Winter Honeysuckle

Native versus non-native plants. I don't know why but I have thought for as long as I can remember that Lonicera fragrantissima (winter honeysuckle) was a native plant (to North America) but it is native to China (I think). I have heard for some time that this plant is on some groups watch list as a potential invasive plant. Despite the fact that its not native and may be invasive I sure would miss this wonderfully fragrant plant. It greets me every winter day from December til April as I walk up to the front door of my workplace (the Birmingham Botanical Gardens).

I know it is extremely drought tolerant because I had some in some gallon pots that I forgot about. They went uncared for and unwatered for two years. When I found them they had no potting soil left in the pot - just a mass of roots. I planted them last year before the worst drought in my lifetime and watered them once. I looked at them today and they look great (maybe this is why they are thought to be potentially invasive).