The Nicest-Smelling Outdoor Recreation in Eau Claire - But at What Cost?¶
The Location, Time of Year, Description, and my History¶
Location¶
The most aromatic cluster of these wonderful flowering bushes is nestled just past Chippewa River Trail mile marker 6 up until the Highway 85 Wayside trail entryway.
The beginning of the grove.
Mile Marker 7 in the middle of the grove.
The end of the grove.
The Time of Year¶
The best time of year to visit this spot is mid to late May, when Spring is really kicking it up to high gear. This is when these bushes are in full bloom and when they smell the best!
Description¶
The Smell¶
When it's the right time of year and in the right place, what I notice more than anything is the amazing smell of these flowering bushes. It is a true spectacle and something that is very difficult to convey purely through words. It is a strong enough smell, and pleasant enough to me that each year, I make a point to make multiple visits to this part of the trail during the flowering peak. I simply can't miss it!
The Flowers and Bush¶
The flowers themselves are not necessarily beautiful, but they are vibrant and easy to spot at a glance. They also come in two varieties! Pink and Yellow. The bushes are also a very deep and vibrant green.
Pink Flowers.
Yellow Flowers.
My History¶
I have enjoyed this spot in the Chippewa River Trail for four years now. The first year was a brilliant and unexpected discovery. Years 2 and 3 only further established my love for this spot. This year — Year 4 — inspired me to make this page to share this with whoever happens to stumble upon this page in the future. To make this page as well-informed as possible, I chose to learn more about the plants that made this all possible.
The Dreadful Discovery¶
When looking up what plant has been creating this wonderful aroma over the past four years, I discovered that the plant was an invader. The Tatarian Honeysuckle. Well, probably the Tatarian. It could also be the Bell's Honeysuckle. I'm not at all gifted in plant identification, so know it's some kind of Honeysuckle and that means it's not from here.
The Contrast Between Me and the DNR¶
When reading through the Wisconsin DNR's webpage dedicated to the plant, an interesting contrast emerged between my appreciation for the plant and the Wisconsin DNR's disdain for the intruder.
Click through the tabs to view both perspectives.
Flowers¶
Wow! Those flowers smell incredible, and they look so pretty too! I love the pink and yellow colors!
Flowers: Fragrant, tubular and arranged in pairs at leaf axils. Reddish pink or white, turning yellow with age. Bloom mid-to-late spring.
Abundance¶
It's incredible when biking through a thicket. The aroma is impossible to ignore and very pleasant.
Invade various habitats, including forest edges, open woods, fens, bogs, lakeshores, roadsides, pastures and old fields.
Wishes for the Future¶
Wow, I wish there were more of these bushes on the rest of my bike ride! They're just so pretty and smell so fantastic!
Control:
Mechanical: Small to medium-sized plants can be dug or pulled by hand or leverage tool. Prescribed burns in spring kill seedlings and top kills older plants.
Chemical: Cut-stump treatment with glyphosate or basal bark around each plant stems with triclopyr ester. Treat foliage with glyphosate in early spring before leaf out of native species.
Conclusion¶
It was a bit of a bummer to discover that my favorite-smelling spot in Eau Claire was brought to existence due to an invasive species. In high school, I was taught about invasives and our school went as far as to clear a whole forest of Garlic Mustard for a day trip. That helped instill a sense of duty to clear out invasives wherever I can. This is the first time I've really felt a deeper internal conflict about invasives, because this particular invasive filled me with so much joy before I discovered its identity.
Ultimately, I don't expect I will return next Spring to enjoy this same wonderful spot, since I am moving to San Francisco Bay Area in California by Fall 2026, but for those still in the Eau Claire area, feel free to give it a visit! I suppose if the DNR has its day in the end, this spot will go from invaded (and wonderful) to native (and wonderful still, just for new reasons). I hope similarly aromatic natives can take over in the end!