis: 2rite a hypothesis using the correct format addressing the purpose#
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Materials
distilled water! graduated cylinder! honeysuckle e3tract! parafilm! grass seeds 4or another
native plant5! laeling marker! . Petri dishes! filter paper
Procedure:
'# 6ead all directions carefully and get materials#
.# +ael one Petri dish 721$869 and the other Petri dish 7HON8-&%:K+89# ;e
sure to write small so you can still see into the dish#
<# Place a piece of filter paper in each Petri dish#
=# Place ') seeds into the dish laeled 721$869 and ') seeds in the dish laeled
7HON8-&%:K+89#
># 1dd ')ml of distilled water to the dish laeled 721$869# :over the dish and
secure with parafilm#
*# 1dd ')ml of honeysuckle e3tract to the dish laeled 7HON8-&%:K+89# :over
the dish and secure with parafilm#
?# Place in a dark area and check each day for a week#
Results: Number of Seeds Losing Casing and Sprouting after days of !reatment
@ay One @ay $wo @ay $hree @ay Aour @ay Aive
!ype of
treatment
1 ; 1 ; 1 ; 1 ; 1 ;
@istilled
2ater
Honeysuckle
83tract
1BNumer of seeds losing the casing
;BNumer of seeds sprouting
"nalysis: #raph your data on the grid belo$% &on't forget to gi(e your graph a title
and label both a)es%
"nalysis *uestions: "ns$er the +uestions belo$ using complete sentences%
'# 2hich seeds grew est! distilled water or honeysuckle e3tract?
.# How do your results compare to the class results? Cive specific numers in your
answer#
<# 83plain one way honeysuckle could inhiit the growth of grass in your yard#
=# -our family has discovered honeysuckle on your property# 2hy would you
recommend to your family that the honeysuckle needs to go?
># $here has een a large amount of honeysuckle spotted growing at the local park# 1fter
reading the article from the @N6! what steps would you recommend for the city of
Aishers for honeysuckle removal?
*# 83plain the dangers of introducing a new species into an ecosystem# %se an e3ample
that is not honeysuckle#
$eachers Notes for +a
'# $his la is set up for a group of .D= students# 8ach group will have . Petri dishes! one
for the distilled water and one for the honeysuckle e3tract# $he groups will share their
results with the class at the end of the oservation period so etter comparisons can e
made#
.# @irections for making the e3tract: :ollect honeysuckle leaves# -ou will need ') m+
of distilled water for every > grams of leaves# ,f you are making a large amount of
honeysuckle e3tract! it should e made in separate eakers# @ivide the leaves up into
multiple eakers so the e3tract is not diluted# 1fter adding the distilled water! cover the
eaker and let leach for ?. hours#
<# Paper towels could e sustituted for filer paper#
=# &cotch tape or saran wrap could e used for sealing the dishes if parafilm is not
availale#
># Croups could try different types of seeds# Crass seeds were chosen for the cost and
convenience# 2hichever seeds are chosen should e local plants that germinate in a short
amount of time#
*# $he following youtue clip is from :;& &unday Eorning# ,t discusses invasive
species in the %& and can e used with this unit#
https:FFwww#youtue#comFwatch?vBm%ssO*(@.eE