Lonicera japonica
(Japanese Honeysuckle)
Where it originates:
Lonicera japonica is a native of eastern Asia, and was first introduced to Long Island, New York in 1806. The more aggressive Hall’s cultivar was developed and introduced by Dr. George Hall in 1862, and is more common today than the L. japonica species. The plant was selected for its blooms and sweet scent, and was made popular and spread through the nursery trade.
Identification: 
L. japonica may be one of the most widely recognized invasive plants in the eastern U.S. – known for its fragrant flowers appearing in volume during late spring, but also less frequently until fall. The sweet smelling blooms are white or pink, and fade to yellow as they age.
L. japonica is a perennial trailing or climbing woody vine with stems that appear reddish to light brown when young. Mature vines are brown with gnarly looking bark that peels in long strips. L. japonica spreads by seeds, rhizomes, and running vines, and produces black fruits in the fall.
Leaves are oval and opposite, 1.5 to 3.5 in long, but may appear lobed at the plant base. In Virginia leaves usually remain on the plant year round, but are dropped midwinter where weather gets colder in its northern range.
Habitat:
Disturbed woods, roadsides, field edges, floodplains, or other disturbed zones are invaded by L. japonica. Distribution is limited mostly to the eastern U.S. by temperature and moisture conditions; however it has escaped from cultivation in some western states including California and Hawaii.
Ecological Impacts:
L. japonica is a fierce competitor for light and soil resources; impacting the quality of wildlife habitat by outcompeting and displacing native vegetation. In sunny areas L. japonica can form dense groundcover leading to eventual monopolistic zones. Vines climb rapidly and can completely cover trees, stealing light and girdling trees as the vines age and grow larger. The added weight of these vines puts additional strain on trees, and can increase the hazard of windfall in disturbed areas along roads or beside buildings.
L. japonica can grow in relatively low light levels, tolerates a wide range of habitats, and has very few pests or predators to keep it in check. It has an additional advantage in keeping its leaves year round, allowing for a much longer growing season than natives. Over time L. japonica can drastically change forest habitat causing a loss in native plant and animal diversity.
Control:
Once established this invasive is very difficult to control and requires frequent monitoring. The best strategy is to regularly survey the area of concern, and to immediately destroy any occurrences. For especially infested areas, it may be helpful to focus on a smaller zone, only expanding when 100% kill has been achieved. A few overlooked vines can quickly become tough to control.
Cutting or mowing L. japonica will temporarily weaken the plant, but will likely lead to further re-sprouting from its subterranean rhizomes. To completely destroy the plant it must be entirely removed, otherwise cutting can become a never ending task. In mature forested areas, simply cutting climbing vines can be effective in controlling the species due to the low light availability on the forest floor. Spraying foliage with herbicide such as glyphosate has also proven to work well against L. japonica (brand names include: Rodeo, Round-Up). Spray in late fall for optimal success, being well aware of chemical warnings on label, and limiting your use as much as possible.
Since L. japonica keeps its leaves year round, it often stands out during the winter time when very little green is still visible in the forest. December through March is a good time to pull or cut simply because the invasive will be easy to find, and won't be covered with other plant growth - making it painless to get to.
References:
Nuzzo, Victoria. "Element Stewardship Abstract for Lonicera japonica." 15 April 1997. The Nature Conservancy.
Kaufman, Sylvan. Invasive Plants. 1st. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2007. 191-193. Print.