2. Japanese Honeysuckle

Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) is a lovely, sweet-smelling plant that turns out to be a dangerous foe. This vigorous, fast-growing specimen has fragrant yellow flowers that bloom from June to October, and it can reach a height of 30 feet.

When planted deliberately, this twining vine can be used as a ground cover, but don’t be fooled, as it’s considered an exotic invasive plant across the entire Midwest.

If you still want to have Japanese honeysuckle in your garden, make sure you keep it in check by cutting it back regularly. Feel free to do so aggressively; it will grow back really fast. When Japanese honeysuckle escapes, it can break tree limbs with its heavy weight and even kill trees and shrubs by girdling them with strong vines.