The invasive shrub Lonicera maackii (Rupr.) Herder (Amur honeysuckle) dominates the understory of many deciduous forests in southwestern Ohio and other areas. Extensive sampling of an isolated population of L. maackii was used to elucidate its colonization of a forest woodlot and subsequent growth and development. The current population age structure indicated that colonization likely occurred by a series of small dispersal events. The population remained small for about ten years and then increased dramatically, presumably due to the seed reproduction of the early colonizers. Young prereproductive shrubs are characterized by rapid height growth and high stem recruitment. After shrubs become reproductive at age 5–8, height growth continues but basal stem recruitment is reduced and radial growth increases shrub basal area. Allocation of primary production apparently shifts from stem recruitment and height growth in young shrubs to a balance of height growth, radial expansion and reproduction in older shrubs.