Lonicera reticulata is a woody vine with connate terminal leaves clearly glaucus above and with, broadly rounded tips. The only other Lonicera in southern Wisconsin with connate terminal leaves is L. dioica, for which the leaf tips are clearly acute and the upper surface is not glaucus or only slightly glaucus. A third species with connate leaves, L. hirsuta, is restricted to northern Wisconsin, has connate leaves with acute apex and, unlike the other two species, the upper leaf surface and corolla tube are pubescent.

Lonicera reticulata is a woody vine largely restricted to southern Wisconsin. Based on county level distribution maps over its entire range, it appears to be most common in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. The Michigan record is somewhat dubious and most other states have few county records.