Northern Bush Honeysuckle
Bush Honeysuckle, Diervilla lonicera, has dense, dark green foliage that turns yellow-orange, then red to purple in the autumn. The color will be more dramatic on plantings that receive more sunlight. Not a true honeysuckle, this small, mound-shaped shrub will …
| Soil Type | Loam, Sand |
|---|---|
| Soil Moisture | Dry, Medium |
| Sun Exposure | Full Sun, Partial, Shade |
| Height | 1' - 3' |
| Bloom Color | Yellow, Orange |
| Bloom Time | June, July, Aug |
| Spacing | 2' - 3' |
| Zones | 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 |
| Root Type | Rhizome |
| Benefits | Birds, Pollinators, Host Plant |
Bush Honeysuckle, Diervilla lonicera, has dense, dark green foliage that turns yellow-orange, then red to purple in the autumn. The color will be more dramatic on plantings that receive more sunlight. Not a true honeysuckle, this small, mound-shaped shrub will spread to form thickets over time, making it a good choice for massing, hedgerows or shrub borders. The yellow honeysuckle-shaped flowers, which turn reddish in color as they mature, attract butterflies and other pollinators. The fruit capsules are desirable to many songbirds, autumn through winter. Also a larval host for the Fawn Sphinx Moth.
This drought tolerant native shrub adapts easily to poor, rocky soils. Northern Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla sp.) is not to be confused with invasive honeysuckles. Morrow's honeysuckle, Tatarian honeysuckle, Amur honeysuckle, and Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.) are all invasive and non-native species. The native and invasive honeysuckles are somewhat similar in appearance. One way to distinguish between them is by looking at the stems - native honeysuckles have solid stems while invasive honeysuckles have hollow stems.
