Future Plants by Randy Stewart: Bush Honeysuckle

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Bush Honeysuckle

Diervilla

A genus of 3 species of suckering, deciduous shrubs related to Weigela and Honeysuckle, that are native to North America. They are used both in landscaping ( esp. commerical sites ) and soil stabilization projects.
The small, yellow flowers attract hummingbirds.
Bush Honeysuckles prefer full sun to partial shade on just about any fertile, well drained soil. Cut back hard in very early spring to encourage vigorous fresh new growth. Bush Honeysuckles are not often bothered by pests or disease. They are generally deer resistant. Propagation is best from cuttings.

* photo taken on July 26 2015 @ Niagara Parks Bot. Gardens, Niagara Falls, ON

* photo taken on Aug 5 2017 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

Diervilla 'Kodiak Black'
A fast growing, rounded to mounding shrub, reaching up to 2.3 x 3.3 feet in 2 years, eventually to 4 x 6 feet.
The very attractive blackish-burgundy foliage turns to glowing scarlet-red during autumn. The ovate leaves average 5.3 x 2.3 inches in size.
The bright yellow flowers appear during early summer.
Hardy zones 4 to 8 in sun or shade. Tolerant of dry shade.

* photos taken on Aug 25 2019 in Elkridge, MD

* photos taken on Aug 27 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Apr 7 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Apr 22 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 21 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 11 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 1 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 3 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Nov 10 2020 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on Nov 16 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Apr 8 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Apr 20 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 23 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Sep 23 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 2 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Nov 16 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Apr 19 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Nov 12 2024 in Columbia, MD

Diervilla 'Kodiak Orange'
A fast growing, rounded to mounding shrub, reaching up to 2.3 x 3.3 feet in 2 years, eventually to 4 x 6 feet.
The mid-green foliage turns to glowing orange-red during autumn. The ovate leaves average 5.3 x 2.3 inches in size.
The bright yellow flowers, up to 0.5 inches long, appear during early summer.
Hardy zones 4 to 8 in sun or shade. Tolerant of dry shade.

* photos taken on June 1 2019 in Elkridge, MD

* photo taken on Nov 4 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Apr 25 2020 in Howard Co., MD

* photos taken on Sep 27 2021 in Laurel, MD

* photo taken on Aug 1 2022 in Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photo taken on May 27 2023 in Burtonsville, MD

* photo taken on Sep 20 2023 in Howard Co., MD

* photo taken on Oct 29 2023 in Howard Co., MD

* photos taken on May 6 2024 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on Oct 22 2024 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Nov 12 2024 in Columbia, MD

Diervilla lonicera ( Northern Bush Honeysuckle )
A lowish suckering shrub, reaching around 3 feet in height, that is native to North America ( from east-central Saskatchewan to Sandy Lake, Ontario to Lansdowne House, Ontario to Ogoki, Ontario to Abitibi Canyon, Ontario to Newfoundland; south to Iowa to southern Illinois to the Carolinas ). In Ontario, it is very abundant on the north shore of Lake Superior, Manitoulin Island and on the Bruce Peninsula. In the Windsor/Essex County, Ontario region; it was locally common around Windsor and the Canard River Valley during the 1800s. Some records include: 4 years - x 6.5 feet; 5 years - 5 x 9 feet. It is excellent as a tall groundcover plantings, esp. commercial sites. It can colonize invasively on ideal sites. It is found in open woods and on rocky slopes in the wild. It is endangered in Saskatchewan, North Dakota and Indiana.
The oppositely-arranged, pointed-oval leaves are up to 6 x 2.5 inches in size. The foliage is glossy bronze-green, turning to scarlet-red during autumn.
The pale-yellow, honeysuckle-like flowers, up to 0.5 inches long, are borne during mid-summer.
Hardy zones 2 to 8 in sun or shade. Extremely hardy, thriving even in Alberta. Very drought tolerant.
Not prone to pests or disease.

* photo of unknown internet source

* photos taken on August 1 2011 in Luzerne Co., PA

* photos taken on Aug 3 2012 in London, ON

* photos taken on July 14 2016 in Tobermory, ON

* photos taken on July 9 2023 @ Scenic Caves, Collingwood, ON

'Copper'
New foliage is reddish before turning to green. The new growth continues all summer long. It is otherwise nearly identical.

* photos taken on July 30 2013 in Grand Bend, Ontario

* photos taken on July 18 2016 in Grand Bend, ON

* photos taken on May 27 2017 @ Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Vienna, VA

* photo taken on Jul 17 2017 in Gatineau, Quebec

'Polar Flare'
Fast growing and rounded in habit, reaching up to 5 x 5 feet.
The foliage is deep red at first, turning to deep green. The foliage turns to orange and red during autumn.
The yellow flowers appear during early summer.
Hardy zones 3 to 7, it has excellent disease resistance.

* photo taken on Aug 15 2024 in Kincardine, ON

Diervilla rivularis ( Georgia Bush Honeysuckle )
A fast growing, spreading, deciduous shrub that is similar to D. sessilifolia, reaching a maximum height of 10 feet. It is native to the Smoky Mountains ( eastern Tennessee to western North Carolina; south to northern Alabama to far northwest Georgia )
It is endangered in the wild.
The very attractive, glossy deep green foliage turns to yellow and red during autumn. The leaves are up to 5.5 x 2.2 inches in size.
The bright yellow flowers, up to 0.8 inches long, are borne on dense termimal panicles all summer long.
Hardy zones 5 to 8 ( possibly 4 as it is listed at Dominion Arboretum in Ottawa, Canada ) in full sun to partial shade on just about any well drained soil. It is tolerant of dry shade.

* photos taken on May 16 2011 in Washington, D.C.

* photo taken @ U.S. Botanical Garden, Wash., DC on Aug 25 2014

* photos taken on July 10 2023 @ Collingwood Arboretum, Collingwood, ON

'Nightglow'
Fast growing, upright to arching, compact in habit, reaching up to 2.2 x 3.3 feet in 3 years, eventually to 3 x 4 feet.
The deep purplish-red foliage forms a stunning contrast with the intense bright yellow blooms. The ovate leaves are up to 5.5 x 2.2 inches in size.
Hardy zones 4 to 8

* photo taken on May 27 2023 in Burtonsville, MD

* photos taken on July 10 2023 @ Collingwood Arboretum, Collingwood, ON

'Troja Black'
Fast growing and upright to arching, reaching up to 1.3 x 2.4 feet in 2 years, eventually to 4 x 6 feet.
The foliage is brownish-red, contrasting nicely with the yellow-orange flowers. The foliage is very deep bronze at first and turns intense scarlet-red during autumn.
Hardy zones 4 to 8

* photo taken on Nov 10 2020 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on July 10 2023 @ Collingwood Arboretum, Collingwood, ON

Diervilla sessilifolia ( Southern Bush Honeysuckle )
A fast growing, rhizomatous, suckering shrub, reaching a maximum size of 10 x 7 ( typically 4 to 5 ) feet, that is native to the Smoky Mountains ( from Tennessee to West Virginia to northwestern Virginia; south to northern Alabama to South Carolina ). It is threatened with extinction in Tennessee and wild populations in VA & WV have disappeared. It makes a great plant for roadside embankments and parking lot plantings.
The leaves are up to 7 x 3 inches in size. The foliage is bronze-purple at first, turning to glossy deep green with reddish veins. The nearly square stems are also red. The leaves turn entirely scarlet-red to red-purple during autumn.
The yellow flowers are borne on clusters of 3 to 7 ( rarely more than 3 on the similar D. lonicera ). Hardy zones 3 to 8 ( listed at zone 4b Dominion Arboretum in Ottawa, Canada ) in full sun to partial shade. It is tolerant of dry shade, salt and urban conditions. Older plants can be cut back to ground during late winter to renovate.

* photos taken by Mark A. Garland @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

'Butterfly'
Reaches up to 4 feet, with clean deep green foliage, that turns purple during autumn.
The flowers, borne on 3 inch wide clusters, are glowing bright yellow. The flowers are magnets for butterflies.

'Cool Splash'
Reaches up to 4 x 4 ( averaging 3 ) feet, with luxuriant green foliage variegated with a bold white edge. The foliage is healthy, clean and disease free.
A very beautiful plant that should be much more widely used. Fast growing, it forms a nice 1 gallon size plant around 1.7 x 1.7 feet in just a year.
The sulfur-yellow flowers are borne in pairs during summer.
Hardy zones 4 to 8. Propagation is easy from sowing seed directly, no pretreatment needed. Softwood cuttings taken during early summer also root fairly easily.

* photo taken on Aug 30 2012 in Columbia, MD